From: richard@TIS.COM (Richard Clark)
Newsgroups: sci.edu
Subject: An Elegant New Solution to an Old Education Problem
Date: 23 Nov 92 15:40:17 GMT
Reply-To: richard@TIS.COM
Organization: Trusted Information Systems




	So you wanna fix the school system?    READ THIS....!



	All this chattering about defective school systems and what we
can and cannot do about it... throw money at it, don't throw money at it,
test teachers, don't test teachers, scrap it, rebuild it, reorganize it,
teachers' fault, parents' fault, beaurocracies' fault, anything but my fault,
to regurgitate, to not regurgitate... Well, here's something ENTIRELY NEW
to throw onto the fire. And its side-effects can make a hell of a blaze...

	As I understand it, there are many different problems within the
system. For one, an unacceptable number of teachers simply cannot perform.
For another, the kids are bored silly. Yet another is that we simply teach
regurgitation. All of which add up to un-educated un-weildly vegatables
being mass produced by "the system."

	What we need is a solution which can be performed within the current
budget constraints, can educate the educators, can stimulate the kids, and
teach the whole system how to think...

	The answer is simply beatiful... We need "Solutions." No, I'm not
whining for someone else to fix the problem. I'm talking about a mandatory
K-thru-12 hour-a-day class called "Solutions." Please allow me to explain
somehwat...

	The Solutions class teaches, as appropriate for the age group, real
problem solving techniques. No regurgitation. No memorization. Just a quick
for-instance:

	"Fred finds himself trapped inside a fenced yard. Within the yard
	is a rope, a few sturdy boxes, etc... How many different ways can
	you think of for Fred to get out of the yard?"

	There is NO ONE RIGHT ANSWER. The object is for the students and
teacher to apply a little real-life experience and their IMAGINATIONS to
come up with any and all possible solutions... The objective is to solve
problems, to learn how to solve problems, to learn to use one's imagination,
to learn the "hows" of thinking, to explore the consequences of the various
solutions (I.E. If Fred uses the boxes to climb over the fence, would they
be strong enough to hold him, and how can he get down the other side.)
Even checkers (the game) teaches forethought and planning.

	And the really nifty neato thing is... as the children learn math
and science, the problems can be tailored to involve real-life uses of
the knowledge being gained in the other standard classes. And one can
include social problem solving. The possibilities are limitless... :)

	Beyond the good the class would do for stomping out regurgitating
youngsters, it would also affect their behavior overall. What teacher
wouldn't want a class full of curious eager ready-to-participate kids? All
it takes is a little bit of stimulation. All it takes to create a more
structured atmosphere in the classrooms is to create a little interest in
the material. And all that is needed to do that is the "Solutions" class.
Just a little bit of cranial stimulation. Interest goes up, retention goes
up, even the teachers would learn to think again. The whole "Solutions"
concept is self-replication once begun.

	Within the current budget and time constraints? Yes! Easy! The kids
aren't learning anything from the crap we currently cram down their throats,
so what's a few minutes scaped from the rest of the classes. Not to mention,
that with the interest and stimulation generated through the "Solutions"
class, the original agenda will be absorbed easily within the shorter time
span.

	We currently have no courses in how-to-think. Yet we prize this so
tremendously. And we still stuff our children full of garbage and expect them
to regurgitate it while retaining their ability for coherent thought.

	Think about this for awhile! It won't cost a STINKING PENNY MORE!
It's easy, and IT WILL WORK! Sorry for the shouting... My daughter is about
1.5 yrs old now, and I'd like to start changing things before she gets there
and has to suffer like I did...

	Please, please, please,... If you know someone with any clout in
the educational system... Please, please, please, explore this concept
with them...

					Thanks,

					Richard H. Clark


-----------------------Relativity Schmelativity-----------------------------
 Richard H. Clark				My opinions are my own, and
 LUNATIK - watch for me on the road...		ought to be yours, but under
 It's not my fault... I voted PEROT!		no circumstances are they
 richard@tis.com				those of my company...
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Newsgroups: sci.edu