Are schools having the opposite effect than we'd hope?


Do you agree with this list of things that parents are generally aiming for their children to be?
Happy
Fulfilled
Successful
Productive
Ethical & Decent
Independent & Self-Reliant
Caring & Compassionate
Confident
Curious
Creative
Critical Thinkers
Good Communicators
Tolerant & Embracing differences in others
The list comes from the incredible book 'The Schools Our Children Deserve', by Alfie Kohn.
After a detailed analysis of the conventional school system, he concludes that school may be mostly no impact, or a negative impact on ALL of the above list.
Lots of topics - leads to a shallow understanding
Learning a "Bunch of facts" - negative impact on critical thinking
Over-reliance on phonics - kills the love of reading and learning
Grades / standardised tests - focus on the 'right answer' over deep understanding
Uniforms - send the message that differences aren't to be celebrated
Limited time for play and carts - squashes creativity
What other ways can you see that school operates to the detriment of our aspirations for our children?





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