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School Reform
Frequently Asked Questions
Part Four
Shaun Kerry,
M.D.
Diplomate, American Board of
Psychiatry and Neurology
Q. What should we do if sending letters (electronic or regular mail) to our representatives in government is not achieving the results we desire?
A. Contribute to the production of our dramatic feature film which will
convey these principles in an impactful and entertaining way.
Q. Why do mindless people try to exercise power
and control over others?
A. Generally it is due to
feelings of deprivation and fear arising during their development as a
result of control, neglect, and abuse.
Q. At what age should the educational system
make audio-visual instruction
available in the bottleneck fields, including medicine, plumbing,
electrical, and air-conditioning? Preschool, Elementary School, Junior
High School, High School, or College?
A. It depends on the student. The students will tell you when and what they are ready to learn, and each student should have the freedom to pursue his own interests. Most schools have many rooms, and different things will be going on in each room. The student could choose what room he wants to be in at what time, given space limitations. Part of being an education manager is observing the students and paying attention to the things to which they respond. Social interaction is especially important for the early age groups.
Q. Other than presenting students with audio-visual presentations, how can we help teachers lessen their workload?
A. The biggest frustration that
teachers have, is dealing with students who they perceive as not wanting to
learn. When the schools give up forcing students, and allow the
students to choose what they want to learn, then
the school will be a cooperative,
friendly place to be. The teachers will be happier, because
the students will regard them as helpers rather than adversaries.
Q. Do you
believe the apprentices should be paid for their services or
should it
be done on a credit only basis. If so, then this
might overburden the student by having to take another job or two to
meet living expenses.
A. This would be a matter between the student and the mentor, and subject to negotiation. If we take medicine, for example, I would not expect that the beginning student to be paid. But this is a far better deal than the present system, in which the student pays big money.
Q. How do you propose to implement a teleconferencing network for students to be directly exposed to cutting-edge scientific discoveries?
A. Teleconferencing software is currently a part of newer operating system software. Someone with a strong aptitude for computers, including many high school and college students, could set it up within a few hours. Currently, practically all high schools have web sites which are built by volunteer students. When we eliminate forced assignments, grades, and required courses, a huge amount of the student's time will be freed up to devote to these projects. The students and teachers would work cooperatively and organize committees to make it work to their satisfaction. The cost would be negligible, because the energy now being put into busywork would be transferred to establishing relationships with industry and research.