Probably based on the more open, learn from doing models in Europe that let children run around, explore, create, build things, rather than sitting in a classroom all day, five days a week. I would include teaching kids how to be patient, how to communicate, how to develop and employ common sense, how to listen to, develop and follow their instincts, how to grow things. Yoga and medition. Also, reading Beowulf would never be compulsory. Never ever. And defintitely not SIX YEARS IN A ROW. Thanks Baltimore County Public Schools.

Two big changes...

1. Teach for mastery, not testing
2. Critical thinking is going to be BIG.

I have a creative mind and always excelled in visual and mechanical studies but I was miserable when it came to math and reading. So, they labeled me slow and "a daydreamer" and held me back in the third grade. My parents tried to paint it as a good thing but that didn't help the stigma and I learned to hate school and myself. Then I transfered to an experimental school system (this was the 70's in Minneapolis) that eliminated grading; instead, they had students work at their own levels of interests. If they needed help in certain areas, they got extra help. If they excelled in subjects, they were encouraged to continue. I learned to love myself in this school which was probably the biggest thing I got from it. We need to stop making our young people wrong for their weaknesses and begin to see each individual's strengths so we can build on that.

I went to a Free school and it was amazingly good for me -we were allowed ot work at whatever we liked as long as we were working it gave me confidence to learn for myself and to be the person I was rather than pushed into a box - I know of other people who went to free schools and our experiences were good - So I would reinvent that self learning skill.

Jail Centro Banker, and the job to the people as being the true leaders all along. The would do a better jobs than those crooked Government and bankers for sure.

Jail Centro Banker, and the job to the people as being the true leaders all along. The would do a better jobs than those crooked Government and bankers for sure.

In the US. I’d burn it all to the ground, and start from scratch.

I’ll rebuild with Sir Ken Robinson.

If you cannot learn Enlish in 8 years give up. I think there should be more research done by children and everyone should take debating as a course and debate opposite thier own belief system.

I would add specific training in emotions, how to cope and understand and how to respond vs react.

Here are some suggestions from me:

• Smaller class sizes
• Cease teaching to the test and allow teachers to return to composing their own curriculum
• Make the profession attractive to talented people who can truly teach
• Give oxygen to trade courses
• Real world classes, how to balance a checkbook, bank account, rudimentary taxes, general safety (don't go in a basement with outlets full of water - yes things like that should be taught.

I think the public schools are failing drastically because they do not teach students how to teach themselves. They spoonfeed the students test material for the test and they don't really learn what they should be learning and that is how to think and understand the subject the classes is teaching. Somewhere along the line I learned to teach myself from many different sources in subjects that I was interested in. I believe higher education should be taught by the industries that require highly educated people. I was very fortunate I worked for companies that paid for my education which benefit them greatly and they were very liberal about what classes I could take. That takes longer to get your education but it costs you less money. I still use online education I have posted some discussions on this subject in the past.

Like you, I think primary and secondary shools should receive equal funding, but the idea raises a lot of questions. Should it be equal at national level, or just within states? Should it be adjusted to reflect costs within an economic region? How should the taxes be levied?

On curriculum, I agree with you. I think students should essentially be allowed to advance at their own pace. Studying history for the sake of studying history is rather useless. Studying history in the context of current events I think would be much more useful, and plus would give students the ability to do likewise for the rest of their lives. (And hopefully instill in them the ability to turn a critical eye on information sources and how reliable those are, and perhaps make fake news less of an issue.)

Good ideas! I would still like to learn Matrix-style.

School funding will be the hardest problem to solve, of course. I'm not entirely sure how it is in the U.S., but I consider the subsidising of private schools by government as stealing from the public. We already have good public schools here. But there's been news recently of private schools receiving public monies that allow them to be more like resorts than schools: [smh.com.au]

The higher schools here are more "technical" than those in the U.S. - or used to be. Not sure now. This allowed students to finish school after Year 10 (sophomore year). There wasn't as much stigma with "not going to college" here as there is in the U.S. I can guess it's different now that there's more compeition and fewer "junior" jobs - with the acceptance of automation like ATMs and grocery self check-outs.

Once public education got into the transportation business, as much as 50% of school budgets are for bussing seems so wasteful. Children waiting for busses in the early am, in the dark, on street corners, and some not getting home until evening.
Consider building schools within communities, walking distance, parents responsible for their childrens attendance, older students assisting, security provided by community activists and assisting wherever possible. Invest in more online education... at what age do most children have personal computers, laptops, tablets, cell phones... if education is so important (and it is) who else/all should be responsible for teaching?

I'd change it to be somewhat similar to my schooling for 2nd and 3rd grade. After testing at high school levels in math and science, I was taken out of my class and worked ahead at my own pace sitting next to a teacher's assistant in other classrooms. I really only had English and Social Studies with my classmates. I actually learned a lot during this time. Unfortunately, my dad was transferred during my 3rd grade year so I had to go back to the classroom where I'd be given at least a half dozen textbooks I'd already completed over the next 4 years.

Once public education got into the transportation business, as much as 50% of school budgets are for bussing seems so wasteful. Children waiting for busses in the early am, in the dark, on street corners, and some not getting home until evening.
Consider building schools within communities, walking distance, parents responsible for their childrens attendance, older students assisting, security provided by community activists and assisting wherever possible. Invest in more online education... at what age do most children have personal computers, laptops, tablets, cell phones... if education is so important (and it is) who else/all should be responsible for teaching?

Studies have proven high school kids do better work late mornings and afternoon. Quit starting school at 7:30 a.m.

I would like for schools to have the choise students to change from accademect to trade school after 10th grade.

no pressure, all voluntary.

lots of play.

subjects like: gardening, cooking/nutrition, arts & crafts, meditation & yoga, hiking in nature with hands-on biology lessons, sailing & swimming, free-form philosophy, drama/theatre.

all of the above beginning (as options) in primary school.

Basic maths, english, history, science and geography but then with all the rest follow pupils individuel strengths and interests and no religious education apart from explaining that it exists and why.

Get rid of standardized teaching everyone learns at different levels and at different stages. Stop forcing memorizing, 10 minutes after you use it you will forget what was memorized. They know that a 20 minute power nap helps people in business same benefits would go for education . Classes in common sense from basic to advance.

I think I'd like to see a go-at-your-own-pace structure, with fewer penalties for "failure" and more emphasis on recovering from setbacks, so students aren't afraid to try or to take risks. I'd also like to see an initiative for a two- or three-year internship program between high school and college, allowing students to work real jobs in areas of the workforce they think might be of interest before committing to additional education (so they might have thought they wanted to be an accountant but discovered that's way too tedious, but accidentally discovered that they enjoyed printer and copier repair when working with the IT department). I think real-world experiences are important and would avoid wasting time, money, and energy on a course of study that won't bear fruit.

I would include in all curriculum the "Why, How, Which, Where?" discipline.

The kids will be given a number of questions / topics and they will have to find the answers (their answers) and comment on the topics given. Said answers / comments will be presented to their classmates who will, in turn, questions them "Why you reached to your conclusion? How your conclusion is more beneficial? On which facts you are basing your opinions? Why should I accept tour findings as the best ones? Where your suggestions are applicable?
After the debate, the kids -all- will have to answer / comment again the question / topics presented to them in the first place. The learning on given subjects...as well as the ability to reason... will be remarkable.

1. Stop public schools (ie UK public schools, which are private schools such as Harrow and Eton) declaring themselves charities and enjoying various perks that come with the designation. Introduce taxes on public school fees, and use those fees towards a fund supporting the poorest students at state schools.

2. Create a state-funded National Education Service, run along similar lines as the National Health Service and offering free academic and vocational education for all ages.

3. Less rote, more active learning.

4. Much more funding for science and engineering, with emphasis on making science more attractive to poorer pupils and all female pupils.

5. Accept that some kids simply aren't academic. Introduce a system by which they can be taught practical skills.

6. Completely ban all religious instruction from all schools. Study of religions would still be permitted.

7. Find out why so many girls hate sport at school, and completely overhaul the system to encourage them to take part.

8. Ask teachers themselves why so few of them stick to the job for long, and what they think needs to be done to persuade existing teachers to remain and how to attract new teachers. Then do those things.

9. End the current university payments system, which prevents many students from poor (and even relatively comfortable middle class) families going into higher education.

10. Create a national anti-bullying task force able to investigate schools where bullying is an issue and enforce changes to prevent it reoccurring.

11. Replace all football fields with velodromes (that's a personal preference; I might not be able to get this one through unless I become dictator).

I would insist on classes that teach money management, sewing, repairing a faucet, toilet, replacement of plumbing fixtures, growing herbs, finding a good financial advisor, psychotherapy for at least two school years.