School

[Leveret]

Is the school system a brainwashing conspiracy. Is all the testing and memorization an attempt to left-brain all of the student, and eliminate creativity when it's most sensitive? Discuss.

[Milly]

I would have to say yes.

Not only do they attempt to confine what children are allowed to be interested in to a handful of things that are easily controlled [sports, for example], we force them to forgo what they might be naturally talented in [say, the arts for example] for keeping up with other children in scholastic areas [math, science].

When a child shows a natural pre-disposition towards anything, it should be nurtured, not punished. Naturally, there will be people who are more left brain [scholarly] or more right brain [artistic], and instead of allowing this, our school system seems to want everyone standardized... although, as you were saying, it does seem to shun the arts more often than not, squashing creativity in its tracks.

IMO, this coupled with the low-grade, high-fat diet our kids are force fed zaps their energy and creativity, or the high-sugar causes misbehaving and outbursts [that are usually deemed to need medication], and I doubt this is a causal mistake.

I have no children of my own yet. Frankly, though I have an almost overwhelming urge to reproduce, the way things are going I'm not sure I want to have any children. But if I do, I will most likely home school them, at least at their most impressional times, because I don't trust our government run, corporate sponsored school system.

[BlueAngel]

I enjoy reading your posts.

It's well known that three meals a day are not adequate for most people.

Snacks in between meals are recommended and I wholeheartedly believe that our children must wait too long for nourishment in school from the time they have breakfast in the morning until they have lunch and then arrive home.

Concentration is not at its' height when one is HUNGRY and this could contribute to what doctors consider ADD/ADHD, but then again, my other theory is that our fast paced society, technology, fast moving images (videos), etc. have contributed, as well, to lack of concentration and what the medical community defines as ADD/ADHD.

In other words, ADD/ADHD created through environmental factors.

[Milly]

I agree with you that kids should eat more often. They are growing so quickly when they are young, and that takes even more energy. And to force them to pay attention when they can't seem to? Kind of silly. Maybe their brain needs a break, or they need a snack or a nap.

There's also the idea that kids, even up to 18 years of age, need 8 to 10 hours of sleep... I remember junior high, and especially high school, and I know I never got 8 hours, let alone ten. Lack of rest can contribute to lack of attention. Scheduled naps would be neat... I also kind of feel like school should maybe go from normal work hours, say 9-5, with alloted time for breaks, naps and extra snacks and things, plus this would allow a parent to be home, or en route, when the kid gets home. More supervision equals less trouble IMO.

I also think that school should be year-round, with various weeks, or even a month, off at a time instead of 3 months during the summer. Studies have shown how much information and knowledge kids lose by having this long gap in education. Their brains are so moldable, and like little sponges that instead of watching MTV for a whole summer, maybe it would just be a couple weeks or a month off at a time, tops.

I guess my general attitude is that until children turn 18, they are the parents responsibility. What they eat, watch, learn is the responsibility of the adult, and whether they like it or not, both parties have to understand, embrace, and respect this. Parents need to be more assertive and understanding of their child's needs, and pay special attention to areas of study they like and excel at, and nurture those gifts. Kids in turn have to understand that until they are 18, they are at the mercy of their folks, who [hopefully] love them enough to actively care about what they consume [both knowledge and food], and know that it's for their own good.

[Leonardo]

Yes, school is a brainwashing conspiracy.

I was in American public schools for 12 years.

I can honestly say that I slept about 45% of the sum total of 12 years of school.

I slept through nearly half of my entire public school educational experience.

It was worthless to me then. It's worthless to me now.

It was stupid then. It's stupid now.

I never studied.

I never did my homework except in the first 30 minutes before school started.

I never paid attention in class, and I slept most of the entire afternoons and many mornings on the floor at the back of the respective classrooms.

I have almost no memory for my public school experience.

It was a waste of 12 years of my life.

But I always made As and Bs because the curriculum was so utterly retarded.

I mean, a cave man could do it.

[Milly]

I spent every year, except my 8th grade year, at private schools and my experience was negative.

I'm seriously considering home schooling when I have kids.

[Leonardo]

Originally Posted by Milly

I spent every year, except my 8th grade year, at private schools and my experience was negative.

I'm seriously considering home schooling when I have kids.

How many children would you like to bear?