Announcing the Gather Editorial Series on Education, sponsored by Encyclopaedia Britannica

David,
Here's hoping this group takes off. As a believer in lifetime education, I think this group is important.

I think you've got the right idea!

Education is a very broad term. For the sake of clarity, I'm focusing my remarks on the concept of education as the formation of the full human being, physical, spiritual and social. Formal education, which is the focus of much discussion these days has fallen on hard times. I'm using formal education to distinguish schooling as the narrower topic. Education in the broader sense begins at birth. Much has been written in recent years about the importance of environmental advantages. Music, literature, proper nourishment , and educated parents have all been touted as necessary elements in having children excel in school. I suggest that while the above can have a good effect on a child's ability to learn, the most important elements are largely missing from the average American child's life.
First of all, and there has been much discussion on this issue, most children are not receiving the physical education they need. The typical child's diet is lacking essentials and children do not engage in active play during their free time. They are not performing work any more, either, and I'm not referring to sweat shops, but rather taking out the trash, making beds, doing the dishes, sweeping the floor, etc. While sitting in front of the TV or the computer might engage the brain to some degree, time spent on those machines wastes the muscles.
Children are not being educated spiritually, either. Parents might read the recommended books to their children, but most modern storybooks have been carefully crafted to avoid any kind of moral expression, or to help form good judgement and values. Since many Americans avoid expressing any kind of religious beliefs for fear of offending anyone, and the "golden rule" has been declared irrelevant in secular society, children grow up without any guideposts to conscience. If they are taken to church, of whatever faith, they are treated to a kind of feel good, listen to these shiny, happy stories that come off as more of the entertainment in their lives.
Thirdly, the social education a vibrant society needs is sorely missing from children who are warehoused in daycare centers, and have little or no sense of family. Parents should be the first heroes in a child's life, but the child has to be able to spend most of their time with one or more parent to form that kind of feeling and the parent has to be a constant, supporting presence.
All three of those elements of education, physical, spiritual and social, are largely developed in the child's preschool years and should then be built on in formal education.
It is easy to see why homeschooling is becoming more and more common as parents, realizing the importance of those three elements, seek to truly educate their children.
One more thing has become a scandal in America at all levels of society. Self-discipline has been all but lost throughout. In today's world, noone is responsible for anything. It's "the environment in which the person was shaped", or "lack of advantages", or a tendency to become addicted, have psychological problems, or some abnormality. I propose that until we reform our nation's philosophy of life and reinstill values and moral fiber in our education system and in our homes, we will continue to have underachieving malcontents reaching maturity who are incapable of keeping America from falling into decay.

Educational "Heads In The Sand", shortage of teachers?, NYCity stats # of teachers vs.#of students= 4 teachers for every 1 student, where are the teachers? oh" we cant ask that Q. heads in the sand, NYCity school budget 50 to 60 "BILLION"$ each school yr.=no books, pencils, toilet paper etc. where is the money going? oh" we cant ask that Q.= "H.I.T.S" . Parents take charge get your heads out of the sand, no amt. of meetings, confrences held by "H.I.T.S"experts who are afraid to ask the tough Q. will solve this problem, parents you can solve the problem, demand School Choice,Vouchers to pay for Pvt. Schools this is the only way out for your kids, all these programs are available to you fight for them, when your local "H.I.T.S."Politican tells you these programs are bad ideas and trys to defend the indefenceable, "our Public Schools" vote that Pol. out, he works for you, your paycheck pays his salary. Either they do what you want or you fire them, Moms and Dads believe it or not there are some great schools out there, for the sake of your childs furture, Demand Access to them, call your local Pols. and tell them you will not accept no future for your kids. There is no power on Earth that can neutralize the love of our chrildren.