I can see all the arguments for compulsory education, but the horror of being forced to get up at an ungodly hour every morning and spend all day with awful people, bossed around by stupid and unpleasant teachers (and a few nice ones, but lots of horrible ones!), with headaches all day every day, sitting through hours of boring lessons - AAAAAAAAARRRGH ! I was sick nearly every morning before school. My mother took me to the doctor because of it when I was 13 and he insisted I must be pregnant (I got really cross and shouted, "I haven't ever had sex!!!" at him!).
Despite my life since school having been full of deaths and misery, I would never, ever want to go through anything like that again. I just wanted to die every day for years. I still feel exhausted just thinking of it.
So I just can't see compulsory school as a good thing!
Even if all teachers were nice to children instead of making hurtful personal comments and making them do stupid and humiliating things, there would be the problem of other children usually being pretty unpleasant. Children are not usually very nice when they are in big groups. I think being forced to be with lots of stupid and unpleasant people was the worst thing about school. And my school only took people of "average intelligence and above," had very little bullying, and was considered extremely lax on rules for a private school.
I suppose, to be fair, a lot of it was due to me being a weirdo and extremely shy and not having any interest in pop music (it was the eighties - eeurgh)! And in having an unhappy home life so I was withdrawn and miserable.
I think smaller groups for classes and more choice in subjects would make a big difference. I love the sound of the school (Summerhill?) where the children set the rules together at the beginning of each year, and lessons are not compulsory.
I like the idea of home ed - if I had children I'd want to be able to give them that choice if they didn't like school. Last time this came up Zingarella explained to me exactly why home ed is not good and compulsory education for all a necessity, but I just can't help it - however reasonable that argument is, and it is, I just shudder with horror at the thought of anything compulsory and the memory of school!!!
I just have a problem with things being compulsory. And I feel so sorry for children, working such long days and not getting paid and having no choice in the matter!
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Date: 2010-11-21 04:52 pm (UTC)Despite my life since school having been full of deaths and misery, I would never, ever want to go through anything like that again. I just wanted to die every day for years. I still feel exhausted just thinking of it.
So I just can't see compulsory school as a good thing!
Even if all teachers were nice to children instead of making hurtful personal comments and making them do stupid and humiliating things, there would be the problem of other children usually being pretty unpleasant. Children are not usually very nice when they are in big groups. I think being forced to be with lots of stupid and unpleasant people was the worst thing about school. And my school only took people of "average intelligence and above," had very little bullying, and was considered extremely lax on rules for a private school.
I suppose, to be fair, a lot of it was due to me being a weirdo and extremely shy and not having any interest in pop music (it was the eighties - eeurgh)! And in having an unhappy home life so I was withdrawn and miserable.
I think smaller groups for classes and more choice in subjects would make a big difference. I love the sound of the school (Summerhill?) where the children set the rules together at the beginning of each year, and lessons are not compulsory.
I like the idea of home ed - if I had children I'd want to be able to give them that choice if they didn't like school. Last time this came up Zingarella explained to me exactly why home ed is not good and compulsory education for all a necessity, but I just can't help it - however reasonable that argument is, and it is, I just shudder with horror at the thought of anything compulsory and the memory of school!!!
I just have a problem with things being compulsory. And I feel so sorry for children, working such long days and not getting paid and having no choice in the matter!