Saturday, July 4, 2015

Teachers should not be prison jailers- children need choices


I think the job of teacher and prison jailer should be kept separate. Somehow they have become merged in the modern schooling system, where children don’t have a choice whether to be in a certain classroom or not.  This is bad for the child and bad for the teacher.  It's impossible to teach someone who doesn't want to learn and if they don't want to be in the classroom they just become a disruptive influence.  This puts the onus on the teacher to "control" the child, which is really a nightmare for anyone but the most mean-spirited and controlling of people.  As a result, teaching attracts controlling types rather that those with a true vocation for education and a love of children.

Rather than the current limiting system it would be far more effective to give children a choice on where they go and what they do with their time.  This would make them happier and feel more in control of their life and would help to reduce the overwhelming resentment many youths feel towards the "adult" world.  this doesn't mean 2 year old should be given complete freedom but it does mean that children should be given as much choice as they can handle and soon as they are able to handle it rather than keeping them under adults tight control until they reach adulthood.  This would enhance their decision making ability, helping them as they mature, rather than them being trained to be passive receivers of experience.

Sharka Todd

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