One important factor in creating the “perfect” school is the physical layout of the building. I believe it would be beneficial to have different sections of the school specifically designed for one subject. For example all the biology and physics classes would be in the “Science” wing, while ceramics and painting classes would be located in the “Art” wing. In addition, a maximum of 20 students would be in each class so there is more time for “one-on-one” times between teachers and students. Lighting in all the classrooms and hallways would be medium strength. Bright lights might make it difficult to concentrate whereas dim lights would make it difficult to see and possibly put everybody to sleep.
In addition to the layout of the school, the layout of each classroom is also very imperative. In my opinion, the teacher’s desk should be at the front of the classroom so he or she may see all the students. Students’ desks would be spread out in a half-moon shape so students are facing the teacher. It would be difficult but I think that if the windows in a classroom were to the backs of all the students, it would cause much less distracting. This would involve moving the “front” of the classroom to whichever wall be most opposite to the windows. Bulletin boards could be located in the classroom with pictures as long as they are pertaining to the subject at hand.

My current school has 7 classes each day and I think that works really well. Last year at the same school, we were on a “rotating” schedule. This meant that on day 1, I would have for example English 1st period, but then on day 2, I would have it last period. The following 3rd day, I would have English second-to-last period. Each class was 43 minutes long and the 5th period class everyday was considered “long”. This was because it was a 55-minute period and though only slightly longer than the others, it always seemed to drag. Even so, I still enjoyed having that one long period to ensure that I understood what was going on in class. In all honesty, I would keep the 180 days of school as is as well as the 6.5-hour school day. I would leave the 5-minute passing time just as it is.

To ensure a great school and year, knowing the rules is essential. Although I like my school’s dress code, I would have to say that there is a need for extreme improvement, specifically when it comes to boys. Truthfully, I do not want to see the boxer shorts or other parts of any of my classmates. For girls, it would be great if I did not have to see excessive cleavage or other body parts. It would also be very nice if my “perfect” school would enforce the dress code instead of just letting certain people just slide by the rules. On the issue of absences and tardiness, I think that it should not affect any grades if it is not in excess. After a student is absent 5 times, I think that each grade on their report card should be lowered one letter grade. For example if a student is late 6 times in a school term, their “A” in Algebra should be automatically changed to a “B” unless they have a good excuse for being absent so many times.

One of my favorite types of teachers is one who really enjoys teaching. When a teacher truly enjoys teaching a certain subject, you can see it in their face. This makes me feel like the things I am learning, really do matter to someone. In addition, a “perfect” teacher has to make a topic seem interesting by relating what we are learning to something that does interest students. For example, by connecting historical events to problems occurring in the current classroom, it shows that history is worth learning and it also shows how well the teacher can relate to students.

In all reality, I really do think that if the school board tried hard enough, my idea of a “perfect” school is attainable. As of right now, I think my school is horrible compared to how it could be. There is clearly no communication between students, teachers, and the administration board. If there was a way to open up this communication then I think my school could prosper greatly. For example, if the school administration board had spoken to teachers and students last year about “freezing” the class schedule (having English 1st period everyday versus a “rotating schedule” where the time the class is held varies upon what day it is), they would have discovered that nobody wanted that kind of change! I know my ideas for my school are a little farfetched, but I really do believe that in good time, it could be a reality.