For sal he suggested a number of things to change education from the Prussian system, which he suggests is corporate-controlled and based on their interests rather than true learning, and focus on the once-in-a-millenia opportunity to change education:

1. mastery-based learning in lieu of age group and time based learning; basically, a student works at hers or his own pace, and only advances when they completely master the material 100%.

2. Dismissing summer vacations; put kids in school 300 days/year. As others have researched, wealthy kids go to museums, summer camps, and often learn on their vacations. Poor kids do not.

3. Project-based learning using games, activities, and real-world projects to group similar concepts and make them "concrete." Make time for creativity.

4. Apprentice-based higher education; spend at least 1/3 to 1/2 of college in internships and apprenticeships. Basically 6 months of the year.

5. Mobile and DVD-based learning using low-cost tablets and cell phones for the far corners of the earth. Cost: $44/student/year

6. Remove "track"-based learning. Don't "track" students on gifted, average, and remedial -- focus on mastery. He argues that once kids are tracked, they just fall further and further behind, even when they have potential.

7. Kids learn best in 10-18 minute bursts, according to an undisputed 1996 study by a national institute of education. Change the length and time students are sitting in class.

Nothing radical, but meaningful changes to group parallel topics, get rid of summer vacation and track-based learning, apprentice students, and never give up on poor or "remedial students."

Basically, almost none of the things our policy makers currently have on the table. :)

Wow. That's a big shift from current policy.

Too many vested interests will fight this, right?