I don't know what's actually best for kids, but I think the issue is the idea of a "one size fits all" education. I struggled through most of my life as an undiagnosed autistic. No teacher wanted to be my friend (I certainly wasn't popular, and I guess I wasn't "lost" enough). I had good grades, so I slipped through the cracks over and over, again. I never asked for help because I'd been taught from an early age that none was coming. I didn't need something to push against. If I'd had to push any harder, I would've crumbled. I had more than enough autonomy. I think if I'd gotten the right intervention at the right time, then I would've been much happier and much more successful (by conventional standards). Of course, that wasn't feasible when I was in school, I graduated high school in 1994, and often, well-intended interventions don't help. I'm just speaking hypothetically. I know this is all anecdotal, but, personally, I know I wasn't suffering from too much faith in the system. I'm still not.
I don’t know if school authorities have to be authoritarian to be an obstacle though. I think most public school educators are blandly mediocre and I told my kids this was the case and urged them to do whatever they wished to get beyond this mediocrity. I think this is my way of saying, you can develop critical aspiration against non-authoritarian bureaucrats.
As a former pupil of a very strict Girls Convent Grammar School, I fully agree with you that it makes some of us into defiant warriors! Form teacher used to ask me to remove last night's make up and I replied that it was this mornings actually! I rose above all put downs at school, like for example, the Chemistry teacher telling me I was useless and would never be successful. OK I became a Biology and Chemistry teacher haha! That'll show them!
I've rebelled and protested against most things in the world that I see unfair, untrue or downright bullshit!
During the convid show, the headteacher at my last school was exasperated to see me wearing a face not a muzzle like every single person who turned up to the first day of term after school was closed the earlier part of the year. I told him to stick his job after he asked me to bring and wear a muzzle the next day and get myself nose poked and arm poisoned!
This is a truly fine and provocative writing. Keep them dumb with a vapor of treacle snd prizes. Weaken their will. Onwards!
I don't know what's actually best for kids, but I think the issue is the idea of a "one size fits all" education. I struggled through most of my life as an undiagnosed autistic. No teacher wanted to be my friend (I certainly wasn't popular, and I guess I wasn't "lost" enough). I had good grades, so I slipped through the cracks over and over, again. I never asked for help because I'd been taught from an early age that none was coming. I didn't need something to push against. If I'd had to push any harder, I would've crumbled. I had more than enough autonomy. I think if I'd gotten the right intervention at the right time, then I would've been much happier and much more successful (by conventional standards). Of course, that wasn't feasible when I was in school, I graduated high school in 1994, and often, well-intended interventions don't help. I'm just speaking hypothetically. I know this is all anecdotal, but, personally, I know I wasn't suffering from too much faith in the system. I'm still not.
I don’t know if school authorities have to be authoritarian to be an obstacle though. I think most public school educators are blandly mediocre and I told my kids this was the case and urged them to do whatever they wished to get beyond this mediocrity. I think this is my way of saying, you can develop critical aspiration against non-authoritarian bureaucrats.
As a former pupil of a very strict Girls Convent Grammar School, I fully agree with you that it makes some of us into defiant warriors! Form teacher used to ask me to remove last night's make up and I replied that it was this mornings actually! I rose above all put downs at school, like for example, the Chemistry teacher telling me I was useless and would never be successful. OK I became a Biology and Chemistry teacher haha! That'll show them!
I've rebelled and protested against most things in the world that I see unfair, untrue or downright bullshit!
During the convid show, the headteacher at my last school was exasperated to see me wearing a face not a muzzle like every single person who turned up to the first day of term after school was closed the earlier part of the year. I told him to stick his job after he asked me to bring and wear a muzzle the next day and get myself nose poked and arm poisoned!
Nah, this world is not for me!