RaeBanging

Hey,
I've recently become very interested in education reform - I read all the articles on recent reform, ideas, policy, pedagogical psychology, scientific research on learning, etc., and it's something I *may* want to persue in college. In the mean time, though, I'm a high school senior in Northern New Jersey (not Point Pleasant, actually) and I would like to find a way to intern/shadow/help a professor with research/do SOMETHING hands-on, anything, in order to learn more about the general field of reforming education. I don't know enough about it, but I feel veryyyy passionate about it and feel that sometime in my future if I can actually do something to "change the world", changing American education around has GOT to be it =)

Buuuut I have NO idea where to start. What should I do? Does anyone have any advice, and if not, does anyone have ideas of where I can obtain advice to procure a research assistant job or something that relates to ANYTHING in education reform?

ThePhilosopher

As a high school, you aren't going to be able to do a lot. Contact a local school or town education office, and perhaps you can shadow someone there (principal, superintendent, etc..).

Laborer

A very noble intention indeed. We definitely need more passionate individuals like you to bring some life into education reform

What do you plan on majoring in? I majored in psychology and also became very interested in this particular topic, took a course in adolescent development and was shocked to see how badly school districts have been getting it wrong over the past few years by sticking to old myths and beliefs.

I agree that it'll be tough to find something truly substantial right now while you're still in HS. In college, find professors who are working in education reform, they're everywhere. Best of luck!

RaeBanging

I'm in the NY metropolitan area and I also have good access to Rutgers -- anything in those areas I can possibly look into, if anything just resources in general?