Mentor System of Education

Remember the little old schoolhouse? I think those days are back. Courses, at least partially online; teacher availability in the classroom and the computer lab; students familiar with the computer well enough to play games on Play Station 2! The new little schoolhouse!

What's missing in this educative scenario is the social contract. If implemented, a contractual plan would be in place, periodically updated or exchanged for a new one, to reflect the student's learning and the educator's evaluation of progress. Today, the student's achievement is measured nationally, even globally, by means of standardized tests. Why should not the student enter into contractual arrangement with his educators so that not only are learning demands made of him but the benefits of his achievement be spelled out? For instance, the student would get a star on an achievement chart, a certificate of accomplishment, and when were parents involved, a weekend trip to Disneyworld, a bike, even money!

Even when a specific contract is unattained, i.e., unfulfilled, the student's level of abilities and skills would be taken into account in writing the next. Hours spent during each contractual period could be accumulated to reflect the difficulty the student was having in any one area of the subject matter. There need no time set aside for doing homework, for the student could limit his study-time to the times he could contact a mentor. I say "mentor" because the time the student would be studying is delimited by the time that someone is available to assist in his learning process, e.g., by answering questions, giving answers to selected problems. What is necessary for this envisioned learning situation to work is the availability of a mentor during the student's learning session.

The nice thing about carefully constructing a learner's contract is the conference at which the learner and educator both sign it. Parents and child on one side of the table; teacher and principle or guidance counselor on the other. The contract thereupon placed in the child's folder. Then, upon completion of the contract or its termination, the parents and child and teacher and guidance counselor meet to go over the student's progress and note any problems and shortcomings by either side. Simple enough.

A breach would necessitate the student's placement in another school, even as is the current practice today. Indeed, there is nothing new being posited here, just a change of emphasis upon the student rather than upon the school.

Current Educative Practices within the Social Contract Framework
Vocational training at most private and public community colleges are using the model. And though today's schools are still organized for "mass schooling" in contradistinction to "student-oriented schooling" herein advocated, as educators come to integrate the computer into the learning process, the latter notion may gain in acceptance. Be it noted, educators would need to know a good deal more about their students than is presently the case.

Adjunct learning institutions, not schools, what are sometimes referred to as "shadow education systems" also employ the social contract understanding. In such a system, a science curriculum is taught in a chemistry lab, a computer lab, and a classroom with an instructor; and through several conference calls in which students and teacher participate via a computer network.

Tailoring the teaching in light of the cultural heritage and background of each particular student I believe holds promise of significant student achievement; and when the teaching is presented through a myriad of technologies the possibilities of attaining even a higher level is likely.

I personally have found the new teacher draws upon online teaching materials though he remains committed to classroom hours of instruction, in terms of which his own teaching contract is stated.