If I were to teach a class during Paideia, I'd create a public policy and debate class focused on education policy in the United States. Essentially, it would be a mock U.S. House class where students spend the entire week focusing on one issue: the state of public education in the United States. Why? Not only does education play a vital role in the U.S.' economy, but I believe that having smart citizens is one of the greatest assets a country can have -- and it's common knowledge that U.S. public education is dysfunctional at best. For homework the weekend before the simulation, students would be given a brief handout about the current state of education, and would also be strongly encouraged to do their own research pertaining the root issues …show more content…
Students would have time to present then answer questions from the audience. After presentations, students will have some time to do additional research if needed to answer questions they may have been unable to answer during the presentation period. During the debate period, the class will be required to debate the merits and drawbacks of the proposed solutions, and pass a comprehensive solution addressing the various issues in the system, as well as providing justification for each decision. At the end of the week, students will be required to write up a reflection, addressing what they learned, how they plan on applying what they've learned in the future, and their thoughts, comments, and questions regarding the debate session. By including both debates and reflections, both introverts and extroverts have their place to thrive. A complex issue such as education policy draws in on several fields, from science to social studies, and requires students to make connections and synthesize information presented in seemingly different subjects, a critical yet neglected skill today. Students need to articulate their opinions and back it up with facts. As someone who loves politics and macroeconomics and is passionate about education, such a class would be a nice integration of all the subject