For a sizeable percentage of people, school doesn't "work". Not if you expect it to result in education, anyway.
I've mentioned before that many of my relatives work at government schools. One has recently retired, but has shifted into being a "substitute teacher". His recent experiences are enlightening.
This past week he was substituting in a class of 8th graders-- I don't know how many kids are in the class, but average class size around here seems to be around 25 inmates. For the past 2 weeks they have been studying some particular math concept. Friday they were being tested on the concepts they had been exposed to. The test consisted of 5 different tables, each with 3 or 4 math problems. The kids were to go from table to table doing the problems.
Out of the entire class, only 3 even bothered to participate. The rest ignored the assignment (and the "teacher") and sat and talked. The 3 who took the test all made 0%.
Now, maybe this isn't typical. But even if it isn't it seems obvious that to confuse schooling for education puts you on the wrong track.
Probably, the more important (to the criminals who control the schools, anyway) task of training people to think in terms of "authority"-- even when the "authority" is defied-- is taking root. I see that as harmful, and as yet another strike against kinderprison. "Authority" junkies would disagree.
And, I guess it's also welfare daycare. To keep the little angels caged, and out of trouble to some extent.
But "education"?
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Reminder: I could really use some help.
Love your use of "inmates"!
ReplyDeleteSo by age 14, these kids had lost all interest in learning math. That was the result of their imprisonment up to that age. And yet people deny that this system has the purpose of "dumbing us down"?
What was your relative's reaction to this appalling story? Now that he is a little detached from the daily grind, is he starting to see what a disaster it all is?
He is still under the impression that school = education, and that it is the kids' fault for not learning anything. Or, maybe their parents' fault for not caring whether their kids learn in school. But he still sees schooling as good and necessary; not the problem. And he even knows my skepticism about that view-- enough so that he doesn't ask what I think about it.
DeleteKent- have you archived your work? Liberty is being suppressed, books burned, websites removed, websites infrastructure made unavailable. evil people are doing evil things. consider backing up articles and blog.
ReplyDeleteI do occasionally download the files from the blog. I need to do that again. And I post it to a mirror site on Wordpress, too.
Deleteanyone paying attention is being skuled in censorship, and oppression of "badthink". double plus in good times.
ReplyDelete"double plus ungood" times.
ReplyDeleteI have the honor of recently being asked to serve on the Board of the umbrella group "overseeing" the new Nashville Sudbury School, which is based on the Sudbury Valley model: ages 4-18, no classes, no grades, no teachers -- just some Staff who keep kids from getting seriously injured, and help guide them when they ask for advice. I have no idea how much I can contribute but I love that this is now an option for Nashville "children" ...
ReplyDeleteThat would be a fun job in my opinion, and a very important one too.
DeleteChildren need a delicate balance between creativity and discipline. They need discipline in the form of things like structure and regimentation that teaches self discipline, not punishment and obedience training. They also need an outlet for curiosity and creativity. Make learning fun and engaging, interactive and without pressure. You will get a better result.