April 22, 2019
After thinking long and hard about the above data and other high school ponderings, what would the ideal high school experience look like.
Teenagers would attend a school that starts at 9:30 am after they have presumably had a nice long night of memory consolidating sleep. They would learn the classics of art, literature, math and science with a wide open and skeptical pedagogy. Teaching to the test would be abolished. Thank God. Thinking outside of the box is praised.
Lunch and snacks would be provided and be wholly nutritious including fresh fruits and vegetables, locally sourced meats and no sugary beverages would be seen.
The air would be circulated twice daily with fresh air to enhance learning.
Plants would be seen in all classrooms and hallways to soak up CO2 and other air pollutants.
Students would have access to counselors and mentors daily for advice, stress reduction, career guidance and so much more. Very akin to the apprenticeship days of the past.
Failure is understood to be a stepping stone not a death sentence. We looked for the reasons of failure and not the failure itself. Corrective action is the focus not punitive hatred of self for not succeeding.
This is, unfortunately, easily attainable if we had inspired leaders that placed value on education, health and prevention as opposed to the current and past misaligned priorities.
Just my 2 cents,
Dr.M
