What we did NOT see on our tour of 21st century schools, thankfully!
These are things that should not be present in any authentic 21st century school. These items belong to an era gone by, the Industrial Revolution, and to the Factory-Model Schools they created:
(Actually a few of them are more recent conditions in our schools, but they still are factory-model, not to mention actually damaging to our students! Those are in red font.)
(Actually a few of them are more recent conditions in our schools, but they still are factory-model, not to mention actually damaging to our students! Those are in red font.)
- Rows of desks; facing the front of the classroom.
- Teacher and/or teacher's desk at the Front of the classroom.
- Textbook-driven curriculum
- Bored students.
- Standardized testing mania.
- "Cells and bells" - student grouped into small rooms holding approximately 22-35 students; bells ringing to signal a class change about every 50 minutes. (At least in Turkey they used very pleasant sounding chimes instead of the alarm type bells in most schools!)
- Fragmented curriculum
- Misuse of technologies - treating computers like electronic worksheets, or $2,000 paper and pencil
- Student misbehaviors - bullying, rudeness, stealing, dealing drugs, fighting, destroying or abusing property
- Stressed out Students
- Stressed out Teachers - we have actually visited schools in which we saw many teachers in tears; we could not be sure who was screaming more - the students or the teaches. Toxic environment!
- Unpleasant physical environment - graffiti, in need of repairs, filthy bathrooms . . .litter, trash on the grounds.
- Chained doors and gates
- Metal detectors
- Rude, lazy teachers
