The Ten Commandments of a School
1. Challenging classes must be taught in order to extract the highest potential of every student.
All students must learn the advanced skills that are key to success in college and the twenty first century work place. Every student should take demanding classes in the core subjects of English, History, Science, Math, and Foreign language; no student should ever get a water-down course of study. Furthermore, students should also be given an opportunity to understand industry requirements and real-world applications of their skill sets.
|
2. Personal attention must be given by teachers to treat every student as a unique individual.
Every school should be divided into small units or classrooms to allow teachers and staff to understand all students on an individual basis, and also respond to their specific needs. By the ninth grade, students should have a detailed plan for graduation: identifying the specific courses they must take, opportunities they should pursue, and extra help they need to succeed in high school and beyond. Additionally, every student should receive frequent and ongoing support from at least one academic adviser or counselor throughout the high school years.
|
3. Extra help must be offered to those who require it (apart from regular class time).
Every high school should have a system in place to identify kids as soon as they struggle in reading Math, or any core subject, and every school should reserve time and resources for the immediate help those kids need to stay on course.
|
4. Every bit of education delivered inside the classroom must reflect real world applications outside the classroom.
High schools should help students make the connection between book learning and the skills needed to be successful in life. Students must develop the necessary work habits, character, and sense of personal responsibility to succeed in school, at work, and in society. As part of their class work, students should have opportunities to design independent projects, conduct experiments, solve open-ended problems, and be involved in activities that connect school to the rest of the world.
|
5. The family and community must be an integral part of every student’s education.
Students thrive when their high schools encourage positive learning relationships among families, educators, faith groups, civic organizations, businesses, and other members of the community. Parents should have many chances to visit the school building, talk with teachers and staff, voice concerns, share ideas, serve as volunteers, and suggest ways to improve the school. And school leaders should reach out to their neighbors by attending community events and forming partnerships with local organizations to increase effectiveness and tap additional resources.
|
6. A physically and mentally secure environment must be provided to offer the best education.
Every high school must guarantee the safety of its students, teachers, staff, and visitors and every school should be kept free of drugs, weapons and gangs. School leaders should build a climate of trust and respect, encourage peaceful solutions to conflict and respond directly to any bullying, verbal abuse, or other threats.
|
7. Teachers must be thoroughly skilled in more than just their particular subject matter.
Every high school teacher should know well the subjects he/she teaches and should know well how to teach all kinds of students, from all kinds of backgrounds. New teachers should get the guidance and mentoring they need to be successful in the classroom. All teachers should have enough time to plan lessons, carefully review student performance, and continuously improve their teaching.
|
8. School leadership must be resolute and exemplary.
Every high school needs a skillful principal, who supervises personnel effectively, manages finances capably, and keeps the organization running smoothly. Every school also needs a strong educational leader (this could be the principal, a senior teacher, or another staff member), to define a vision of academic excellence, work with teachers to develop an engaging and coherent curriculum, and serve as a mentor and role model for teachers and students alike.
|
9. The necessary resources, both tangible and intangible, should be available at all times.
Every high school should provide all students and teachers with the books, computers, laboratory equipment, technology, and other resources they need to be successful. Also, every school should maintain safe and clean facilities that are fit for teaching and learning.
|
10. User-friendly information must be delivered to the public to ensure a strong communication link between all the involved members.
School website should provide all community members to have easy access to information that gives clear, straightforward picture of how well the school is serving all of its students, including those from every income level and background. Some key pieces of information may include a school’s graduation requirements, drop out rates, and student performance on internal and external tests.
|