Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, September 15, 1995 TAG: 9509150044
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-11 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: EDWARD F. DROGE JR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
America must change the way it teaches its children. The following recommendations are not complex.
Require community service.
If school is meant to teach important lessons, then it must teach service to the community. Imagine if every school in America required from each student at least 40 hours of community service for graduation. Imagine the work that could be accomplished and the lessons that could be learned. The country would benefit enormously, as would the individual students.
Eliminate homework.
Instead, assign schoolwork to be completed in supervised study halls. Note well: This suggestion does not eliminate the amount of work assigned; it only changes the place where it is done.
Most teachers know that homework, if it gets attention at all, does not get done at home. With sports, jobs, social life and disruptive families competing for students' time after classes, outside assignments receive cursory attention.
Most study halls are nothing more than holding pens to keep students out of hallways. With little or no requirements to engage them in their seats, students are antsy and disruptive. Even in very well controlled study halls, few if any students have designated assignments.
If students were required to complete specific assignments in study halls, not only would the environment be more controllable, but homework could be eliminated except as an option. The study hall environment would resemble that of final exams. Students would be focused on their work and would be less inclined to misbehave.
Measure reading speed.
How many words per minute do you read? Most people do not know because schools usually do not measure reading speed.
Educators know that reading at the appropriate pace increases comprehension. Contrary to popular belief, comprehension does not increase with slow reading. Did you ever get to the end of a paragraph and not know what you just read? Your mind wandered because you were not reading fast enough.
The more achieving students in a school, the less time and money the school must spend on remedial work.
Teach memory techniques.
It makes no sense that students are expected to remember information from day one, year after year, but are not taught memory skills other than a mnemonic device offered haphazardly by a teacher or two. Many reliable methods help memory.
Acknowledge different types of intelligence.
America's standardized tests, such as the SAT, PSAT and National Merit Scholarship Exam, focus overwhelmingly on math and verbal aptitude. For many years, however, researchers at Harvard, Yale and other noteworthy institutions have acknowledged other forms of intelligence, such as musical, kinesthetic and spacial perception.
Widening the definition of intelligence - and measuring and developing newly recognized forms - would increase self-esteem in students and produce more achievers.
With a new century approaching, and with too many schools failing conspicuously in their fundamental mission, we can no longer afford to ignore or delay these actions.
Edward F. Droge Jr., of Greenwich, N.Y., has been an instructor, coach and administrator for 20 years.
- L.A. Times-Washington Post News Service
by CNB