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"If I Could Start My Own School”

By Riney Jordan

Did you ever wonder what a school would look like if you could do everything just like you wanted?  What would your philosophy be?  What rules would you have?  If you could start what you felt would be the “perfect” school, what would you do differently, if anything, from things you’ve done in the past?

Well, when a group of educators get together, we often have plenty of ideas on what’s right, what wrong, and what we would do differently if given the opportunity.

Now, before you get all defensive, just remember that these are my ideas and they might not agree with yours.  Some of them are based on my own experiences; others on my belief system.  Many of them are subject to parents and teachers supporting the same ideas…and we know how difficult that can be, don’t we?

Nevertheless, I hope it gets you to thinking about what you think is important.

If I had my own school…

…We would only have teachers who loved teaching, loved their students, and were passionate about the profession.  How would I judge that?  You just know!!!  After all, kids know who the best teachers are…and in our heart, we do too.

…They would be paid salaries commensurate with doctors and lawyers, because after all, they are doing one of the most important jobs in the world.

…Children would memorize basic math facts.  Yes…memorize!  When they heard 7 X 8, the answer 56 would be spontaneous and instant. 

…We would read, read, read!  That’s the way I think we learn…and the more we read, the more we know.

…Teachers would be able to discipline the students.  If parents didn’t want their children disciplined, their kids would have to be taught elsewhere.

…We would start every day with a pledge and a prayer.  I know what you’re thinking:  “Why, you can’t pray in school.”  Remember, this is MY school, and parents who brought their children there would be doing so because they support the idea, too.  If you don’t like prayer in school, start your own.  Oh…on second thought, you already have those schools, don’t you?

…Kids would move at their own rate.  Yep, I know some of you think that’s it’s a relatively new idea, but not really.  In fact, if you look back at the turn-of-the-century one-room schools, kids moved at their own rate, and older kids would often teach them, thus reinforcing what they had already learned.

…We’d go to school year-round, and the kids could take a couple of weeks anytime during the year to take trips with their parents, visit grandparents, etc.  And, they wouldn’t be counted absent because the value of family time together is paramount.

…All children would learn at least one foreign language, and learn it well.

…Students would learn basic keyboarding beginning in kindergarten.  This is a lifetime skill and should be second-nature to all of us by the time we graduate.

...Values -- honesty, integrity, kindness, compassion, truthfulness, morality --would be a big part of every day’s instruction.

…Every child would have their own computer and know how to effectively search for any information they needed.

…Uniforms would be required.  I hate the classification of youngsters because of what their parents can afford for them to wear.

…Parents would be involved in their children’s education and be active participants.

Oh, I could go on and on, but those are some of the most important issues as far as I am concerned.   Until my imaginary school is up and running, let’s support what we’ve got by encouraging teachers, providing the very best leadership for them, and providing meaningful and worthwhile education to the children to whom we are entrusted.

For as Barbara Harrell Carson is quoted as saying:  "Students learn what they care about, from people they care about and who, they know, care about them . . ."

Hey, that’s my school!