ADVERTISER'S TEEN EDITORIAL BOARD WEIGHS IN ON IMPROVING EDUCATION

STRESS STEM CLASSES FOR HAWAI'I STUDENTS

Workers with expertise in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM fields) are in growing demand.

However, although most of the 30 fastest-growing jobs are in the STEM fields, fewer than 25 percent of college students are studying in those areas.

The goal of education is to equip students with the skills they need to be successful.

Teachers must combat the popular beliefs that "chemistry is for smart kids," "I'll never use algebra," or "women can't be engineers" and push students toward careers in technology.

Students must be encouraged to be part of groups such as a FIRST Robotics Competition team and seek STEM internships at hospitals or laboratories while in high school.

If more Hawai'i students are set on successful career paths in STEM fields early in school, they will be able to better compete in the job market.

They will not need to move away from Hawai'i to live comfortably, and our state will not need to rely on out-of-towners to improve living conditions and solve problems involving the environment, transportation and economy.

GET ON THE SAME PAGE WITH GRADING SYSTEM

On Aug. 8, 2003, the Department of Education mandated that all public schools adopt standards-based grading policies, in accordance with the No Child Left Behind Act.

Since then, elementary schools have implemented new report cards, teachers have rewritten their age-old rubrics, and students have found a fragile freedom in their hands. While critics attack the "homework doesn't count" approach, standards-based grading has gradually grown to be effective — instilling self-awareness and personal responsibility over a student's learning style and study habits. While the change has been beneficial, it will falter in the years to come if schools do not properly communicate with one another.

Elementary schools have found success with the new style because they have implemented it early in a child's education. In contrast, high schools are struggling with it because teachers and students grew up with the traditional percentages, and can't find their way out. High schools, while already developing their own guidelines and structure for grading, need to maintain constant communication with primary schools to ensure that they will accommodate the students of tomorrow. It's unfair and damaging if the students reach high school with one agenda in mind, then have to spend four years acclimating into a different one.

For standards-based grading to be effective, all school levels need to be on the same page and agree on one universal system, keeping students in the loop, rather than shoving them away. It's understandable for high schools to struggle today, but there's no excuse for them not to be fully prepared for the next generation.

SUCCESS LIES IN BETTER CURRICULUM

Public schools enable children to pursue an education regardless of their income.

They help fulfill the role of the state to enable its citizens to achieve their dreams and happiness.

Some people suggest, however, that the quality of public school education is significantly lower than what is provided at private schools. Much of this claim is based on the results of national standardized exams like SAT and ACT. Yet it is important to remember that public school students can be just as successful as those from private schools.

The federal program No Child Left Behind has subjected public schools to adopt mandatory standardized tests that have led to changes in the focus and the way educators teach. Instead of teaching students to learn, proficiency progress tests have forced many DOE teachers to teach to the test. This approach could easily result in the failure to effectively prepare Hawai'i's public school students for higher education, the work force and beyond.

There are reports that many public school graduates do not even meet placement scores to qualify them to enroll in college-level courses. They have been required to take up remedial courses, especially in math, reading, and writing.

It is important that Hawai'i public schools collaborate with the University of Hawai'i system to pave a road for a well-designed curriculum. Only when DOE and higher education academic programs are well articulated can our public school students become better prepared.

IT'S TIME FOR HANDS-ON LEARNING IN OUR SCHOOLS

The age of bookwork learning is past; the time of interactive and hands-on learning has come. Schools have flirted with the idea for years, but now is the time to leave textbooks as a supplement and really move learning outside the classroom.

Having students memorize facts and formulas and complete reports and presentations does not allow them to truly learn the information. Trudging through worksheets gets old after a while, and doing long history papers certainly isn't any better.

Instead, schools should be focusing on taking the lessons learned in the class and applying them to real-life situations. Not fabricated real-life situations, now, but real circumstances where what they learn in class will come into play.

Mililani High School partnered with Honolulu Community College's Construction Academy program and is near completion of several such projects. For example, Building and Construction students built, with the aid of private companies, a sanding room extension for the woodshop building. And students played a part in its creation, every step of the way. Drafting students designed the room, business students helped manage finances and digital media and journalism students documented their process.

It is in this sort of student-driven "lesson" that true education will come about. Students walk away from such experiences with not only reinforced knowledge, but with pride in having completed something worthwhile and lasting. The community benefits as well from these projects.

This sort of innovation in education needs to be the standard for schools of the future.

BUDGETING FOR SCHOOLS CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT

The Department of Education in the state of Hawai'i needs to apply the budget more efficiently so that students can receive new textbooks, desks, and public school structures can be renovated. In addition, the budget should allow for the creating of new positions for teachers because the ratio of students per teacher has skyrocketed.

A former public school teacher told me that she once had to teach students using textbooks over 20 years old. She said that these worn-out textbooks filled with graffiti and ripped pages caused the students to feel lowly of themselves. Thus, the budget must take into account not only salaries for the faculty, but also place a priority on materials for the students.

From my observations, there are a number of public schools that will need drastic renovations in the future. These structures distract students from learning.

The budget should also create new positions for teachers because of the large class sizes. With so many students and not enough teachers, some kids can go unnoticed and go throughout school without understanding the material. Hiring new teachers can reduce class sizes to a suitable ratio.

It's puzzling to me as a high school student where the education budget is going, but I do believe that these issues raise concern.

MEAT CUTTERS STRIKE

HOW ABOUT TRYING A VEGETARIAN LIFESTYLE?

In light of the current meat cutters strike at Times Market ("Strike in Hawai'i leaves stores low on meat," fish, Dec. 19), I offer the perfect solution: Go vegetarian! After all, this is the season of peace and goodwill. Let it start at the dinner table.

For the meat workers who complain about hard times, there are plenty positions available at produce sections in the supermarket or health food stores. For sure the work would be far more pleasant and better smelling!

As a lifelong vegetarian, I can attest to the fact that one doesn't need meat to live a happy, healthy and long life.

FIREWORKS

AERIALS TAKE JOY OUT OF NEW YEAR'S FESTIVITIES

As a child growing up in the Isles, I always looked forward to ringing in the New Year with family, friends, lots of ono food and legal fireworks. However, today, I spend my holiday season on edge, protecting my home from massive illegal aerials.

Even before the New Year, illegal aerials were already going off above and around my home. It sounded like a war zone. Every year I have to hose down my roof, pick up all of the fallout in my yard and pray that an aerial doesn't go off course and right into my home.

I'm not for a fireworks ban, but something has to be done about the illegal fireworks that continue to make their way into our islands and especially our residential neighborhoods through illegal shipping and purchasing. I have to wonder if HPD and/or Customs are enforcing this illegal import and usage because aerials are becoming more and more abundant year after year.

Bring the tradition of New Year's back to where we all can safely enjoy this festive celebration with family and friends and not worry about bomb-sounding aerials going off over our homes or one day into our homes.

GRANTS-IN-AID

GUIDELINES NEEDED IN LEGISLATIVE PROCESS

Reporter Rob Perez's recent series of articles on nonprofit fundraising in Hawai'i raises serious issues of accountability and integrity. Legislators need to provide more guidelines and more openness in the process of determining where and how much taxpayer money is allocated to these charities.

The targeting of nonprofit organizations or personnel for re-election funding by Rep. Magaoay and others is especially troubling. Rep. Magaoay claims this creates no undue influence, but the facts seem to indicate otherwise. If there is really nothing to hide, open the process to the public — after all, this is taxpayer money they're spending!

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

TRY OFFERING SOLUTIONS FOR POSITIVE CHANGE

With the end of the year, people should take a few minutes to ponder those goings-on that made this year good or bad.

Isn't it a shame that The Advertiser can't even have one day where people aren't complaining about transit, fireworks, Iraq, politicians, taxes, gasoline prices, the mayor, the governor or their neighbors? I know all about the ACLU, the Bill of Rights and so on, but how many of you complain just to complain?

Try this: Next time you write in to complain about something, how about including your answer toward fixing what you're complaining about. Let's help out the politicians — they may not have all the answers. Aren't we lucky we live in Hawai'i?

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