When I was a child, school was this, "rite of passage," that we all attended. Like, it was written in stone that everyone must go through this journey, good or bad. And in the end, we all learned a secret handshake.
They said, school would help us grow, it would help us experience life, and help us understand the world. It was supposed to be a life lesson that everyone was in agreement that children needed to experienced in unison.
What wasn't planned, was the unnecessary branches that grew illogically from the roots...
What I remember from school, was this barbaric notion of evolution and the domineering food chain, but it didn't resemble real-life.
In school, we were taught that the most popular prevail above all and being in that group, would get you far. So, most kids aspired to fit in that group. They went to great lengths to belong and tore down many peers in the process. However, talent and achievements were irrelevant in that category. And the "smarties" were mocked, bullied, and tormented, and were not considered an important member of society -Even though, those kids turned out to be the Mark Zuckerbergs of the world.
Children are bullied daily, some to the point of the ultimate sacrifice. They are tried and tested... And contrary to popular belief, children don't bounce back from that. They're not resilient, like everyone claims. Children just get torn down to a hollow empty shell and eventually re-shape themselves into someone different.
And the halls we imagined for ourselves, never quite measured up to the ones in Saved by the Bell...
We were taught to sit in single file desks and stare at a black board. We had little breaks throughout the day and movement was limited. We read out of textbooks and never did group work. And fun learning games were only a celebratory thing, never frequent...
We were bombarded with repetitious acts to train our brains to recite, instead of understand. Because for some reason, memorization was more important than retention.
Standardize testing has never been used upon departure of school. All it teaches, is how to tear down your self-esteem. It removes the fun of learning and the ability to absorb the basic understanding. It is a pressure system that separates the calm and collective from the nervous and anxiety ridden bunch.
It's no wonder that children lose themselves in the process of schooling. They're told when to eat, when to use the bathroom, what to wear, and when to talk. By the end of their schooling, children are left to decide who they want to be for the rest of their lives. After over a decade, of not being allowed to make a decision... And most, lost sight of the person who once had so many aspirations and dreams.
Because in school, dreaming isn't measurable and to educators, isn't attainable...
This once, "rite of passage," has belittled the education system since new research has grown.
We've now learned that we don't have to subject our children to the same bullying and barbaric education system that we were once a part of. Instead, we banded together and demanded more.
We learned that kindness and acceptance of all, will create a better person. Our children are taught to stand up for others and help a fellow peer, and to always stand up for their own convictions.
We've learned that standing out against the crowd, is sometimes better than fitting in.
We learned that unschooling proves more promising and less structure in schools, actually promotes more positive results and compliance.
We learned that tests and grades in elementary levels creates abnormal stresses and decreases confidence for future education.
We learned that children should move around more throughout the day and have more breaks and be outside multiple times a day.
We learned that respect should always be offered from not just the students, but the teachers and staff too. Because, how can a child learn to respect, if they're not being respected.
We have learned that children are more than just robots that can be controlled. Instead, they're these little humans ready to soak up any knowledge worth knowing, when it's being presented correctly.
Schools have come a long way from my days of walking the halls... Thanks to the ones who demanded more for their children. The parents and educators who sought out the change and implemented the movement to help mold better humans.
But most importantly, we've also learned that school is no longer a rite of passage, but instead, only an option. If your school doesn't fit with your morals and values, then you don't have to subject your children to it. And until all schools reach these new standards, homeschooling is the safer option for your children.
Being at home is a scary concept for many, because it's different. But different isn't always bad. And in this case, you want to be different from the norm.
The most important part is, you're home with your child. You're experiencing life together. And, any problems that arise, can be faced with the love and security from family support.
Your child isn't left alone, wandering their brain to find solutions for things they don't even know. They're not forced to compare their qualities with peers for acceptance. And they're not torn down and made to be reshaped into an unrecognizable person.
Schooling has come a long way over the years, but it still needs to move leaps and bounds more. And the only way we'll get there, is by parents becoming more educated on unschooling and demanding that their children be treated with the same respect, as you would treat another person.
If we really want schooling to teach our children what real life is, then we need to start creating a school system that is life like -filled with choices and respect.
So, when our children graduate, they'll be kinder humans ready to soften this world. And, they won't have to spend their college years trying to figure out who they are, they'll already know...
Because our children deserve better than this...
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