The two biggest problems within mainstream education

The two biggest problems within mainstream education are:

1- Unhealthy interpersonal interaction process results in both students and staff being weaker, less empowered, more easily led.  There’s a robot-like, top-down communication system wherein to some degree superintendents and chancellors talk at principals instead of with them, and principals talk at teachers (counselors, paraprofessionals, etc.) instead of with them; and to a very large degree most of the adults talk AT the students instead of WITH them.

When somebody talks at you instead of with you, you feel ‘less than.’  That’s not good for anybody, but especially for our young people who are going out into an unbelievably challenging world.

2- mostly irrelevant and meaningless curriculum at best, and in many ways an outright dangerous curriculum       

                
The overwhelming majority of our schools waste time on significantly less important topics or learning activities at a time when many current personal, community, and global problems are already at a critical or dangerous level and are worsening; thus putting the very survival of our children and grandchildren (etc.) at risk! 

This is totally inappropriate and stupid!  It’s like Dad asking at the dinner table “How was school today?” while one of the children is choking!

Our students should be learning how to function as effectively, fulfillingly, and joyfully as possible in the world that exists right now; while simultaneously learning how to fix problems, save lives, and make tomorrow’s world a better one!

Rather than functioning under a government-controlled or corporate-controlled cover-up of truth, our schools need to be committed to the discovery of truth, to identifying strengths and weaknesses in all aspects of current society, to in depth analyses and evaluation of root causes in all problem areas, and to collaboratively designing creative Solution Plans aimed at fixing all the things that need fixing! 

In summary:

*Our schools need a respectful and empowering adult-child interaction process AND the most meaningful curriculum possible!  

*We must use school time to the fullest advantage for our students, our communities, and our world! 

*Why be a mediocre or even pretty good school when with respect and collaboration you could be an outstanding school?!