From all the research that has been done, I think we might, might, might be able to make some progress solving the problems in governmental institutionalization of our children. It would take drastic change, though.
No matter what you are thinking, I meant more drastic than that.
Most classrooms have far too many children in them.
Instead, each classroom would have to reduce to only around 5 children per adult. Many homes have something like that, and national research shows it is the best way to learn. It certainly would be more natural. Some high school children might make do with 10 to 12 per adult, if they were mature .
It’s how the ancient Greeks taught.
Most classrooms have all same-age children in them.
Bizarre! Instead, each child should be allowed to receive the gift of relationships with vastly different-aged others. Most homes have that and the learning potential is expanded when the students are of differing levels of learning. Especially the older ones would learn, truly learn the subjects if they were, in this more organic approach, occasionally in positions to help teach.
We do learn most when we teach, right?
Most classrooms labor under the false assumption that touch, being sexual and subject to lawsuit, should be prohibited.
Instead, we all should acknowledge what we instinctively know, and has been proven, that hugs and pats and other touch, including light corporal punishment, are part of socializing and leaving them out is wrong. Most homes have touch. Remember, orphans who are never touched die, whereas touched children are healthier and grow taller.
To protect the child from the occasional bad teacher, and the teacher from the occasional bad parent, of course video cameras in every room and every hall would be essential. That way, any teacher or child who doesn’t care about God, could realize that Big Brother is also up there.
We have the space, really. We are closing schools every day because we’ve aborted zillions of the children who could have filled them.
We do not have enough teachers, but how quickly they would come if they learned we’d solved the discipline problems, wouldn’t they!
It would take a large staff of volunteers, but what better place to volunteer! Lots of families have become single-income these days, so one spouse must be somewhat free. Then that parent could discover the joy of watching or even helping his or her own child learn things of great value, even about volunteerism. It would be a whole lot like home schooling, and might even get the better results of homeschooling, but would happen at the school.
Or, we could just send them all home, which would be lots more cost effective.
Home's Cool! 
Not a bad idea, but definitely more cost effective to homeschool! Thanks for doing your research and giving your opinion 🙂
My point, exactly, Jennifer! Thanks for the comment! 🙂
We have a shortage of teaching jobs here – it’s a very popular career just now.
I have often thought of this kind of model – that a few families in a street could work with the children like this. I do think that children do suffer if they only know people their own age – that’s one good reason to be a part of a real community – be it a faith community or a geographical one. I think that I learned a lot from adults I knew through church.
I have no idea how many fellow travelers I shunned and how many I feared were shunning or would shun me, because of age differences. When I hit the real world, I sure had to play social catch-up! I mean, my co-workers were of all ages! What if we appeared to be accepting each other! What if I liked one of them! Even in Sunday School, we were age-segregated…
All-the-same-age classrooms are NO preparation for socialization in the real world.
Yes – I always wonder why people criticise 15 year olds for acting like 15 year olds – when all they ever see is…. 15 year olds!
Exactly! You are so right! Thanks!
I worked for a while at night and on weekends in a clothing store folding clothes from the fitting rooms and restocking shelves, etc. (I worked at night because I home school my grandsons in the daytime.) Anyway, I worked with lots of teenagers and college students. After I had been working there for a short while, I began to notice that several of the kids would come over to work beside me; some would try to match their schedules to mine. We talked and enjoyed each other, and I came to find out that these kids had been home schooled. Because they were home schooled, not only were they not intimidated by me (an older adult– a grandmother), but they saw VALUE in me and in my opinions and advice. Some invited me to their graduation ceremony, and I went. In addition, home schooled children usually are very kind and compassionate toward younger children. There are no generation gaps; it’s a wonderful thing.
I have never met a home scholar who was afraid of people. Wonder why! Maybe because they had many good experiences with people?
Amen. My son was not homeschooled until HS—but he acted like a homeschooled kid. as a result he was ostracized at school. Then he was homeschooled through high school. He lived at home for all but 1 year of his college years. He got on well with his profs and classmates. He loves folks of all ages—but truly values times with older adults. He values their wisdom. He has always been an old soul. He loves to “collect” old-fashioned expressions and think’s Betty White and martha stewart are the bees’ knees!
What I love about home schooling is that the children are free to grow up how they were meant to grow up, instead of being one more gingerbread cookie or accordian paper doll. Thanks for your addition to this conversaton, Kate!