Friday letters: Changes needed to improve education

If we are to have a great educational system, some changes must be made:

▪ Make sure every student is on his instructional level. A child should be reading books that have no more than five words per page with which he needs help.

▪ Allow children to read books for fun that are below his reading level. This increases their speed and gives them confidence.

▪ Shorten the school day by one hour. The child needs to be fully rested each night. The educational efficiency will increase. He will learn more in less time. Our children are not getting enough sleep since the school day was increased by one hour.

▪ Regulate the schedule for a healthy, happy schedule. Children need a 25-minute break outdoors in the sunshine at 10 a.m. and 30 minutes for lunch, followed by a 40-minute break in the sunshine for free play.

▪ Instead of prescribing medication for attention-deficit disorder, give the child a pass to the playground for 25 minutes.

▪ Require that kindergarten classes be developmentally appropriate. Put the play stations back in and delete the work stations. Not all children are ready to read at age 5; some learn more through play.

▪ Make sure that all tests are developmentally appropriate. A child should know how to read his tests.

If our children are on their instructional levels and the work is developmentally appropriate, they will learn at their optimum.

Our children need a healthy, happy schedule, with plenty of sunshine and outdoor play. They need time at home to sleep and have quality time with their parents for emotional support.

Conway

This story was originally published March 26, 2015 at 8:00 PM with the headline "Friday letters: Changes needed to improve education."