I mean, I know I didn't like going to school as a kid. I was severely depressed then, which means I didn't actually do much there other than failing classes. There's a central problem with school that everyone seems to be ignoring, and it's that a lot of kids go there only because they're forced to. There was an interesting article on Salon about this. Here's a noteworthy part:
Quote:
Compulsory schooling has been a fixture of our culture now for several generations. It’s hard today for most people to even imagine how children would learn what they must for success in our culture without it. President Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan are so enamored with schooling that they want even longer school days and school years. Most people assume that the basic design of schools, as we know them today, emerged from scientific evidence about how children learn best. But, in fact, nothing could be further from the truth.
Schools as we know them today are a product of history, not of research into how children learn. The blueprint still used for today’s schools was developed during the Protestant Reformation, when schools were created to teach children to read the Bible, to believe scripture without questioning it, and to obey authority figures without questioning them. The early founders of schools were quite clear about this in their writings. The idea that schools might be places for nurturing critical thought, creativity, self-initiative or ability to learn on one’s own — the kinds of skills most needed for success in today’s economy — was the furthest thing from their minds. To them, willfulness was sinfulness, to be drilled or beaten out of children, not encouraged.
I can't be the only one worried about the fact that this is what current schools are based on, right? (I would suggest reading the entire article since it's really interesting.)
There are so many kids out there who would rather do anything than go to school. They complain about school so much, but for some reason, adults ignore them. Why? Why do people think that kids' opinions shouldn't matter? Doesn't anyone else think that's kinda disturbing? Anyway, I'm interested in hearing yall's thoughts on this.
Also, while you're reading the article, you can listen to Charli XCX's German smash, "Break the Rules":
Yes. You have to be in a place you don't want to be, do things you don't want to do, ordered by people who aren't your parents, with people you grow to like simply because you're both confined to a small area (by force).
You're also expected to come out of it and conquer the world when in reality the system doesn't make that possible.
If that's not the definition of school and prison...
You can always drop out, get your GED, go to a charter school where you only go 2 days a week.
I doubt a lot of parents would let their kids do that. And dropping out isn't always an option. For example, in my country, you need to be 18 years old to drop out.
Yes, school systems were based on that, but they don't (in theory) reflect those ideals today. Similar to how entire countries were based on slavery, but don't (in theory) reflect those ideals today. There are a lot of kids with learning disabilities who dislike school because it's difficult, and I understand that. But your average little kid doesn't like school because they would rather play tag for six hours. Your average little kid is wrong. Your average teenager would rather hang out with their friends for six hours. Your average teenager is wrong.
It makes me so upset that young people don't realize what a blessing a free education is. Sure, not everyone gets the same one, but even the shittiest public school in the U.S. is something that is unimaginable to hundreds of thousands of people around the globe. Just look at Malala Yousafzai and the many other girls terrified to attend school.
People who hate school are, for the most part, wasting an opportunity. That's it.
School is just meant to give kids time management and social skills and give them basic knowledge. Don't expect to actually learn anything of great use or importance until you go to college.
yes, all public school does is teach kids how to conform
Quote:
Originally posted by Iyanla, Fix Me
Yes. You have to be in a place you don't want to be, do things you don't want to do, ordered by people who aren't your parents, with people you grow to like simply because you're both confined to a small area (by force).
You're also expected to come out of it and conquer the world when in reality the system doesn't make that possible.
If that's not the definition of school and prison...
School doesn't always encourage completely free thought and creativity (more usually due to testing standards brought about by over-regulation), but it provides the resources for kids to explore those on their own. And who would encourage free thought outside of schools when many parents in low-income districts don't prioritize education to begin with?
You can always drop out, get your GED, go to a charter school where you only go 2 days a week.
You need parental permission to drop out, which most parents would not give.
Not really? I mean school literally gives you what you need to succeed in life. Jail doesn't get your jobs, literacy, and knowledge.
It's required because you simply need it to keep alive in a first world country. Like imagine if people decided they didn't wanna go to school at 5 and never came. The way school is modeled today is a mess though, and needs some serious reforms.
- Not cut funding to extracurricular activities
- Have a handle on bullying policies
- Don't focus so hard on Math. Literally, all that **** you learn from that subject you won't need later in life.
- Hire GOOD teachers that engage students while allowing them the chance to learn as well.
- Let you have a little more freedom in scheduling (obviously within school requirements).
Part of the reason kids think it's a prison is because of **** like that. I'm pretty thankful I went to a really great school that had excellent extracurricular programs for EVERYONE. Now if only they hired better math teachers.
Prison doesn't really offer any of that, let's be real.
Yes, school systems were based on that, but they don't (in theory) reflect those ideals today. Similar to how entire countries were based on slavery, but don't (in theory) reflect those ideals today. There are a lot of kids with learning disabilities who dislike school because it's difficult, and I understand that. But your average little kid doesn't like school because they would rather play tag for six hours. Your average little kid is wrong. Your average teenager would rather hang out with their friends for six hours. Your average teenager is wrong.
It makes me so upset that young people don't realize what a blessing a free education is. Sure, not everyone gets the same one, but even the shittiest public school in the U.S. is something that is unimaginable to hundreds of thousands of people around the globe. Just look at Malala Yousafzai and the many other girls terrified to attend school.
People who hate school are, for the most part, wasting an opportunity. That's it.
Not this "oh ya well other kids have it worse than you" argument
Our education system needs to step it the **** up and stop comparing themselves to 3rd world countries to try to look better
Some countries pay their students to go to school, like
It bothers me so much that so many of you honestly think school is comparable to prison. The ****ing epitome of ungrateful.
If there is a huge amount of kids saying that they hate school, don't you think something should be done about this instead of writing them off as "ungrateful"?
If there is a huge amount of kids saying that they hate school, don't you think something should be done about this instead of writing them off as "ungrateful"?
Victim blaming is easier than actually doing something
School was horrible for me. I was bullied a lot in middle school by teachers and students and they never did anything to the point where i was depressed constantly. Online schooling is a lot better and they have schedule times that you can do for example if it was needed start around 3 in the afternoon etc
It bothers me so much that so many of you honestly think school is comparable to prison. The ****ing epitome of ungrateful.
The real concept of school is great but what it has turned into in the last 50 years, at least in America, is a mess. Its like you work so hard in high school only to be slapped with a 30k bill if you wanna attend a ****ing state school. Not even mentioning thousands in room, board, and books. I'm blessed so I can't complain, but I know tons of people who can't afford to go to college and take out loans and etc. Obviously we're blessed to attend school and etc. but the system is making it more difficult to actually gain anything from it. All the while you're going through immense stress and etc.
If there is a huge amount of kids saying that they hate school, don't you think something should be done about this instead of writing them off as "ungrateful"?
Like what?
And idk what "huge amounts" constitutes to you, but whatever. Personally, I'm for the expansion of career technology centers/career centers as alternatives to the last two years of high school. I think those and some trade apprenticeship programs could work wonders for our education system. But that's an internal reform, not completely eradicating it.