05 Major Changes Our Schools Should Make

There have been no major changes in the structure of the school system over the past century. We've learned a lot about how people learn, yet the schools have remained largely the same. And that's unfortunate, because some changes can make schools better for students, teachers, and society as a whole.

1. Healthier Environment

With obesity rates on the rise, we've all heard calls for healthier school environments. This can be done by enforcing physical activity and offering healthy meals, which have been shown to improve grades and teach students healthy habits.

Although the gym class doesn't teach anything academic, it does keep the students active. Studies have shown that physical activity is important and helps students learn. The gym is just as important as math, science and other academic classes because schools must embrace a healthy body and a healthy mind for the sake of education.

Energizing students is only half the battle - and getting them to eat nutritious foods is important, too. Most schools do not serve healthy food, simply because unhealthy food is cheap. So while upgrading school lunches will cost money, it would be a smart investment because of the association between healthier meals and better grades. Also, with better nutrition, students are in a better mood, which makes classes run smoothly.

2. More Life Skills Classes

If someone graduates with a high school diploma at the age of 18, they are likely to major in history, math, science, and literature. But does that mean that they are ready for all the noise of youth? Most of them are not. There may be a severe lack of experience and training in life skills such as budgeting, time management, nutrition, and even some social skills. For example, how many students who have graduated from high school know exactly how debit and credit cards work? There are not enough of them, as many young people are having trouble with their first credit card. In fact, the credit card companies recognize and suffer from their ignorance. If time is set aside to teach students important life skills, this can be one of the most useful things they learn.

The counterargument is that parents should teach their children these things. While this is true, not all parents will or can do this. If life lessons are taught in the classroom, it will ensure that everyone learns the basics of survival in the real world.

3. Tenure Reform

There are amazing teachers who touch the lives of countless students. There are also teachers who disturb your dreams in adulthood. If they behaved this way at other jobs, they would likely be fired. But since they are teachers, they have to keep their jobs.

Bad teachers can also affect taxpayers. In New York City, there were facilities for teachers accused of misconduct called resettlement centers. They have been sitting there for months or years. It is estimated that in 2012 it cost teachers $22 million to sit and do nothing. Some teachers have been accused of sexual harassment, but they have not been paid.

While the re-evaluation centers are closed, they reveal a fundamental problem with teachers' unions. Getting rid of poor, depressed teachers is a very difficult task, and it's scary because a bad teacher can change the direction of a student's life in profound ways. Teacher unions are important, but there has to be an easier way to get rid of the bad apples.

4. No Homework Over the Weekend or Holidays

It may sound like students, but why do people who work deserve more breaks than students on weekends and holidays? The truth is, everyone needs a break. People are more productive when they own it. Also, the weekend will give students time to indulge in extracurricular activities without disturbing their work as they have to rush it. Instead, it would be better to devote yourself to work and then have some free time to rest and recharge.

5. Mandatory Study Hall

Understandably, teachers want to maximize teaching time and then force students to do their work at home. Studies have found that a reasonable amount of homework is associated with higher achievement in school. But while homework is important, research has found that giving students a mandatory study period can be incredibly effective, simply because it's time to make sure you get something done. When homework is done at home, students have to find motivation to do the work. They may rush through it, get distracted, or just not try it. A compulsory study hall instead of a classroom provides time to do homework, which leads to better test results.