Garden of Daisies

Some more thoughts on education and some words of encouragement from my stepdad

November 14th, 2005

While driving into Guelph so I could take the bus back to Toronto yesterday Roger and I were talking about education. Given that my brother and I both had so many problems with the public education system in such profoundly differant ways, my parents have been very actively involved in trying to get the most out of schools and determine ways they could serve students better. My brother’s inability to read and write (despite being a very brilliant kid, and student council president for his graduating class my brother is, for all intents and purposes, functionally illiterate) and teachers insistance to keep pushing him through the system anyway, has been a constant source of frustration for them.

Frustrated especially at the fact that James (my brother) is very active in extra-curricular activities at school despite low grades Roger was musing aloud that the only reason education systems (k-12) are in place is so that people can learn to read, write and do basic math. We should be able to have access to information (read) to preform our duties as democratic citizens, be able to express ourselves orally and with the written word (write), and we should be able to calculate enough to ensure we are getting paid enough, and fairly at our job and be able to oversee our taxes (basic math). Anything aside from that, he argued, is icing on the cake, and really should not be paid for by public funding.

I mulled over what Roger was saying. I didn’t agree with it. But that wasn’t the point I made when I answered him. Instead I pointed out that he was talking about a very idealistic education system. He wasn’t talking about the idealistic education system I would like to see in place (which is why I say I didn’t agree with it), but it was idealistic all the same. An education system in place to empower people to get the most out of their rights as citizens, and their employment. ….hmmm. yep. Definately not the reality of what is going on.

The fact that students who struggle with reading and writing, and never attain basic mathematic principles, simply recieve lower grades than others and continue getting passed on up through the system proves that the system is not there to provide everyone with those skills. Students to whom reading, writing and arithmatic come naturally, will of course have their learning supported by attending school, but it is support nothing more. The tragedy, in fact, lies not only with the students at the bottom of the academic ladder but also with the kids toward the top, who can read or perform math way above what is considered appropriote for their age level, and are not given adequate support to nurture and cultivate those skills. This is a system that attempts to equalize, not a system that teaches.

Any system that was actually meant to teach each individual to read, write, and perform basic arithmetic would have to acknowledge the varying learning rates and styles of individual children. It would have to be structured in such a way as to encourage independant exploration of concepts and allow for certain individuals to struggle along the way. In a system like this each individual child’s talents would become self-evident and as such, every child would be personally motivated and learn to enjoy learning. Instead, today’s system, which expects all children to move at an established pace bores some children while making other’s feel “stupid” and “behind”.
(No child should ever be forced to feel behind. And similarly no child should have it implied to them that they are ahead. Each child should be supported and encouraged to explore their interests and knowledge at whatever level is appropriote to them.)

So if our schools aren’t teaching these basic skills, or inspiring and motivating children what are they doing? Given the way they are structured, I would argue that they do little more than attempt mold every student into an easily influenced, hard-working citizen who respects deadlines and does not question authority or structure. No more, no less.

Disgusting really. There is such a profound potential for diverse expressions of brilliance in the human race…shouldn’t schools be helping to cultivate that potential?

In conclusion, Roger’s final words:
“Well you better figure out all this sleepiness stuff because you’ve got stuff to do. …
…not that you will necessarily change the education system in your lifetime, just be a catalyst. Sometimes it takes two and three lifetimes to see the changes and know the differance someone made, but if you start now big things will happen.”
yay!

p.s. Sleeping clinic appointment booked! …moving right along…

Entry Filed under: Thoughts on other things..., My life, Education