Great article Harrison. I love how you’ve approached the debate and that you’re thinking ahead.
I am interested to learn more about polarity - as I am often accused of sitting on the fence! Maybe knowing it exists will help explain myself.
When I was at school I thought I loved it. I’d been bullied and was traumatised but kept telling myself it was all part of education. What I actually loved was learning! That burst of confidence in overcoming a maths problem or remembering a moment from history that I had the opportunity to share. Getting praise for an art project or a piece of writing gave me pride in what I could achieve.
My twins are 16 and have given me a unique perspective on education as they’ve grown up.
My daughter has recently finished her GCSE exams and will get the results this coming week. She shines with the arts - often getting praise & encouragement from teachers on writing, art and music (we will see if it translates into actual grades!). Maths was a different story with an online homework app that you must get 100% correct and the ‘lessons’ where she was regularly berated by the teacher as if it was her fault when she (& her friends) didn’t understand something.
My son enjoyed every subject including maths, regularly shouting out the answer if we ever had a quiz and getting praise for his writing. Unfortunately he was bullied all his school life to the point where he felt unable to return in year 7 (first year of secondary). It coincided with the lockdown which meant we could see that there was another way. After a lot of battling with the authority and under threat of prosecution, we deregistered him to take on his education ourselves. Naively I made an attempt at ‘structure’ & teaching him. Didn’t work. I realise now and the word used in Home Education circles is that he needed to ‘unschool’ - effectively recover. Now he feels ready to go back to education but this time at college. Where he gets to choose to attend and choose the classes he’s interested in. Smaller class sizes means he’ll be seen as an individual and have much more support than school could ever offer.
Over the last few years I became anti-school. I saw the struggle of both my children and hated the system. As a tutor it became clearer that our education system just doesn’t suit everyone and yet we’re forced down that route - effectively punishing parents when their kids didn’t fit into it.
Coming out the other side where my children can leave school behind, I feel relieved. Relieved that we survived. I firmly believe that they can and will thrive now.
Sorry for the long post, I hope it helps with your research.
Great article Harrison. I love how you’ve approached the debate and that you’re thinking ahead.
I am interested to learn more about polarity - as I am often accused of sitting on the fence! Maybe knowing it exists will help explain myself.
When I was at school I thought I loved it. I’d been bullied and was traumatised but kept telling myself it was all part of education. What I actually loved was learning! That burst of confidence in overcoming a maths problem or remembering a moment from history that I had the opportunity to share. Getting praise for an art project or a piece of writing gave me pride in what I could achieve.
My twins are 16 and have given me a unique perspective on education as they’ve grown up.
My daughter has recently finished her GCSE exams and will get the results this coming week. She shines with the arts - often getting praise & encouragement from teachers on writing, art and music (we will see if it translates into actual grades!). Maths was a different story with an online homework app that you must get 100% correct and the ‘lessons’ where she was regularly berated by the teacher as if it was her fault when she (& her friends) didn’t understand something.
My son enjoyed every subject including maths, regularly shouting out the answer if we ever had a quiz and getting praise for his writing. Unfortunately he was bullied all his school life to the point where he felt unable to return in year 7 (first year of secondary). It coincided with the lockdown which meant we could see that there was another way. After a lot of battling with the authority and under threat of prosecution, we deregistered him to take on his education ourselves. Naively I made an attempt at ‘structure’ & teaching him. Didn’t work. I realise now and the word used in Home Education circles is that he needed to ‘unschool’ - effectively recover. Now he feels ready to go back to education but this time at college. Where he gets to choose to attend and choose the classes he’s interested in. Smaller class sizes means he’ll be seen as an individual and have much more support than school could ever offer.
Over the last few years I became anti-school. I saw the struggle of both my children and hated the system. As a tutor it became clearer that our education system just doesn’t suit everyone and yet we’re forced down that route - effectively punishing parents when their kids didn’t fit into it.
Coming out the other side where my children can leave school behind, I feel relieved. Relieved that we survived. I firmly believe that they can and will thrive now.
Sorry for the long post, I hope it helps with your research.