What adults learned in school that kids won't
In my Mom/kid summer book club, we are reading The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt. Set in the mid 1960s, with the Vietnam War as a backdrop, it is about a 7th grade boy, Holling, and his struggles with a particular teacher. At our first meeting, the kids were shocked at how mean the teacher is and how stern his father is. On the other hand, the moms all thought the boy's sensitivity to authority was surprising – and kind of awesome. Holling's father says, "Stop," and Holling stops. His teacher asks him to do chores, and he doesn't complain to his mother. My how things have changed.
When I visit my children's schools, I am actually jealous of the environment in which they are given to learn. A far cry from my experience of sitting (up straight) at a desk for hours and copying what was written on the chalkboard, they are moving and interacting with their classmates. They are taught to color outside the lines and question the teacher. Teachers see each child as an individual learner, with unique abilities, and they look for creative ways to nurture and encourage every student.
It is all very impressive, and I know it is working to my kids' benefit. However, with kids spending a good part of the day in this permissive environment, I worry there are certain skills they won't have a chance to develop.
Some people of my generation are concerned kids aren't learning how to write cursive or how to use the Dewey Decimal System. As someone who has illegible handwriting and a Kindle, I am O.K. with these educational "gaps."
I am much more concerned with some life skills they may not develop.
How to stand up for themselves – If I came home from school and told my mother I was having trouble with another student, she would either laugh it off, or offer some advice on how I should handle it. Today, the same conversation usually ends with the mom calling the school or the parent of the other child, and handling it from the top down. By enabling kids to avoid confrontation at a young age, we curb their ability to learn self-defense techniques.
How to respect authority – A couple of decades ago, when a child got in trouble in school or on the field, it was the child's fault. Now, parents immediately look to blame the teacher or the coach, and they do so within earshot of their child. While parents may actually believe their child can do no wrong, I am certain the bosses of these children in the future will feel differently. Respect for authority is not an infringement on personal rights, but rather a necessary skill to function as part of any community.
How to manage time – My kids are given so much time for tasks. There are sloppy copies, editing, re-writing and then re-re-writing. If they want a do-over, they usually get it, and if they need extra time on a test, teachers are inclined to grant it. In real life, there are deadlines and timeframes. While I appreciate the low-pressure assignments, will they know how to work within time constraints when they need to?
How to enjoy a book – I mean a real book, with pages you actually turn. Textbooks seem to be on the verge of extinction. When my kids ask for homework help, we have to do internet searches to find the answers. I miss tables of content and glossaries. I may be old-fashioned, but I think there is nothing as comforting as holding information or a good story in your hands.
How to communicate – I asked my 13 year old to call a friend and ask her a question. She immediately started texting. When I insisted she call, the conversation that ensued sounded awkward and stunted. Is the avoidance of one on one conversation bad for social development? At the very least, I cannot imagine it is helpful.
How to handle failure – Failure hurts, but there is nothing like it for learning and gaining experience. When we not only expect our children to be perfect, but we convince them -- and ourselves -- they are, we rob them of invaluable life lessons. We need to fail in order to grow, and we need to fail to know how to pick ourselves back up. We are doing our kids no favors when we teach them they are infallible. We are not building self-esteem. We are destroying it.
How to figure out what they are good at – I am a terrible singer. I have to live with that – and it is not easy! Despite my childhood dreams of being the next Debbie Gibson, no one told me I had musical talent. This saved me lots of time practicing in front of the mirror, giving me more time to focus on things I was good at. Today, teachers are hesitant to point out any inherent weaknesses, and parents want to believe their child is capable of excelling at everything. It is a set up for a confused and lost young adult.
Despite all of the above, the kids will probably be fine. They won't know how to hold a pen, won't be able to use a phone or turn a page, they will be late for everything, and they won't be able to spell, but they will be fine. I am sure my parent's generation thought we were going to be all screwed up too, and look how great we turned out.
源：http://www.aol.com/article/2015/07/20/what-adults-learned-in-school-that-kids-wont/21211359/?icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl34|sec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D503894565
They can put a condum on a banana, but not on anything else.
We learned in school that God and praying to Him was the most important lesson we could learn.
What you're not realizing, if you'd open your eyes, there are different religions and some non religious, that doesn't want just Christianity taught in schools. Leave that at home and the church of your choice. Although some want it taught in school because they don't live it at home.
cameron, i graduated in 76 and was thinking the same thing. home economics is an a greatly needed skill no matter what the social theories. both sexes need that class. maybe not the sewing part, that should be optional, but the balancing checkbooks and shopping on a limited budget is eye opening for these youngsters.
I graduated high school in 1979. Boys were still banned from taking Home Economics. Girls were still banned from taking shop. Then in 1981 they changed it so anyone could take both. Then in 1990 they eliminated home economics and shop from the program due to budget cuts. My brother attended during the window when he could take cooking. He is now a professional chef at a 4 star restaurant. He credits that to taking cooking in high school. At the time he applied to culinary school that school gave preference to candidates who had taken cooking classes in high school. My brother says they still do. Since virtually no high school offers cooking these days one must go to a vocational high school to take such a course to make it easier to get into a culinary program.
Welcome to the politically correct education system!! Let's all sacrifice our learning experiences just to be correct politically. Dodge ball is the most awesomely fun game I've every played!! Unfortunately, its politically incorrect because you purposely throw a ball at someone. Incredible!!
It is not about political correctness. It's about not assaulting a fellow classmate at the instigation of the teacher. My first experience with dodge ball I came home with a broken nose and a black eye and broken glasses. My gym teacher thought it was hilarious. My father was unable to convince the police to take the report. While I do agree that political correctness has gone too far, engaging in activities that are harmful to children is never appropriate. I'm guessing you think teachers should still be allowed to whip children like I was. Want to know what I was whipped for? Writing with my left hand. Or are you also one of those who still think that being left handed is a sign of the devil?
Boy you were some victim! Abused, whipped, laughed at and disregarded. And you got the Left-handed people are devilish routine as well. You must have gone to a school in a third world country as whipping children and changing how they write if they are left-handed has long been a thing of the past in this country. Any other kids in your class have that kick me sign hanging around their neck like you seemed to have?
Flawed logic -- the real business world does not work that way and is not likely to change. At some point this person must go out in the world and compete even wih others who are much better educated. You are not going to get a do over.
Cursing at teachers while on a field trip or in the classroom never occured during my school years. This has not stunted my ability to state my opinions to others, even those in authority, as an adult.
Few students would dare curse at a teacher when I was in school. I don't remember it ever happening that I saw though I heard of one student who did. He was kicked out of school and never heard from again. Using obscene language in school was an offense for which you would get a detention for the first offense, suspension for the second offense and permanently expelled for the third offense. Since school was compulsory, if a student was expelled, their parents were required by law to enroll their child in a private school and pay the tuition. Parents would usually react to such a situation with extreme discipline. Students knew this so they would rarely use obscene language in front of a teacher more than twice.
I am younger, having graduated in the 90's, but I do agree with the article to a huge degree. I also feel that parents rely too heavily upon the schools to teach what WE should be teaching our children. Nothing replaces being an involved parent in our children's lives. If we KNOW our children, then we can then know if it is just 'a difficult situation at school' or if it is a genuine situation that has gone to the point where parental involvement is needed. Not ALL situations require it, and not all need to be overlooked. We, as parents, won't KNOW If we don't know our own children. Parents, as much as anyone, are too self absorbed to parent their children and it is showing.
All you have to do is walk down the street,go to the mall,read the paper,or visit a school and there it is a bunch of rude,obnoxious children,who are convinced everything that happens is soeones elses fault ,Respect is a word that the meaning has been lost to a whole generation or two.
So sad,Think about the children of these children.They will run wild in the streets.
DONT LET YOUR KIDS LEAVE MIDDLE SCHOOL WITHOUT KNOWING THEIR MULTIPLE TIMES TABLE! make a game out of it what ever you hv to do just make dang sure they know them.
Don't? I'm confused. I thought that was a requirement for being promoted to the 5th grade. Are they just promoting kids these days because they got a year older? I was taught to count to one hundred before kindergarten. by the end of second grade I needed to know my "times tables" up to 10x10. By third grade I needed to memorize the times table up to 20x20 and by the end of forth grade I had to be able to do multiplication and division of five digit numbers including decimals. In order to be promoted to 7th grade I had to be able to do a lot of that in my head. I was shocked when I got out in the real world to learn that not everyone could multiply and divide 5 digit numbers in their heads. We would not be allowed to take algebra if we couldn't do such a simple thing. I was shocked to learn that my classmates in college didn't already know calculus. Today the only thing they teach in public school math is how to fill out welfare forms.
It's a disgrace when we find out what kids today can't do, which are basic skills in K through 12 schools of earlier years. And these kids are going to run the world? Scary. We, as adults are doing them a disservice. They need education, not so many sports as a concentration. Really scared for them (and the rest of us)
The writer made a great case to help solidify my assertion we are watching the regression of our society. From what I see, kids these days in general are lazy, feel entitled, are rude, and frankly not all that bright.
Here is one, that is a little off the article,, Participation trophies. Where you get a trophy just for showng up,,So why try, They still get a trophy if the dont win,, What if they did this in the four major sports,, Oh you lost the super bowl,, here is a trophy for you,, just because you played.. In my day there was no such thing, you only received a trophy if you won,,
The author is optimistic and thinks the "kids will be fine". He may want to consider that these kids can't really read or write very well, don't know their multiplication tables and will never learn how to do the simplest repairs around the house.
The politically correct nonsense so prevalent these days has changed our public school system into indoctrination centers. Good schools should not be based on zip codes...School choice!
What happens to these kids when the lights go out and the batteries run down? Some creative thinking and self discipline could help also. Interacting with others. Ever notice how these kids now days seldom make eye contact. As for behavior. Kids with behavior problems will grow up to be adults with behavior problems.
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