food for thought
No child wants to fail.
This statement doesn't need proof of accuracy. Think of any time your child gets your attention to say "look what I can do..." or the pride when he accomplishes anything at all. That confidence is palpable. It's healthy.
So we don't
fail students. Right?
It's a word that strikes fear in any parent's heart.
Fail.
However, this is what many students and parents experience in school:
"Approaches expectation; Needs to develop attention and focus; Requires additional support..." These are sugar-coated phrases expressing the sentiment for that which shall not be spoken.
These diplomatic phrases lessen the impact of poor performance for both the child and the parent. However, I also believe that it lessens accountability for the teacher, the school and ultimately, a failing education system. A system that tests students to see if they measure up to... who's standards?
As a teacher, the last 3 years of my classroom experience were unusual. There was an increasing number of students who needed my constant attention, support and tutoring. In my final year of teaching, 8 of the 22 students in my classroom had a challenge of some sort. The issues ranged from aggression to processing difficulties. The outcome was a classroom management tap dance. More than a third of my students needed one-on-one lessons if I was to assure success in their learning. As much as I would have loved to think I could handle the challenge and that I would be The Proverbial Teacher that would make a difference in their precious little lives, I certainly didn't feel that I was equipped to address each one of these children nor was it fair for me to think so. I was stumped.
Had it just been me that was perplexed at the lack of focus, reading difficulties, stress-levels and anxiety in students (at the ages of 6 and 7), I would have considered that maybe, subconsciously, I was feeling the pangs of burnout. Truth be told, I loved my students and their parents as well as the school I was teaching at and I still felt I had a lot to offer. I was a confident teacher and according to the parents of the students I'd taught over the years - a good teacher. So I had no apprehension in asking other teachers "Do you see a difference in the students? Do you have a high percentage of "issues" in your classroom?" The answer was a resounding yes. 100% of them claimed they did. Behavioural, academic, emotional issues were obviously on the rise with our children. Red flags in every single classroom. Could it have been that our school was one of "those" schools? Were we falling into a rut? So, I asked colleagues at other schools - both public and private. The results were shockingly the same. To have my suspicions confirmed was in no way appeasing. It wasn't justifying, it was alarming. Now the question was how were teachers to address the rise in issues and manage the classroom fairly by addressing 25+ students equally? Though my intentions as a teacher were honest and noble, the reality of it was painfully obvious: impossible.
It begged the question, "are children failing at education or is education failing our children?"
It's frightening to admit that education could be failing our children.
Do I get him or her tested? Is it the teacher? Is it the school? Budget cuts, labour disputes, inexperienced teachers, lack of training....? It's difficult to wrap our minds around the possibility of failure in the same education the was once good enough for us. After all, we've done alright.
It's even more difficult to think of options to a traditional system of education. Should education be privatized? Does private offer better success rates? Are there any guarantees?
Of course not. It can't be predetermined how well a child will adjust, fit, perform in any setting. It's up to the child to take a crack at the predetermined curriculum. Only then can we gauge ability based on the testing. Eventually, we (principal/teacher) assess that child based on his performance and decide (principal/teacher) if he/she is a gifted, academic or applied student. The tiered system of education that funnels us into university (professionals), college (trades) or... retail? It's a fate we've all been assigned to based on our ability to score well in math and languages. So if you aren't great at the 3Rs, then what?
If your child is creative he'll look forward to 1 hr per week of art or music lesson compared to the 6 hrs of math and 8 hrs of language that will largely monopolize his learning timetable. And if he or she isn't fairing well at math, reading, or writing, he may be required to opt out of art or music (his/her only enjoyment in school) for additional tutoring in math so that he may "catch up." In all fairness, some teachers try to embed art and creativity into their language and social studies lessons. Some do.
To the - let's be generous - 30% of students that excel in curriculum-based academics, they are confident and happy in any classroom and love to learn. With the other two thirds of the students, some manage average grades and do ok in school. And many are those who hate school - and learning - from kindergarten all the way through to Grade 12. When I was in school, there was always the one kid who didn't fit the expectations. The creative kid who doodled constantly; the one who didn't do his homework; the one who didn't share his work even though he knew the answer; the child who talked too much and never did what he was expected to; the one who really had potential but just didn't apply himself. The anxious, stressed and struggling child. The numbers have grown and that child is becoming our present day average.
No child wants to fail.
Learning has become tedious and stressful for many of our children who don't fit into the expectation of the one-size-fits-all curriculum - it's an exercise in futility for them. In the link above "food for thought" there is mention that a recent study was published through the TDSB (Toronto District School Board) claiming that of the 100,000 students polled in Grades 7 and 8, more than 70% were confused about their future, stressed and afraid, or just wanted to cry at the thought.
Is it idealistic to strive for an education system that appreciates the needs of each individual child rather than each child meeting the needs of a predetermined curriculum? Can we hope for a system that raises the bar producing teachers with masters in academia and child psychology? Can we hope for a system in education the nurtures both intellect and strength of character equally in its students? Can we hope for a system that values talent, common sense and creativity as much as it values academic performance?
It is worth taking a long hard look at what the purpose of education is today and whether it meets the ever changing needs of our children and youth. Is today's educational system - a system that was developed during the industrial revolution - purposeful to the needs of our present generation?
