Design a National Public Grade School Curriculum

[DanCa]

Hypothetical situation. Let's say your designing a national curriculum for grade school age kids at public schools. If it's an your power what would your number one priority be on? Thoughts ideas?

[Greyhound]

1. Reading. Nothing else matters if they can't read. n/t

[alcibiades_mystery]

2. English

Reading and writing, varieties of literacy education.

[booksenkatz]

3. Strong focus on reading

But not mere sounding out words and phonics -- I'm talking about reading for comprehension. Until children can read and discuss ideas and interpret what they've read, and subsequently develop their own ideas and express them in the written word, everything else is pretty useless, from my experience.

[DanCa]

4. Imagine if Dubya was hooked on phonics not drugs :D)

[donco6]

5. I don't believe in a national curriculum.

Huge mistake.

[enlightenment]

6. A strong liberal arts education

Reading first, of course. World history, geography, world literature, and at least one foreign language. Follow with basic maths and sciences, and an introduction to critical thinking once they can think in the abstract (what is that, 7? 8?). Physical education of some kind -- personally, I do not like team sports activities for young children, but I know I'm in the minority. Art and music every single year.

[Qibing Zero]

7. I have to say History

There is enough English in the current curriculum, it's just that the way it is presented (at least in my experience) is simply horrific. The emphasis on standardized testing is ruining it even more...

As much as I did want to say Science, History is just all-encompassing.

History has always been most important to me, because it helps teach you the origins of everything that exists at this point in time, and also for you to inquire as to why certain things no longer exist. Learning exactly how certain objects, patterns of thought, etc. progressed over time was essential to gain a better understanding of this world we live in today.

Perspective is hands down the most important part of the human experience.

Depending on where you are, who you regularly talk to, what information you're able to obtain, and thousands of other factors, your own experience becomes unique. Often, if things are allowed to be too stagnant, and not enough perspective is reached, every other bit of education can fail.

Putting everything in perspective in regards to history, though, you begin to realize that a lot of the more accepted things today are rather silly, and that some of the less accepted things deserve more weight. It really helps the learning process, because you begin to see your true place in the scheme of things. You realize exactly how much there is out there, how small your life seems in comparison, and how much you don't know - and in turn realize that you need to become skeptical about things, and seek more knowledge in order to gain a better understanding of how to live your own life.

I really think it's the most essential subject for tying everything you know together, and I've learned more about the world and myself as a result of simply studying history than most anything else.

[OnionPatch]

8. History

Not that the other things aren't important, but if you don't know your history, you're doomed to keep making the same mistakes. I believe part of the reason our country is so F**d up right now is that not enough people understand our history. Not enough people understand the struggles we've gone through just to have the basic freedoms we have today. If you don't know history, you don't understand our past accomplishments and failures enough to envision future possibilities. If kids don't learn this, how can they define any meaningful purpose in their lives on which to focus their education?

[blondeatlast]

9. All of the above, plus the plastic arts. nt

[cobaindrain]

10. English & History definitely

Math is important up to algebra, but most people don't remember more than simple arithmetic as they grow older. I can think of about a dozen smart, successful parents who can't help their 13 year old with his or her homework. De-ephasize math after Algebra 1 or Geometry, make it optional, and offer more literature and history courses as high school electives. Continue to offer upper level math as well, just don't force everybody into it.