We are wounded, but we are not broken.
Our education system is failing some children and yet succeeding with
others. There are schools that are seeing graduation rates soar while
others are declining. Many classrooms are sparking a love of learning
in their children that will stay with them for a lifetime, while
others are crushing this love of learning and leaving children
without a sense of self-worth. Yes, we are wounded, yet we are not
broken. The problems we have can be solved, and I know there are many
educators out there already getting started. I read about these
fabulous people everyday on Twitter and watch them rejuvenate
educators via TED Talks.
Children have access to a world's worth
of information right at their fingertips. We no longer live in a time
where the most efficient way to learn about history is to drive to
the nearest library and dive into a stack of books. We do not live in
a world where math problems are presented in story problem format and
we must remember specific steps for solving the equation. These
scripted moments of isolated practice do not prepare us for the
problems we encounter in life. Living life and solving the problems
we encounter will prepare our children for the future.
I hear many educators comment that many
children do not know how
to think. I agree, but that is not the fault of the child. We
as educators strip this ability from our children by pushing them
though a system that scripts how they should think. Regardless of
learning style, past experiences, interests, or abilities, we push
them forward. We give them every step in how to solve a math problem,
give them the answers in the back of a text book, and correct their
work based on a rubric. We tell them their solutions are wrong rather
than having them find the errors themselves and learn from their
mistake. We script a child's education, straining it of enthusiasm
and opportunities for creativity.
Imagine working in an environment where
there was only one judge of your job performance. One person who
dictated whether you are a success or a failure. One person who
labeled you with behavior charts, test scores, and leveled groups.
Our children meet this challenge head-on each day, yet many adults
tremble at the thought of one or two job evaluations a year. Some
children succeed in this environment, while others do not. Some
thrive in this environment while others are crushed. Educators often
ask why a child does not want to learn or 'behave' as they should.
Why would a child want to push forward when they feel deflated? Why
would they have a love of learning when it is not in their control? A
child cannot take control if the control they are given is only an
illusion.
I feel that the values and skills we
should be instilling in our children have nothing to do with a
textbook, test, curriculum, tool, or worksheet. If we truly want
children to know how to think and take control of their learning,
let's provide them with the opportunity. As educators, let's stop
being the road block that keeps appearing at the beginning and end of
each learning unit. Instead, let us be that fountain of enthusiasm
that cheers on each and every child from the sidelines. Let's help
our learners find their value. Let's follow the children's interests
and inquiries and provide them with real-life opportunities to grow.
They do not need to memorize facts for the sake of passing a test.
These facts will still be seconds away when they need or want to find
them.
If I had to choose three things that my
children would have at the conclusion of a school year, they would
have nothing to do with scores or standards. They would leave with
curiosity, confidence, and passion.
They would have a curiosity that drives
them to pick up their iPad and search a topic just because they want
to learn more. The learning that occurs in this situation will stay
with them unlike the learning in a study guide and test. Curiosity
that drives them to ask questions and solve problems. Curiosity that
urges them to dig in the dirt, swing as high as they can, or slide
backwards down a slide. This is what truly gives children a love of
learning. This requires teachers to realize that learning is not
always on schedule. If it is, the control is still in the hands of
the teacher.
Let's give children confidence in
themselves so they feel like they can succeed at any task as long as
they are given the time. Confidence that can stand up to a wounded
education system, bully, or complex problem like a warrior. We all
have moments of self-doubt. Helping a child realize their own inner
strength is how we help them overcome obstacles. As parents and
educators we cannot, nor should not, remove all conflict from a
child's life. What we can do is help them discover the value in
themselves that will strengthen their character and help them survive
a world that does not always show compassion and understanding.
We need to help children find a
passion. Something that makes them want to jump out of bed each day
and take on the world. Something that gives them a sense of purpose
and pride. The sort of thing that their parents brag about to other
parents repeatedly, whether it be music, sports, computers, books,
nature, animals, engineering, or volunteering. Anything that helps us
realize we are so much more than the person on the outside. We are a
construct of our emotions, actions, passions, and understandings.
Passion in life is the difference between surviving and living. We
cannot deny our children the chance to truly live.
Unfortunately, we see that textbooks
and tests do not instill curiosity. They do not leave all children
feeling confident in their abilities. They do not strike a passion in
a child that leaves them feeling like they just have to learn more.
They leave many children feeling like they are, as my daughter put
it, stupid. They affirm feelings of self-doubt that nag at a child's
soul until they dismiss learning as a value. They shut down
opportunities to discover passions and purposes in life that could
mean the difference between a child growing up to go to college and a
child being satisfied with a job that just pays the bills.
So, to my daughter and son, you are so
much more than a test or set of standards on a piece of paper. It is
okay to love playing with toys that are rated for three year old
children because they are fun. Be curious and ask questions, even if
others may laugh at your way of thinking. Use that same confidence to
show who you really are, even if it means you will wear cowboy boots
with sweatpants or a t-shirt full of glitter. And, find a passion
that makes you want to succeed in life and not just survive. Find
that thing that makes you tick. Scratch that, find the thing that
makes you explode with enthusiasm to a point you share and rattle on
until others are bored. You are not stupid. The system is wounded. So,
count on yourself and others around you that share your curiosity,
build your confidence, and support your passions.
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