A way For Kids To Help Each Other Become Great Students.
Posted: Friday, December 25, 2009
by Jim Johnson
Metropolitan Mortgage
Suppose we could make our school system the best in the world. Start showing results in just 6 months and do it without one tax dollar. That's right not one cent of your tax dollars.
When the criminal justice system puts someone in jail or fines them they are treating the symptoms and not the cause. All our court systems are focused at treating the symptoms and not the causes.
First I would have every student spend 15 minutes at the start of each school day focused on goal setting. They would set goals for today, the week, the month, the semester, the year, next year etc. Part of that 15 minutes would be a review of yesterdays goals. After the 15 minutes each student would publish their daily goal on a web site we would provide. By publishing their goals they are making a public statement that pier pressure will require they to keep.
Next Each student who maintains a 2.75 GPA would receive a cash reward at the end of the semester. If the had 3.0 it would be more and more up to a 4.0.
Now not every kid is going to get a 2.75 GPA so we also offer the same reward for just showing improvement. All any kid has to do is show a 5% improvement in their test score at the end of the semester and they will receive the basic reward. If they show a 6% improvement they get more on up to 10%. Remember a 5% improvement of a 60 score is only going to 63. Any one can do that if they try.
That is the individual reward and it isn't unique. Here's where the plan really changes things.
We ask the kids to form 5 or more person study groups. If they improve the groups test score at the end of semester by 5% they will get another reward but this one is bigger than the individual reward. If the average score goes up by 6% they get even more and so on to 10%. At each step of improvement the group reward is always bigger than the individual reward. And the combined rewards will provide a student with goal worth achieving.
The kids will quickly figure out the group reward is not for nerds. In fact in your group you want just one nerd and all the rest average or even below average because they offer the best chance for the biggest improvements and therefore the biggest bucks. Also this will build study habits, leadership skills, they will learn to work in groups, work with others and to work with some you don't particularly like. All the attributes we want and need in adults. This will build and enhance many of the exact qualities students will need in life later.
The student groups will build friendships that last a lifetime. The students will support each other. If a student doesn't study they can be dropped by the group. It will be very hard to BS your study group. Students who are working together will help and support each other. Kids who are focused on grades and not letting down their group will be less likely to rip off cars and smoke dope. And they will be much more likely to be doing their homework.
As the kids progress into higher grades some will realize that they can make more money by going back to a lower grade and mentoring these students into better grades. Just think how that benefits our community. How that will in the long run build a city that will become the talk of our nation.
Notice that teachers and parents are not required. They are welcome and wanted but it's the kids who are doing the learning.
Notice also that over just a few short years we would build the perfect workforce. They will be goal oriented, focused and know that they are winners. Upon graduation we just hand them a diploma and get out of their way.
This plan will be funded privately. Because the teachers union and school boards will fight this we will do it after school and off campus.
In 10 to 15 years Boeing will be gone. If we don't start doing some long term planning our city will fade as Boeing work dries up. We must start planning for that future now.
I would also point out that this plan is transferable to any other city in America . We could change America 's future starting right here in little Everett .
This is Jim Johnson and thank you for listening.
There is a more complete description available on the web.
It is www.jimjohnsonformayor.com
This is a radio spot I will be doing Wednesday at 9:05 AM on KSER FM 90.7.
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