Education at your service

The other day I went cycling with my three daughters (aged 6, 8 and 10). Two of them (6 and 10) raced on ahead and one (8) lagged behind. I tried to stay somewhere in the middle where I could keep an eye on all of them. It was while I was trying to maintain the middle course that I got an inkling of what it must be like being a school teacher.

6 and 10 came to a fence with a stile. Between them they figured out how to get over the fence along with one of their bikes before I got there and helped them with the other bike. This was a great exercise in strategic thinking and co-operation.

When 8 finally arrived I lifted her bike over myself. Not much of a lesson learned here.

This is where I wondered how our education system can possibly cope with the range of abilities and desires present in a classroom. Obviously it can't. There will always be a difference between the 'top' and 'bottom' pupils in a class at any given subject or activity. The best we can do is find ways that the pupils can help each other (with the guidance of the teacher). Does our teacher training cover this method? I don't know the answer to that question.

Parents also need to become more involved in their (our) children's learning. Schools are often treated as glorified babysitters while the both parents go to work to try and cope with the ever-increasing pace of life and never-ending pile of bills. I think it's time we all slowed down a little and re-focussed on the important things in life. Getting caught up in the cycle of trying to make money is not one of those things. I'm still working on how to break the cycle but I'll keep you posted :-)