Harrison Talese-Rhodes
Science Leadership Academy
Harrisons’ Choice High School

The modern high-school student can tell you how to multiply numbers, how to derive the meaning of a word based on its root, and how clouds are formed. Short of being useful information at a high school cocktail party, is any of this information relevant? I don't think so. I believe that students should be in school not to learn obscure facts in subjects that have existed for generations; rather they should be in school to learn how to learn. In short, my educational system would focus on quality rather than quantity. Students should be in school not to develop an over-stressed work ethic, one reinforced by mountains of homework and class work, rather, schools should teach students how to do the one thing it is assumed that they can already do: Think.

Due to the pressure it gives to students not to learn, but to get good grades, homework in my school would be virtually nonexistent. Homework exists for a debatable reason. The student in me sees homework as a means to an end; a necessary evil to overcome in order to achieve my goals. Mary Altamuro, a student at Science Leadership Academy argues that homework exists purely to cause excruciating pain, and maybe to give teachers something to grade. Chris Taylor, a student at The Shipley School, counters that homework is a way, "To complement your learning and to reinforce facts and concepts." In fact, most teachers would also speak from that direction. Jillian Gierke, a Foreign Language teacher at Science Leadership Academy says, "For a world language course, students are acquiring a skill (speaking another language) In order to acquire a skill, it must be practiced (often) similarly to learning a musical instrument. It makes the most sense to practice speaking in class and then continue with writing and reading practice at home when the students (most likely) do not have a Spanish-speaking partner with whom to practice with." All of these opinions are acceptable. But they all say the same thing. Homework exists not to teach, but to learn what the student knows. Therefore, homework in my education system would be rendered irrelevant and would be taken from the curriculum.

Next, the teachers. All teachers would give students at Harrisons’ Choice High School special attention. Teachers should be able to have a special relationship with their students. This is not to say that students and teachers should be the best of friends. What I propose is a close, almost mentor-mentee relationship. Teachers should be there not only to support the student academically, but also emotionally. The two go hand in hand. A close relationship with a teacher may allow a close relationship with the subject, which is a fantastic but rare occurrence with teachers and students.

Subjects. Students would not be taught the traditional subjects. Instead, there would be discussion classes, human psychology classes, world events classes, and debate classes. Students at Harrisons’ Choice High School would learn how to argue their point, be articulate, and how to understand each other, both theoretically and through direct exposure.

In the end, my vision of school is much different than the traditional view of school. It focuses on what I see to be the relevant subjects in the world, and promotes values that, again, I find relevant.