The document summarizes responses from children ages 8-17 about how they would run their own ideal school. Key ideas included having more hands-on and outdoor learning, shorter school days and lessons, more sports and extracurricular activities, healthier food options, and giving students more choices in subjects and activities. Many emphasized making learning fun and interactive through experiments, discussions, and practical examples. Overall, the children favored a school environment that was engaging, relaxed, and focused on their well-being in addition to academics.

1. Children and Education
Education Project
Suad Alhalwachi

2. Hypothesis
Learning styles are important in how
children are taught
• Techniques that help connect what you are
Learning to your Personal Goals
• Structuring information makes learning faster
• Strengthen Knowledge and Skills, which in turn
over come Obstacles
• Improve survival skills and can be implemented in
personal and career aspects

3. Personality types/learning orientation (Myers
Briggs) to effectively and efficiently
communicate with people and help them learn
are:
• Sensory-Intuitive: Providing hard facts and
general concepts
• Visual-Verbal: Incorporating visual and verbal
cues
• Active-Reflective: Experimental learning with
time to evaluate and analyze
• Sequential-Global: Giving the big picture,
showing details in a structured way

6. Research Methodology
• Survey prepared using Monkey Survey
• Survey sent to children ages 8-17, all of them
answered thorough their social media pages,
and sent the results to researcher as a
message on facebook.
• The results mirrored the concepts of the
‘Learning Technique’ methodology

7. Survey Questions
1- do you prefer to learn:
reading a book
watching a movie clip
hearing a tape
or creating by hand
2. tell me which subject teacher do you like
3. tell me why you like that teacher
4. which subject you prefer in school
5. why do you like the subject?
because of the teacher
or because of the subject itself
6. do you like to have one teacher only teaching you everything or a teacher per subject
7. do you like to go on school trips?
8. do you like to be taught inside the class or outside ( in a park or by the beach)
9. have you ever been on a school camp? and does your school invite you to go on camps?
10. which sport do you prefer
11. how many languages do you learn
12. do you like to learn languages?
13. have you written a short story?
14. have you visited the library? do you like it?
15. did you enter school competitions?
16. What would you do if you were asked to open a school?

8. Motivation
• During an Education reforms conference held
in 2009 in Bahrain, I raised the question of
how we consider liberality of education and
the elevation of spoon feeding if we do not
hear from those involved,
• Thus suggesting that we bring their views to
the forefront to help educators and investors
to establish the right school communities.

9. The Panel
• The survey was carried out by 125 people, all
of whom answered most of the questions
• A panel comprising of children from the age
group of 8 to 17 was chosen, to show how this
age group perceive education and their
preferences

10. The Best School was Suggested
• One where there are plenty of outdoor sports activities, more
interesting lessons been taught and the way its taught, more
classes to be creative and more variety of food
• The choice to use modern technology (laptops) to take notes
instead of books, sitting outside in the fresh air or in a more
colorful and attractive looking classroom
• The freedom to have their say in terms of less work and more
play, choice on subjects they want to learn and the way the
management runs the school

11. Survey Results
Confirmed the Hypothesis

17. Which Sport do you prefer?

18. How many languages do you learn

19. Do you like to learn languages

20. Short stories?

21. Library visits

22. School Competitions

23. If I wanted to open a school, I would do it in
my own way: please explain
More Activities and Competitions
Healthy Food and More Choice
Longer Hours
Fewer Hours
Smaller Class Size
More School Trips
More Interesting/Fun Lessons
Less Tests/Exams
Longer Hours for Sports and More Options
Longer Holidays
Longer Break Time
Study Outside
Pupils Choice(subjects, laptops, lockers, languages)
Better Management and Teaching (more fun, advisors, rules and
regulations)
Better Environment to Study

24. If you had your own
school, how would you run
it?

25. “I would provide two languages of the students choice. Also, I would have a
wider choice of lunches rather than just one. I would have some lessons
outside and some inside.”
“I would make the lessons fun and interesting so the pupils want to learn.
Lessons would be more practical and students would not be in the
classroom all the time.”

26. “I would have less writing in books and more discussing and hands on
experience with the topics.”
“I would have all lessons taught in a fun way using practical examples and
hands on experiments”

27. “The school would have lots of competitions and extra curricular
activities”
“I would do more outside involved lessons and more school trips.”

28. “I would hire teachers to not only teach students, but enlighten them on
morals and ethics in order to be good citizens of the world.”

29. “Pupils should be able to bring in packed lunches if they wanted to. Pupils can
choose the subjects they want to do, but they must do some mandatory
subjects and a kind of sport.”
“I would make it as fun as I can and I would get the kids more involved with the
sports so they are fit and healthy.”

30. “I would open a special needs school.”

31. “Class rooms should be creative and attractive.”

32. “I will meet students each month and open the gate to receive any complain
or suggestions.”
“I will ask students their opinions and improve my school according to
surveys showing suggestions and complaints.”

33. “I would arrange competitions between boys and girls for gender
development and creativity.”

34. “I would give my school a safe and healthy environment and encourage
students and teachers to communicate freely”

35. “I wouldn’t be harsh on students, teach them different skills and develop
their confidence. I would also introduce new subjects into the syllabus”

36. Suggestions for fun schools
in the same language used by the
children
• I would have different teachers for different subjects.
• I will have a Tuck shop
• My school would be 9 till 4. 3 till 4 you would do
activities. My pupils would have healthy food for at
least three days. School trips once a month.
• I would have a fun unique lessons
• Play a bigger range of sport e.g. lacrosse. better
lunches and longer break time, keep it from 8:30 till
5:15

37. More Suggestions
• I would start school at 8:00 so the students have
time to get there and have fun before they go to the
classrooms.
• I would have short days after having to pay a tuition
and having to learn.
• The canteen would have some healthy food and
some foods that are not that healthy but tasty for
the kids

38. • I would have more sporting competitions
• I would have two languages of the students choice.
Also, I would have a wider choice of lunches rather
than just one. I would have some lessons outside and
some inside.
• I would have school trips at the end of every half
term. In addition to that, every Friday I would have a
no-uniform day. At the end of every term I would
have a camp trip(optional). I would have longer sport
lessons and break times-it’s important for children to
have lots of fresh air.

39. • I would make the periods five minutes longer than
usual. I would make Games shorter so more
academic work can be done. Everyone can choose
what language the do but they must do Latin
because I think Latin is very important.
• I would do more outside involved lessons and more
school trips. I would also only have lessons up to
lunch.

40. • I would end school at 4:00 pm and do an afternoon
every day of your chosen sport. You would have
lunch at 11:30 and have break for an hour and at
12:45 you would start your games.
• School would start at 10:00 so you can sleep in and
you would do lesson for an hour and a half each day.
• You could also stay after school to do more sports
, activities or lessons. You choose a week before
what you have for lunch and there is a choice of nice
food and dessert.

41. • Study in the classroom if it is hot, you can work
outside or on a field or park and in the winter you
can stay in a hot classroom and don't have to
walk outside to travel to lessons. You can also
have snacks like toast and chocolate during the
day to keep you going and if you don't want to do
games in the afternoon you can do a choice of
different activities including crafts and cooking .
• I would make languages optional and have sports
all day after lunch

42. • I would have longer sport time and shorten the
lessons to 25 minutes. Make the days shorter. More
lessons in the afternoon than the morning. So that
means longer games.
• I would let people use their laptops for all their
lessons and I wouldn't block any games during the
day. I wouldn't give lots of homework on one day.
• I would make the school day and the lessons shorter.
We would play outside more and do games a lot
more than school work.

43. • I would make the day shorter and the lessons shorter
and have one day just sport and have longer break
time's and pupils choice of lesson.
• I would shorten school days by shortening lessons
and make Games and Physical education longer
• I would improve the school food a lot and lessons
that are closer to one another.

44. • In my school I would have it as a sporty school. I
would also have the students do a lot of
maths, English and science.
• I would make the classrooms warm and cozy with
comfy chairs
• Do everything on computers except sports
• I would run it in my own way by making the
subjects fun. I wouldn’t allow my staff to tolerate
any silliness from children so we can have a quiet
environment.

45. • Well shorten the days and have more adventure
sports and longer games and PE sections
• I would have less writing in books and more
discussing and hands on experience with the topics.
• I would first make the day end at 3:00pm, then I
would have free periods so students can relax. Also I
would cut down on tests.

46. • I would let pupils have a free period every day and
do lots of music and science as well as a lot of
languages. There will be an outdoor classroom for all
subjects.
• every teacher would have to be entertaining
• I would make sure there were places that people
could go to if they were lonely. I would have lessons
outside

47. • I would have a lot of sports and teach math
, English, science mostly and survival skills. I wouldn't
teach Latin.
• I would teach all subjects we teach at my school
apart from Latin, and pupils in my school would be
allowed to do Latin if they wanted to.
• The school would have a lot of competitions and
extra curricular activities

48. • More individual sports, more trips
• I would make the lessons fun and interesting so the
pupils want to learn. Lessons would be more
practical and students would not be in the classroom
all the time.
• I would reason with students and run a school the
way they would like it.
• I would have a virtual computer through a helmet to
learn in and electronic prep diaries would be good
and all the teachers are kind.

49. • I would make sure it has a relaxed, fun
environment, and would encourage the children to
be outside a lot, even for lessons
• I would hire good teachers and teach very well to
make sure the students understand the small things
in life such as manners , how to treat other people in
a respectful way , but also tell them about the bad
things in life so they get a full idea of reality in life.

50. • I would make it fair and that anyone can join. If it was
a sunny day the pupils could have a longer break. If
the day was particularly cold the pupils could go into
the lunch hall for hot chocolate.
• Pupils should also be able to bring in packed lunches
if they wanted to. Pupils can choose the subjects
they want to do. But they must do the following
subjects: English, math, science and geography and
they must do some kind of sport.

51. • I would give more travel time for everyone, make
lunch earlier, change the sports from rugby to basket
ball, football to base ball and cricket to tennis
• I would make it as fun as I can and I would get the
kids more involved with the sports so they are fit and
healthy
• My school would have small classes so the teacher
can focus on every one. I would have long break with
healthy snacks available and it would be a sporty
school with large grounds.

52. • I would have all lessons taught in a fun way using
practical examples and hands on experiments. I
would have a tuck shop, students would eat outside
unless wet and bring their own packed lunches.
• I would open a special needs school
• My school would have lots of golf course
sports, Astroturf shooting range, footy
cricket, tennis, netball, basket ball, badminton but
no rugby

53. • It would have a more colourful interior, have more
time for games, allow students to choose subjects
and have main buses to take students to their
lessons. The school I want to run would be based on
Ellesmere college.
• I would have parties and competitions a little more
often, harsher rules and punishments and the
opening of the school will have speeches, free food
and a buffet

54. • If I had my own school then I would do a survey with
the children and see what they like to do and how
they like to do it and I would try and make the school
as fun as I could so that the children wake up and
enjoy the feeling of going to school.
• As the head teacher I would try and remember what
it was like for me as a child to experience school and
take note of what I most enjoyed and what I least
enjoyed doing, and take the good things and make
them better.

55. • I would open my school in a sweet shop as all kids
like sweets. Students would be occasionally
rewarded with sweets depending on how many
points they get for answering questions right in class.
• I would open sweet and chocolate shop for all day.
• I would let kids eat in the classroom.

56. • I would make it a fun environment and not always be
in the classroom . I would go outside and play games
with the children to learn in an fun and educational
way.
• I would have classrooms outside. More sports and
Smaller classes - so that the teachers could talk to
the children easier.
• I would talk to the kids who were naughty instead of
shouting.

57. • I would give longer break times and I would
implement every sport, from football to boxing.
• I would run my school the way I like and put in my
own special classes were you can relax and read and
talk on bean bags with a tuck shop were you are
allowed to spend 5 pounds a week
• There would be games 2 periods on Monday and
Friday and 1 period games Tuesday and Wednesday

58. • Yes if I would have opened a school I would have
done it my own way because I want to make fair
rules in my school, and I want excellent students in
my school because some other kids have no
manners, and don't know how to behave well in
public. I also want to hire good teachers who are not
strict, or tough. The last thing I want is for the
students in my school to be happy.
• class rooms should be creative and attractive
• talented teachers

59. • If I wanted to open a school, I would do it my own
way by looking back at the days I was in school and
remember the way I reacted with everything
provided and take my past opinions into
consideration and apply them into my school.
• I will keep only a teachers who could explain to
students in good way.
• would make it strict like my school choueifat but not
as strict and I wouldn’t pressure the students by
giving them a lot of exams in one week

60. • It will be a school which teaches students in a
different way. Teachers must respect the students
and try to be their friends. student can choose the
subjects that they want to study.
• I would give surveys to students that help me know
what the students want the school to be like.
• Thursdays we will have an assembly from a class.
Exams are only for children 7-12. Term brakes will be
3 weeks long. at the end of the year we will have a
production. Projects can be videos.

61. • I wouldn’t be harsh on students, teach them
different skills and develop their confidence. I would
also introduce new subjects
• Students and teachers would cooperate with each
other. I would have subjects planned by students and
take their opinions into consideration. Teachers and
students would share a mutual respect

62. • With small classes, longer break times and longer
hours for games and sport, I would make my school
fun for children by providing them good lunches and
good subjects
• we would be taught outside and it would be in a fun
environment
• I would make it with more activities and more field
trips

63. • The teaching method would be fun and educational.
Due to that, the school's reputation will spread
quickly and everyone will enroll their children there.
Trips and activities should take place, because
without them, education will be boring for students
• I will do a survey of which kind of activities or
facilities would like to add at the school. I will try my
best to implement these ideas at the school to
encourage the students to like coming to school and
develop an interest in it.

64. • I would hire friendly teachers to make learning more
fun. My school would be segregated and girls would
be provided with lovely lunches.
• If I opened a school I would call it "international
school for girls." Every year I would organise a
fashion show with cash prizes for the winners.
• burgers, chilidogs, cake, ice-cream, steak, Indian
food, Chinese food, and sushi would be served as
part of the school’s international cuisine.

65. • To improve uniform, I would have no tuck-in
shirts, and no ties I would have to books or black
boards, or white boards, instead I would have
projectors and allow mobile phones.
• My school would have wonderful teachers. It would
also have a lot of field trips and the students would
have a free period everyday. The cafeteria food
would be delicious. Plus it would be an only girls
school! The playground will be huge! Also the girls
will get free chocolate every week.

66. • I would have creative artistic subjects, delicious
cafeteria food and free lessons for students to relax.
• My school would encourage girls to use their brains
and beauty.
• I’d Have The Students learning subjects like History
and Math in games because those Subjects have
certain things to be memorized, games would make
it easier, I would also cut down on end of unit tests
so children wouldn’t have any pressure.

67. • If I owned my own school it would allow students to
play and have show and tell every four hours. The
cafeteria would have books to read, and children
would have a half an hour lunch, and a P.E session to
do what they like.
• student will have their own laptops and lockers . Play
time will be two hours.
• cheap books and a lot of breaks
• I would make learning interactive and have a football
league after school

68. • I would have loads of school trips and camps
• wonderful teachers fun activities and more
equipment for P.E.
• I would improve uniform and have educational trips
• I would make it more easy and comfortable.
more learning skills.
• I would use laptops instead of books and take the
students to fun trips every term

69. • I would give each pupil one laptop, so there would
be no more books and pencils and we could save the
trees and stop the global warming. The teachers
would be highly trained such. if I had a school I
would make fun areas for students to be, like a
cinema and a café.
• I would choose subjects students are interested in
for the future.

70. • I would make it shopping heaven.
• I would Like to design the way it would be big or
small.
• I will open a school that have actual real teachers
that can get the ideas, and information in the
students brain or head, and I would like to have a
great building for the school and a strict
administration, a affordable for parents and
satisfying.

71. • I will arrange competitions between boys and girls
• I will include many learning trips with fun. I would
listen to what student think of their teachers and the
subject and change if possible. I would evaluate
every teacher before hiring them
• I will have rules and also, will not use the punishing
system. I would use advice system instead.
• would use a different teaching style and I will put my
own curriculum.

72. • I will give them the opportunity to choose their own
subject and time.
• I will meet students each month and open the gate
to receive any complain or suggestions.
• I will go trip with them to sit with them and listen to
them.
• I will make an evaluation for students and discuss
with them why teacher good or not.
• I would also give students the liberty of choosing the
courses they want in their majors and allow them to
choose teachers they want to attend their classes

73. • I would treat my students as adults.
Give them some freedom, but a lot of freedom can
cause mistakes, but more rules can cause more
mistakes.
• I will have good facilities for students to use, as
laptops or classes.
• I would have advanced internet connections that
allow students to download movies and access
websites but also prohibit them from accessing bad
things
,

74. • I would also allow them to fix their schedules for
them to say when they want each class and at what
time and who they want to teach them, i would also
make students feel at home and more comfortable
with school and not tie them up with rules.
• I wouldn’t tell students how to dress, I think giving
the liberty for students to dress how they are
comfortable is better then to judge them on how to
dress.

75. • I will use different teaching materials where children
can find what method of teaching they prefer.
• I will use my style to teach and help students more to
understand easily on their way.
• I will check the old ways and try to do it in better
way. I would like to change some rules of
studying, like every teacher should have a laptop and
explain the lessons by presentation.

76. • More activities for students.
• I will be with my student in the camps all the time to
see what is going with them also I will have exams for
myself to avoid forgetting the feeling so I can say
something to my student make them feel better and
confident. Also i will keep doing competitive
games, also for the trips I will arrange it for them to
go for learned one and fun one as well so they will
not hate going to the school.

77. • I would have a school that was modernized like a
college
• I will decorate in my way which I can see very
attractive and make the students love the school.
• I will setup the study in way that the student s likes.
• I will arrange the study class in way that make the
student happy.
• I will let each student to setup their own schedule in
way they wants.
• It be only for a girls

78. • I will put specific standards for school facilities and
students. Also, I will provide students suitable
materials that help them to learn and love studying
inside and outside classes. In addition, I will let my
students participate in any useful occasion weekly
and I will try to choose different activity each week.
• I would learn how each student liked to learn and try
to teach in that way.

79. • I would make it a mixed school, and students
wouldn’t need to wear uniforms, they can wear
anything they want. Mobiles are allowed only
outside class so basically I would make it a nice
school for students to enjoy and as for the
education system there, I would teach them the
regular classes but get proper teachers that teach
in a good way and ones that can control the class
and make them understand concepts easily. The
school will have school trips to good places and
camps if the students are interested and some
after school activities.

80. The only autocratic answer
• Yes, I would run a school my own way because I
like to have rules of my own, and I want the
students to obey my rules. I also want gentle and
loving teachers at this school instead of strict
teachers. There are also three more things I want:
good food, well behaved students and a clean
school.