I hated school. But I also
went to a very strict school, with rules and punishments that would probably
not be legal anymore. Amazingly, I later became a teacher of third, fourth, and
sixth grade, and I did that for twenty years. It's hard to explain even to
myself, but I do like kids and working with them.
Now I am trying to be a U.S.
Senator and I've made my main guiding principle for running the country to "put
kids first." Let me say in clear and simple words what I mean by that. I mean
first of all that when adults think about actions they're voting on or passing
laws about, they should keep kids first in mind. They should do everything
possible to make learning fun, interesting, inspiring, and in general make
school a place that kids enjoy. There should be nothing more important than
educating children in a way that works for the kids.
We should listen to kids,
who often know more about what's really going on than the teachers--what's
really helping kids learn, what's working against that, what's important in
their own lives. What is interesting and what is a total bore.
I also mean no bullying, no
teachers hounding you all the time about tests, no absurd amounts of homework,
no principals that base their schools on punishment, no ridiculous classes that
don't get you really thinking about things.
I believe there should be no
overcrowding, no run-down buildings, no class disruptors who make life
miserable for everyone, no report cards. Instead of report cards, we should
have portfolios that show your actual work and that you can take pride in and
show others and keep for a permanent record.
There should be no
ridiculous "race to the top," whatever that means anyway. There should be
cooperation and real learning and school should not be based on competition.
Games are fun and great and I approve of those, but not as a measure of how you
compare to everyone else.
I believe every person has
their own abilities and talents and that these should be encouraged and
explored. Not everyone is an expert in every area, nor should they be. Not
everyone needs to be "perfect" in any area for that matter. I say we need to
encourage curiosity and show children things of interest that as teachers we
have come across in our own lives.
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