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We want it all - and we want it now!
Here’s another in our series of troubling news being followed by cries for something additional to be taught in school (see our earlier blog on this). The latest is in response to the high prevalence of depression among young people - suggesting that schools should be teaching kids how to be happy.
Now, it’s interesting (and convincing) that happiness can be taught, but a big question in my mind whether schools are the right vehicle for happiness lessons. I also wonder whether schools will be able find the time - after teaching financial literacy, sex education, swimming, fire safety, anti-smoking, computer literacy, environmentalism, drug education, media literacy, anti-bullying programs, exercises to combat obesity, job preparation courses, and - oh yes, academics.
I guess what I’m saying is - we ought to agree on what we want schools to teach, because they simply can’t teach it all. And just maybe, if as seems likely we can’t agree on what we want schools to teach, we should have differentiated schools, with different emphases, so everyone can choose the school that’s best for their family. This just might turn out to be a different - and just as effective - route to student happiness. H/T TB
In my perfect world, children would be taught the basics with lots of drill. Teachers would be held accountable to sticking to the job of teaching well-designed curricula. Children would be disciplined with a firm hand, and codes of conduct (i.e.: no bullying) would be strictly enforced. In my school, there would be no computers, nor any other electronic devises to distract children; therefore school would be a safe haven from electronic devices, where children’s minds would be readied for advanced courses. My point: what I witnessed is that children who feel safe, and who are accomplishing something academically become happy and thrive. I saw this when my children attended highly competitive international schools.
You know what, all of the schools which we had to choose from were excellent academically, and I think it’s because when parents learn that they can get a top-notch education for their children that’s what they go for. When competition goes into full swing here in NA, it’ll take time, but eventually all schools will have to produce nothing but the best, or fold. No wonder the educrats hate the idea of a competitive system—they’d have to work for a living