Something to make the public schools better.

[Guardia Rossa]

I am organizing a group of students that want to make the condition of the schools better (And I hope that if our schools are closed they help to occupy them) but we don't know the exact means.

There was a research, and the schools with the best stats were the ones with participation of the whole community, personally, in the affairs of the school. However, this will probably not be possible here as this is a big city, it's harder to do it than in small towns where everyone knows everyone and such.

I do know that there are many, many theories and types of school, but I am really seeking basic things to help improve the condition of the school, and ways to get money so the school can actually do them.


Well, a list of what I've figured out while reading some texts

- More participation from the community, the parents, the students, the teachers, make them feel a connection, instead of just throwing the students in and hope they learn.

- An improving of the school in general, and participation of the students in it, to make them feel connected to it. Trees, grafitti, a garden of sorts, etc...

- Music, dance, games, movies, poems, partys, entertainment in general and etc... to make the students connected to themselves and to the place they are in, and in conjunction to the community (Parents and Teachers) so they all dissociate school = horrible torturing room (Which is the case here)

- Spaces where the students can read, study, play videogames, surf the Web and enter Revleft during the break, etc....

- Students union's, political debates, philosophical debates, lectures, a newspaper of sorts (I'm planning on doing one too, alongside with the "Official" that is probably coming) to make the students feel in motion and involved in politics inside the school, making sure no confrontation or worse things ensue.

- We are figuring a way of the community to help the school financially so all this can be done

So, tips? Criticism on my ideas? All are more than welcome.

[BIXX]

I had a project with a student union to do something like this, a lot of mistakes were made. I can pretty much give you a bunch of things NOT to do.

[HevMet]

Where is this happening?

[Guardia Rossa]

Brazil. I do accept the tips BIXX, anything is good, it's always better than nothing.

[Guardia Rossa]

Bixx.

[BIXX]

Oh, my b.

For one, it (from.my experience, your experience may differ) is not useful to engage with the teachers union. It's not that I have an issue with teachers unions, but that when student unions and teachers unions collide the student union becomes little more than an advocacy group for teachers. Not saying there shouldn't be solidarity, but make sure the student union is actually a union for students vs a union for teachers.

Also, do not get stuck in liberal activist struggles (holding tiny marches, protesting this or that think which has your schools). A more effective route imo is direct action, doing things directly with no permission to make student life better (within comfort limits and whatnot). There are times for negotiations with school beuracracy but you will find it is mostly useless.

Also, I really wouldn't bother trying to get someone to come to meetings etc... If they don't come after simply asking them. If they don't go then, then they probably don't want to.

Also, student commitment is low (rarely wanting to actually go through with action or plan action). In my experience this has led to the student union becoming an identity group which participates in half assed organizing that the people who end up being the de-facto leaders of the student union will just put on their resume to get weird leftist beurocrat jobs.

Just what popped into my head just now.