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I believe that education should:

Encourage creativity and stimulate the imagination.

Definitely be exciting!

Utilize any and all resources that will prepare children for a changing world even if we sometimes fear change ourselves.

Challenge students and their assumptions about the world around them.

Afford children the opportunity to develop a love of learning that will extend beyond the classroom.

Teach students the requisite basic skills while valuing the intelligences that may not be revealed in standardized tests.

Involve parents and communities as much as possible.

Open the door to positive experiences and interactions that will promote positive self-concept and character.

Never be a discouraging,intimidating,or oppressive experience for anyone!!!

As a class, we have also established a number of general statements about the purposes of education. Following each of these statements are some methods for implementing these objectives in the curriculum.

Develop Character and Morals

1. encourage role-playing with moral dilemmas to be dealt with and discusssed among the students.
2. use visual aids which reinforce social and moral expectations in and out of the classroom
3. present thematic units dealing with moral issues.

Provide a Safe, Positive, And Nurturing Environment

1. work with neighborhood to establish crime watch/ student buddy system
2. involve teachers in counseling programs and seminars to hone sensitivity to student needs
3. elicit more parent participation in classrooms as aides, playground supervisors etc..

Enhance/Stimulate Creativity

1. expose children to arts communities through field trips and guest speakers
2. celebrate artists within the school by creating "gallery" for student work, with preaentations etc.
3. present different kinds of art, emphasizing the value of each.

Develop self-concept and self-esteem

1. give students "jobs" within class/group that emphasize resposibility and promote sense of accomplishment.
2. reward expressiveness in the classroom
3. require students to keep personal journals

Promote/protect multi-Culturalism and diversity

1. encourage students to share aspects of their culture through story-telling, presentations,etc.
2. recognize multiple cultural traditions and beliefs not only on the claendar, but with in-class activities as well
3. present thematic units which deal with different cultures and religions as well as social issues/cocepts such as prejudice.

Prepare students for the future

1. offer after school programs, projects that inform students about vocational/professional opportunities
2. integrate computer use into the classroom
3. present spectrum of professional opportunities via guest-speakers and presentations.

Meet individual needs

1. teachers and administrators could make time outside the classroom for meetings with students
2. provide counseling and family services/ connections through the school
3. incorporate big brother/sister program into the school

Develop critical thinking skills

1. integrate multiple problem solving approaches for the same subject
2. require students to explain the reasoning behind their solutions to problems
3. offer multiple testing approaches for subjects

Provide and teach basic skills

1. set base goals of proficiency and build off that
2. offer after school tutoring programs
3. make self-education packets or supplementary programs available to students(such as on the web)