9 Ideas for Innovation

No. 1: Spur greater parental involvement.
No. 2: Make schools smaller.
No. 3: Utilize community service to foster civic engagement.
No. 4: Teach civics effectively in schools.
No. 5: Fund extracurricular activities.
No. 6: Model a high school on a community.
No. 7: Create opportunities for meaningful youth contribution.
No. 8: Establish mentoring programs that work.
No. 9: Ask youth for solutions.

I believe that these 9 strategies are very important for creating an educational system that is successful. I look at HIS and I see a lot of these strategies being used, although some of them could get a little more attention. I will start from No.1 and work my way down the list to No. 9. Parental involvement with the school is very important. Teachers should be able to communicate with the parents and update them with important information. I think the system that schools are developing to allow this transfer of ideas is a very good idea. Both teachers and parents are very busy people and can seldom find time to converse. This voice messaging system is very convenient and can be used whenever.
Having a smaller school definitely has benefits. You are able to form better relationships with your teachers, which makes the environment a better place, as long as you like your teachers. At a smaller school you are not a number. Everyone knows you and you can be made to feel more special. It is easier to get involved in school plays or the Student Representative Council. Kids can excel in a smaller classroom atmosphere where more hands on teaching is applied, as opposed to a 50 minute lecture.
Community service, Extracurriculars, and teaching civics effectively are also crucial for getting kids involved at school. All three involve students getting together and working on something: All with the same goal in mind. I think it is important for schools to fund extracurricular activities because parents already pay so much money as it is for their child's education. Some kids are forced to skip an extracurricular activity because their parents can't afford it. For example, in the US, lacrosse is an extremely expensive sport to play if you were to buy all the appropriate equipment. My friend wanted to play lacrosse but his parents didn't feel like paying upwards of 500 US dollars for all the gear. If schools assisted in buying the equipment, there would be a lot more involvement, and social civics would increase.
Creating opportunities for youth contribution and asking youth for solutions are two of the most important strategies, I feel, any school can do. The educational system all starts with the kids. If the kids are happy, chances are the teachers will be happy because the cheerful behavior will rub off on them. If schools try hard to create opportunities for everyone, more kids will feel special, which in turn raises the level of happiness. I think every child should have the option to participate in something that interests them, no matter what that may be. Asking youth for solutions and respecting student rights and wishes is very important. I feel that this strategy is one that HIS needs to work on. Lately, a lot of new policies and rules have been put in place that a lot of students disagree with. If this continues, school spirit will fall, students will stop participating in class, and no one will want to come to school anymore. Participation and Social civics will only increase if everyone is happy! The students and teachers must come to a consensus!
Overall, I think these strategies are very good ideas and will spark Innovation and creativity. It starts from the child, then to the teachers, and then to the parents. If everyone is happy, the environment will thrive and the possibilities are endless!