Sitting down with school-aged kids and listening to how they liked or disliked school can be thought-provoking.
Today, kids are not taught how to deal with complex problems.
Kids go to school to get good grades and take standardized tests.
Essentially, I believe education is about broadening the knowledge base and developing beliefs and values. Learning about what, how, and why things are the way they are–looking at different perspectives.
You could argue that with Google.com, who needs to memorize when the battle of 1812 took place.
Kids are conditioned through school to go into the workforce and do as they are told. The process of doing as you are told starts in kindergarten.
For example, “get in a single file line, sit down and be quiet, follow instructions, ask for permission, etc.”
If the child can’t conform to the standards in school, then, the child is held back to another grade or repeats the grade level.
This reinforces the fear of failure.
Kids are taught how to look for the right answers; there has to be a right answer, either A, B, or C. However, when dealing with complex problems there is no right answer (because 99.9% of the time you don’t have all of the information). A decision has to made.
Kids are taught if I make a wrong decision, I will fail and failing means I can’t go on…
Kids are taught to never question authority, follow the rules. For instance, never ask why, because you will be told, “this is the way we have always done it.”
Yet, something has to change.
That change comes from the parents, teachers, school administrators, and political leaders. However, these adult figures are also brainwashed into seeing that kids get a good education (I mean conform to the school environment) so that they can become cogs in the wheel.
Cog in the wheel – a member of a large organization whose job, although necessary, makes them feel as if they are not important. I work 10-15 years on a job, only to be let go for no cause, but to balance the books.
Change is to stop focusing on grades and these standardized tests. NO, I’m not advocating getting rid of the grades.
However, my doctorate program and military career has taught me a few things about how the world works, how life works.
Take some time and think about what school would be if kids were taught actual leadership skills.
Tested on those leadership skills (relationship building, taking responsibility, open-mindedness).
That kid who is your straight “A” student or star athlete might struggle.
Getting straight “A’s” and scoring high on a standardized test tells people you are good in school.
You are good at following directions, completing the task, reading, writing, etc…
Yet, as I mentioned before, kids are not taught leadership and how to deal with complex problems.
Complex problems require teamwork (in some cases) and/or multiple layers of resources.
There must be trust and confidence in all parties involved in solving complex problems.
Overall, the individuals involved in solving this complex problem must know and understand relationship building and taking responsibility.
These things are not taught or even mentioned in schools.
90% of everything you will do in life, business, and in any other profession will require some level of relationship with other people.
Think about it.