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

- Dec 15, 2025
- 1 min read

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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