Dear School Reformer People,
I am a grade 9 student at Random Middle School in Heresville, B.C. and I took the time away from my home work to write a letter as I have been doing some reading on educational change and I have a few questions. I know you are always trying to make education better but it still feels the same. I was chillin’ with my peeps at recess the other day and all they were doing was complaining about school. Here are a few of our biggest peeves that I thought I would share with you.
First, school is Boring. Yup. Capital B. I go from Math to Science to English to PE. It is the same thing every class and every year. Teacher talks for a bit, we do some exercises and then we have time to do a worksheet or assignment that they created or I just talk to friends and take the work home. The exercises are simple and don’t allow for any of my creativity. Plus, when in life am I going to be given worksheets? Not at any job I want to do. Occasionally we get to do a project or watch a video but not very often. I want to get out in the community and see things and meet people other than my friends and boring old teacher (who seems really stressed these days and I am pretty sure he sleeps in the bookroom). The same thing in school over and over is sapping the life out of me. I used to be motivated to learn but so much information doesn’t seem relevant to me. Who cares about the British North America Act of 1867, conjunctions, or the difference between mitosis and meiosis? I asked my parents if they knew and they don’t and my Dad is like reeeeeally smart. I want to learn about things that matter to me. Not just Facebook privacy settings and Bieber rumours. I want to research why we spend 17 billion on the space program and why some people are great leaders and how people can still be suffering from poverty in this day and age.
In just over three years, I am going to graduate and enter the real world. Am I going to be prepared for jobs? For life? I keep hearing from my parents that the world is different now. But from what I can tell, education is basically the same so how can I be prepared for what the 21st Century holds for me? What if I – like – fail? Will I have the skills that employers want or just the meagre amount of knowledge that actually stayed in my head from all those worksheets? I don’t want to be some broke burger flipper. I want a job that interests me and where I can make a difference in society. I don’t even know if I am meeting the goals of school. What are the school goals? What is the purpose? I get good grades but what do they actually mean? Are the numbers for me to track my progress or are they merely to please parents and guide administrators? Plus, I think the percentage is more reflective of my effort and not my knowledge or skills.
I know I am only 14 (but I will be 15 in like 2 months) but I can tell that school is not designed by students. But it is all about us, isn’t it? I mean, we are supposed to be the learners who receive all the education. Right? How come we are never asked for input? Seems like the people who make all the changes are people who have gone through the system already and can’t see the forest for the trees (whatever that means – my teacher always used the expression and I think he means that we need fresh ideas to try to alter schooling). Why do we have 12 grades? I seem to learn the same things over and over each year. Plus, I find it easy and could finish school way faster than Billy Anderson (his friends call him Dial-up cuz he’s so slow). Why do we have to go at his pace? It bugs me that there are like 30 other kids in my class. I wish it was just Rachel, Sally, Betty, Veronica and me...oh and maybe Stevie ( so cute n’dreamy! OMG). Then the teacher would have time to help guide my individual learning needs rather than getting mad at Randy for talking during instructions or Brad for never doing his homework or bringing a pen for that matter. Why can’t we have smaller classes or even just give us time to learn on our own? Why are the dinosaurs designing our curriculum anyway? They can’t even use computers or multi-task like I can so why am I learning from them?
Then there is the prison...er...school. I feel like a sheep getting herded around at the sound of a bell. We are crammed into these tiny hallways like cattle ready for slaughter (which would be only slightly worse than Math). DING DONG! They don’t have bells in any jobs I know. How is this getting me ready for life? Plus, I see work places on TV and when I visited my Mom’s office one day during some Take Your Kid to Work Day and they are comfortable. I mean the chairs and desks in school are so 1900. How are we supposed to learn strapped to a desk in neat little rows? I feel restricted and I do not think well when I am restricted...or tired. Why do I have to go to school at 8:30? I perform best in the evenings just like my Dad – that is why he chose a profession where he can work later on. (Something about circadian rhythms he always says – I guess I will learn about that next year). Then there is the stress of being a teenager at school where everyone talks about everyone and you have to dress in the ‘proper’ clothes and bullying is a way of life. Boys are always ogling us girls – it feels like a meat market. Hah – meatmarket, slaughterhouse. Feel like they are just raising animals in a pen. Scheduled feeding times even – I can’t eat in several of my classes and I am a growing girl – I need food. How are we supposed to actually concentrate and learn in these conditions? Who decided this was the best way? What part of life exactly are they training us for? No wonder people commit crimes and go to jail. It just makes them feel like they are back in school!
Some things about school are good so don’t change things like gym and art. I like those classes as I get to use my hands and be active. I just really want to know why things are the way they are. WHY? I just want to know for sure why we learn in this way and where it is written that is has to be this way. Can we change? Can I help? Please.
Sincerely,
Suzy Q
<3
Dearest Suzy,
I can only guess where the Q comes from in your name. You ask a lot of questions and I had to ask several curriculum theorists to aid me in answering your queries. I sincerely hope that our response satisfies you. Please refer to the following articles to help you answer your questions.
(Holmes, M. (1998). The reformation of canada’s schools: breaking the barriers to parental choice. Montreal: McGill-Queens Univ. Press.) According to Holmes, your job prospects are not great as finding a ‘fulfilling’ job is difficult especially in Canada but you should work to finding satisfaction in other aspects of life such as leisure and family life.
Your concern about Billy Anderson is a valid one as equal educational outcomes are difficult in our ever-changing society. Perhaps his religion, social class, race, or genetic inheritance played a role as it often does on academic achievement. School is merely a mirror of society and as such, will always showcase the changes, positive or negative and it is unlikely that any grand change will result in your lifetime. Be receptive to the help and advice from your parents as the school cannot always provide guidance on values to you. You were right Suzy, your world is changing and I can’t say that it is always better so you will need to work hard to maintain your standard of life and those that follow you.
Sumara, D., Davis, B.& Laidlaw, L. (2001). Canadian identity and curriculum theory: ecological, postmodern perspective. Canadian Journal of Education 26, p. 144–163.
You describe a postmodernism school Suzy but you are seeking universal truths to some of your questions. Remember that although you can’t define everything around you or even yourself and your goals, you can define what you aren’t – Billy Anderson – hopefully that helps you sleep at night (or in your case, the morning). Perhaps the relevant knowledge that you crave is of an ecological nature. I sense a need for you to understand the relationships that surround you and you should ask your teacher about geoepistemology. Also, I couldn’t help but notice that you made reference to Justin Bieber. I find it interesting that you picked a Canadian artist. I should also point out that knowing the BNA Act helps you understand your culture as a Canadian and will lead you to developing your own purpose as to why schools run the way they do. You will likely notice as you read that the authors acknowledge various shareholders and members that collaborate to construct the educational process and they never mentioned students. Well, Suzy, you seem like the right type to step up and get involved. You deserve your say.
Radford, M. (2007). Passion and intelligibility in spiritual education. British journal of Educational studies. Vol. 55. No. 1, March 2007. P. 21-36.
Suzy, you are definitely involved in some serious pondering and searching. Radford may be what you really need to read to understand your purpose on a different level. One specific point I wanted to draw your attention to was the notion of character and how it might put your ‘future’ in perspective. Radford writes, “the ‘spirit’ of an individual may be associated with qualities of character, being honourable, decent, having sound motives, and good heartedness, generosity, pride and courage.” These might be the things that you find mean more to you than a job and it can help you toward Holmes’s ‘fulfillment.” The content that you find boring should be considered the avenue to study other dimensions of your educational experience. The informal curriculum, which includes the social and moral culture of the school, may be less obvious and less assessed in school but is still very important to consider. You may want to reflect on your friendships, relationships with your parents and also your thoughts on cute and dreamy Stevie. Radford also argues that spiritual education “is central in our understanding of the nature of human self-consciousness, our ability to reflect on our own being, our behaviour, and our lives in the context of the lives of others and in relation to the larger environment of which we find ourselves.” You may find that all those physical or visible elements of the school that you dislike so much could be solved or forgotten with a focus on the spiritual aspect.
I wish you luck in your future endeavours and urge you to continue your journey into understanding school, knowledge, education and your own identity and how they all interrelate. I hope these readings will shed some light on your serious concerns and you can work to solve them over time. Just remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day but that numerous cities have crumbled in chaos and I hope you are there to build them back up.
Thank you for your interest,
Mr. Scuhl-Refourmir
No comments:
Post a Comment