I felt a lot better today than I did the past few days. Nothing really changed, but I just took things as they were rather than worry about what else I could be doing better. That's a good start.
It was snowing all day today. One student complained that we shouldn't be in school today. Another chimed in to identify that we haven't had a full week of school in a month! Some students rejoiced at that thought. I'm all for snow days. I love sleeping in. I love drinking my latte while reading the paper on the couch with my dog. I love the relaxation that sweeps over you when you don't have to do anything. I'll take a snow day any day.
But I have a problem when students are mad, disappointed or otherwise questions why they have to be in school. When the weather is cooperating, why do we have to be here?, they wonder.
When I heard that conversation begin today, I jumped in. I posited: How is it that individuals in other countries work their whole lives in pursuit of an education; some don't have a school building, but put up with the rain and heat to learn outside from a teacher; still others, fearing they won't be allowed to learn, take to studying in a ditch on the side of a road, and yet, here they are with this amazing gift of public education and they'd rather be elsewhere. It's pretty sickening, when you consider that big picture.
A student from across the room, when I was finished pontificating, made a comment that threw me. He said, "Well, they're too stupid to know better. They still think education is a good thing." I calmly told him that his response was unacceptable, but I wanted to smack him upside the head! Okay, okay, he's just some spoiled kid. Get over myself already.
So, what's the problem then? Why don't they appreciate the education? Did I appreciate it? I can't remember clearly. I was always taken by information and learning, but I'm sure I would have preferred being elsewhere to school. Would it have helped to learn about how lucky I was? Perhaps this problem can be addressed with a more empathic education. Show our children how lucky they are and maybe they'll appreciate things more. Or maybe that's exactly why they don't appreciate it.
We appreciate the sunny day most after the week of rainy days.
Brings me back to my previous thought. Public Education, as a system, doesn't work. We need something new. Here's a crazy idea: let our children choose school. I can already hear the objections. Some will tell you our education system is in place to keep our kids off the street, from getting into trouble. I mean, we can imagine which kids would choose against school initially...and they'd make some wrong choices. Another objection is that brain development of children and adolescents doesn't allow for them to make rational decisions. Articles I read indicate that their decision-making is getting worse too. Students of today's generation will choose the instant gratification over something better for which they'll have to wait. Thanks technology.
But honestly, our system expects them to appreciate something that is forced on them. It's like appreciating prison. They don't know what the rainy days look like, so they can't appreciate the sunny ones in which they live. I've heard that Hawaii has a higher suicide rate for that same reason (I didn't check my facts on that though).
So, how can we orchestrate a system that allows choice but keeps them busy and from making the wrong choices?? Would it violate our country's child labor laws to give them the choice between school and work? I know a lot of friends who would choose school over work now that we're struggling through the real world. That reality should set in sooner.
Or we could bring back the institution of apprenticeship. Can the business world hire teachers instead of the government to train their future employees? Capitalism created efficiency in other areas of our society. Could it fix the education problem too? Well, now I'm getting political. It's something to think about though.
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