The Problem With Education

[lisahlin]

I agree with everything this man says. I was bitter towards the educational system of my youth, and had good reasons to be. Still, I was usually in the top 10-5% (excepting the time when I stopped showing up) so I can only imagine what it was like for any of those darling colleages of mine whose natural gifts did not include the very unfair

Comments

[miriamg]

To tell the truth, I would have been a much happier child if I hadn't had to take P.E. The original purpose of P.E. is probably to give children some healthy exercise. But instead it encouraged competitiveness and made children like me who simply weren't good at sports and never would be overstrain their bodies, which simply isn't healthy

[lisahlin]

The worst thing about P.E. and sports for children is the emphasis on competition. P.E. was embarrassing for me as the slowest kid, even though I was good at pretty much everything else. P.E. grades should be based on behaviour, effort and attendance.
I loved to play games like tarzan-leikurinn, brennibolti, kýló (though it took me a few years to learn the simple rules of that one), bandý, badminton and all sorts of active team games. I never did any good on a football team though. I was -and still am- so afraid of hurting people, that I just stood around.
The Beep-test was the annual humiliation of my life. I don't think I ever got past level four, and I could taste blood the whole time...

[sarahblack]

I don't even know. I'm not sure if the educational system screwed me up so that I would work inside it, or if I was just screwed up enough beforehand to be a perfect fit. (But how screwed up can a kid be at 6?)

But more choice would be good. Not everyone is the same... how come that's so hard to accept?

[lisahlin]

I don't think it's a matter of being screwed up. Rather, you were probably born as an ideal academic and through nurture you remained an ideal academic. You just happened to fit the only hole we were offered.

[sarahblack]

Sounds about right. Kind of unfair, isn't it? :|

[lisahlin]

Totally! Which is why I'm concerned about the other kids.

[per_vert]

Good show. I had similar "problems" with school. Won't retreat ground that's already been covered.

Perla is thinking about ADHD or whatev Alexander up the hissey which frightens me, I've always been against it. Surely you can always find shit that really speaks to you. Like my friend is convinced that he has ADD as he has problems finishing stuff and with procrastination, he started experimenting with music and he's making leaps and bounds. I'm not saying you can't have these problems, but medicating against them is hardly intelligent.

[lisahlin]

Medication should always be the last resort. I know because I've been there twice.
I've a strong suspicion that for most cases the best treatment of ADHD is nutritious food and plenty of exercise. If that doesn't work, try psychotherapy. If that doesn't work, try medication. That's my opinion anyway.

[leahs_whisper]

totally agree!

[tigermouse88]

I keep trying to write comment-length responses to your entries, and every time I fail. Gah! Stop posting such interesting stuff on LJ! (Just kidding.)

Response entry being posted ASAP.

[lisahlin]

These interesting entries are brought to you by my guilt over posting nothing but status updates for years.
Also, they're more fun.