My Wish For Public Schools

My wish for public schools does not include hiring more teachers, paying out more federal money, or longer hours. I truly wish that public schools would do the one thing that they do not do now - teach their students how to think. I do not mean spit out information like a computer. I mean think.

This would be my recipe for an appropriate school week
Monday - This would be the day you would introduce new information for the week in your class. You would take time to explain the subject and answer questions that your students might have. This would also be the day that you assign meaningful homework. A research project or book to read/ book report.
Tuesday - Thursday - This would be the day that your students begin challenging themselves. They can work independently, in small groups, etc. to reinforce what you taught on Tuesday. If it's a science class, the small group would be given an assignment related to the subject and it would be up to them to come up with a hypothesis, experiment, and results.  For Foreign Language class, the students can make up their own conversations one act plays or  games to reinforce the subject matter. The teacher would only be there to help facilitate the process. All the work would be done by the students.
Friday - Any assignments for homework would be done this day. Presentations given. Tests taken.

I think that real teaching means giving the students the information and letting them explore it. Just spouting information and then testing them on it is NOT teaching. Teachers should be mentors, not newscasters or documentarians. If necessary, spend extra money on teaching assts. or subs who can help the teachers do their job. Don't criticize a student if their answer doesn't match the manual - praise them for working out the problem on their own. The student can then be free to think for him/herself. Learning is not rote - it is a process. By guiding a student to their own self-discovery, you are giving that student tools that will last a lifetime. And who knows, you might just be privileged enough to be teaching the next Albert Einstein or Emily Dickinson.

Traveling down the road

As I sit in my car traveling down the road, I am struck by the sight of pure sunshine on the one side of the street. On the other side, is a very ominous cloud bank. As I watch, I think about life's choices and how they mirror this image. One can either choose a path that leads to happiness or a path that leads to despair. And then there are those, such as myself, driving along the road trying to decide whether making any decision at all  is really worth it. You are still driving along a path no matter which decision you make.

Why is it that....

Why is it when I need to have something done in very little time that is when there seems to be very little time to get it done?
Why is it that once I think I might have a minute to myself that's when my child decides it's time to come down and talk to Mom?
Why is it that right after you have a feeling of great accomplishment that is the same moment when you see everything that still needs to be done?
Why is it that when you really need to go to sleep it never seems to come?
Why is it that right after you say you would never do something you end up doing it?
Why is it that right about the time you come up with the greatest idea you've ever had someone has just filed the patent for it?
Why is it that when you need the quiet in order to concentrate your neighbors decide it's time to have a party?
Why is it that no matter how good you think you look your child will always find a way to humble you?
Why is it that the jar you have to open seems to have been superglued?
Why is it that you can have a whole house full of pens but none of them are within your reach?
Why is it that I don't feel any older but the kids are sure looking a lot younger?
Why is it that no matter how much I clean my house it still remains to be dirty?
Why is it that people stop before making a right hand turn?
Why is it that I care?