School is like starting life with a 12-year jail sentence

[Geo Da Sponge]

As far as I can tell, this article seems like a very naive view of how the school system can be fixed. It's nice to imagine that a utopian education system is possible by letting kids learn what they want and have free reign over their future, but how you would actually implement such a miraculous system is left unclear. Firstly, where would you find a sufficient source of teachers who would be versatile, enthusiastic, capable and charismatic enough to teach this new amazing system? Secondly, and rather more importantly, why is it assumed that children will make the most of such a system? To quote the article:

With lessons like the ones I teach day after day, is it any wonder we have the national crisis we face today? Young people indifferent to the adult world and to the future; indifferent to almost everything except the diversion of toys and violence? Rich or poor, schoolchildren cannot concentrate on anything for very long. They have a poor sense of time past and to come; they are mistrustful of intimacy (like the children of divorce they really are); they hate solitude, are cruel, materialistic, dependent, passive, violent, timid in the face of the unexpected, addicted to distraction.

Now I don't know about you, but this seems to be a pretty full description of children in general, though they're probably not all true of any one child. This could be because the only experience I have, and most people will have, is with children who have been in (or are currently in) state education. But with the exception of a few bright individuals who will undoutedly go on to success anyway, I can't really see any child being dedicated to education at a younger age.

Now this article was written about the American education system (as far as I can tell), so the problems in the system might be some what different to what I've experienced in schools in the UK.

 

[captainwillies]

You do know most company Ceo's don't have college degrees?

You do know there are more than 5 companies in the world right?

you do know I can't list them all right?

 

[similar.squirrel]

The majority of the teachers were affable, smart and genuinely funny human beings.

really? man you got lucky. where did you go to school?

Ireland. The school was run by the local diocese, so the bishop was basically the chairman.

But yeah, the teachers were strangely immune to all the fail taking place there.

 

[Plinglebob]

I think school is here to get u ready for a good supporting job. You know, the ones that make you work at least 8-9 hours a day for about 5-7 days a week. Plus there is your living expenses and your family (If you have one)and lot of other shit to deal with.

You do know most company Ceo's don't have college degrees?

There's a big difference between not having a university degree and not getting your GCSEs/High School Diploma. I didn't go to Uni because I could do a work based qualification thats more highly regarded in the field I was interested in then the equivalent degree. However, if I hadn't completed my GCSEs, I'd never have gotten onto the course.

The point of education up to 16 should be to help prepare kids for life. This includes giving them a broad education so they can find something they are interested in and are good at and teaching them that, unlike at home, the world doesn't revolve around them and they are going to have to do things in life they don't like if they are going to get on in life. My biggest problem is that (at least in England) there is too much emphasis on academic intelligence which means that kids who would do better at practical subjects get forced into doing things they don't enjoy and arn't very good at which then breeds resentment towards the system.

 

[WilliamRLBaker]

Hmmm I do not agree, I think school can be a fundamental growth for any child.
*shakes and shudders because of his remembering of the sick images that bombed this thread* what the heck was up with that anyways?

 

[captainwillies]

As far as I can tell, this article seems like a very naive view of how the school system can be fixed.

really? to me it seemed like a cynical dystopian where the only "way" is find your own path?

Firstly, where would you find a sufficient source of teachers who would be versatile, enthusiastic, capable and charismatic enough to teach this new amazing system? Secondly, and rather more importantly, why is it assumed that children will make the most of such a system?

Steiner school? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldorf_education

 

[captainwillies]

Hmmm I do not agree, I think school can be a fundamental growth for any child.
*shakes and shudders because of his remembering of the sick images that bombed this thread* what the heck was up with that anyways?

Man I'm disappointed now. They got deleted before I got to see

also "can be" is the operative statement. "isn't" would be truer. and perhaps "should be" would be the most idealistic.

 

[captainwillies]

The point of education up to 16 should be to help prepare kids for life.

you know what? Thinking about that I think the purpose of school should be to "inspire" kids for life.

This includes giving them a broad education so they can find something they are interested in and are good at and teaching them that, unlike at home, the world doesn't revolve around them and they are going to have to do things in life they don't like if they are going to get on in life. My biggest problem is that (at least in England) there is too much emphasis on academic intelligence which means that kids who would do better at practical subjects get forced into doing things they don't enjoy and arn't very good at which then breeds resentment towards the system.

I wholeheartedly agree.

 

[kingcom]

If you hate school, you're gonna really hate what comes after it.

I wish I could go back to the days of high school and all of you young'ns will be saying the exact same thing when you are my age.

No, not really, i hated school yet loved university.

 

[Tdc2182]

no not really. yes we have cures for diseases woopty-do. with constant stress, high speed environments, coupled with extremely poor dietary choices those extra years will be spent in an old-folks home because your joints have worn away from all your bad habits and your senile.

Yeah, it is all fun and very wishful thinking to believe that sometime in the distant past, people used to have it easier, but its very shallow.

no I never meant to make it sound "easier". I meant that kids still face problems the problems have just changed. You know in many indigenous societies they don't even have a "word" for "boredom". Can you imagine that? a society were boredom doesn't exist and yet how many times have you seen kids in a house surrounded by Games and DVD's say "I'm bored". Yeah they got it easy one way but another way they've lost something, something important.

Hmmm.... I admit defeat.

Yeah they got it easy one way but another way they've lost something, something important

Especially this.

 

[Plinglebob]

If you hate school, you're gonna really hate what comes after it.

I wish I could go back to the days of high school and all of you young'ns will be saying the exact same thing when you are my age.

No, not really, i hated school yet loved university.

Just wait until you get into a job, then you'll be wishing you're back in school.

 

[tzimize]

If you hate school, you're gonna really hate what comes after it.

I wish I could go back to the days of high school and all of you young'ns will be saying the exact same thing when you are my age.

Agreed. Working through life seems incredibly pointless to me. I'm just educated and I'm starting work in a month or so, and dreading the day.

Tbh I am constantly considering weather life is worth continuing in or not. There is always an alternative and sometimes it seems a lot more tempting than work. At least to me.

 

[Geo Da Sponge]

As far as I can tell, this article seems like a very naive view of how the school system can be fixed.

really? to me it seemed like a cynical dystopian where the only "way" is find your own path?

Firstly, where would you find a sufficient source of teachers who would be versatile, enthusiastic, capable and charismatic enough to teach this new amazing system? Secondly, and rather more importantly, why is it assumed that children will make the most of such a system?

Steiner school? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldorf_education

I fail to see what you're getting at on either point. I quite literally don't understand your response to the first quote, and your answer to the second point doesn't really answer the issue of how such a system could be systematically applied in every area. For a start the entire 'Waldorf education' seems to be based on using the system with children from the very begining of their education through to the end, which is an incredibly impractical idea when considering the constant flow of pupils through the education system at every year.

EDIT: I'm not questioning the effectiveness of the 'Waldorf' system, just how effective it would be with the practical issues of applying it to an entire nation.

 

[Zac Smith]

I have just finished all my final exams yesterday 24th after 14 years of school. (2 extra years of college) and yes, it was like a jail sentence -.- so glad its over

 

[tricky_tree]

When you think about it, school teaches you a lot more than maths, English, French, ICT, science etc. At that age school is where you have the majority of your social interactions, you learn responsibility and deadlines (homework), you may have your first fight, the list goes on.
I hated school right up untill I sat my final exams, luckily I still did very well and got into a good university.

 

[captainwillies]

As far as I can tell, this article seems like a very naive view of how the school system can be fixed.

really? to me it seemed like a cynical dystopian where the only "way" is find your own path?

Firstly, where would you find a sufficient source of teachers who would be versatile, enthusiastic, capable and charismatic enough to teach this new amazing system? Secondly, and rather more importantly, why is it assumed that children will make the most of such a system?

Steiner school? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldorf_education

I fail to see what you're getting at on either point. I quite literally don't understand your response to the first quote, and your answer to the second point doesn't really answer the issue of how such a system could be systematically applied in every area. For a start the entire 'Waldorf education' seems to be based on using the system with children from the very begining of their education through to the end, which is an incredibly impractical idea when considering the constant flow of pupils through the education system at every year.

1st quote translation: you see a naive view of how the school system can be fixed? I never saw any answer to the system beyond "train thy self".

2nd quote rebuttal: clarify this "new amazing system" which is doomed to fail. All I saw was a cynical perspective of current standards?

 

[captainwillies]

When you think about it, school teaches you a lot more than maths, English, French, ICT, science etc. At that age school is where you have the majority of your social interactions, you learn responsibility and deadlines (homework), you may have your first fight, the list goes on.
I hated school right up untill I sat my final exams, luckily I still did very well and got into a good university.

you didn't read the article did you?

 

[tricky_tree]

When you think about it, school teaches you a lot more than maths, English, French, ICT, science etc. At that age school is where you have the majority of your social interactions, you learn responsibility and deadlines (homework), you may have your first fight, the list goes on.
I hated school right up untill I sat my final exams, luckily I still did very well and got into a good university.

you didn't read the article did you?

I did not, I'm on a bus and the link wouldn't open on my phone. Just thought I'd reply to the 'I hate school' crowd and hope I wasn't caught out.

 

[captainwillies]

When you think about it, school teaches you a lot more than maths, English, French, ICT, science etc. At that age school is where you have the majority of your social interactions, you learn responsibility and deadlines (homework), you may have your first fight, the list goes on.
I hated school right up untill I sat my final exams, luckily I still did very well and got into a good university.

you didn't read the article did you?

I did not, I'm on a bus and the link wouldn't open on my phone. Just thought I'd reply to the 'I hate school' crowd and hope I wasn't caught out.

boom headshot :3

give it a read when you get home its good stuff