Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids To School?' book by Blake Boles

id you know that many parents are rethinking the traditional education system? Significant concerns about the effectiveness and relevance of schooling are on the rise. Blake Boles, an education advocate, offers a refreshing alternative perspective on educating children.

The assumption that conventional schooling is the only path to success is being challenged. Parents question whether schools meet their child's needs and prepare them for the future. With a growing number of educational resources available outside of traditional classrooms, families are exploring alternatives that prioritize individualized learning experiences.

Join us as we explore this thought-provoking topic and consider whether it's time to rethink your child's educational journey.

Blake Boles' Perspective 

Blake Boles, a prominent advocate for alternative education, challenges the status quo of traditional schooling. He raises thought-provoking questions about whether schools genuinely prepare students for real-world success.

Boles argues that the current system may limit our children's potential and offers a fresh perspective on the limitations of traditional education.

Blakes talks about the conventionality of schools. 

Boles questions whether traditional schools adequately equip students with the skills they need to thrive in the real world. He says we instinctively blame students and teachers when a student is failing.

He says the hallmarks of conventional schools include a one-size-fits-all curriculum, standardized tests, mandatory curriculum, little or no freedom for physical movement, little privacy for students and rigid structure that may not cater to every child's learning style.

Boles believes this approach may stifle creativity and discourage students from exploring their unique interests.

Blake quotes novelist Nicholson Baker in his book. 

Every day something like 16 million high-school students get up at the crack of dawn, slurp some oat clusters while barely conscious, hop on a bus, bounce around the county, show up and sit in a chair, zoned out, waiting for the first bell. If they’re late, they are written up. Even if they don’t do much academic work, they are physically present. Their attendance is a valuable commodity, because if students don’t attend, teachers and guidance counselors principals and textbook makers and designers of educational software have no jobs. A huge, lucrative industry is built around them, and the students get nothing out of it but a G.P.A. They deserve not to have their time wasted.

And it is wasted, as everyone knows. Teachers spend half their time shouting themselves hoarse, and young adults are infantilized. Their lives are absurdly regimented. Every minute is accounted for. They sit in one hot room after another and wait for each class to end. Time thickens. It becomes like saltwater taffy — it becomes viscous and sticky, and it stretches out and it folds back on itself through endless repetition. Tuesday is just like Wednesday, except the schedule is shuffled. Day after day of worksheets. By the time they graduate, they’ve done 13 years of  worksheets. When they need to go to the bathroom, they have to write their name on a piece of paper by the door. If they hide in the bathroom, they’re in trouble. Whole hierarchies of punishment for scofflaws arise — school-­supplied iPads are restricted, parents are called on the phone, in-school suspensions are meted out.

Alternative Education Options

As parents reconsider the effectiveness of traditional schooling, an increasing number are exploring alternative education options for their children. These include homeschooling, Unschooling, and alternative schools that prioritize individualized learning experiences.

These non-traditional methods allow for more flexible and personalized approaches to education that can better cater to a child's unique interests and learning styles.

He defines unconventional schools as having no mandatory curriculum, no grades, full age-mixing, high autonomy for adult staff, high freedom for physical movement,  no central testing or grading, and extended free play periods.

Examples of alternative schools include Sudbury schools, Agile learning centres, and Liberated Learners Centers. These institutions prioritize self-directed learning and allow students to pursue their interests at their own pace.

Students are free to explore topics that genuinely interest them rather than being restricted by a set curriculum.

They may hang out with friends, build a fantasy world with wooden blocks, organize a math class, work at an externship in a local business, earn money doing extra chores, teach a friend to apply makeup, play Capture the Flag outdoors, attend a Spanish class, make and sell baked goods, prepare to take college entrance exams, put on a play, seek election to school offices, and so on from daily novelty to creative infinity- Jim Rietmulder. 

Patrick Fabringa defines Unschooling as allowing children as much freedom to explore the world around them in their ways as they can comfortably bear. Blake says that from a learning perspective, they learn online and offline through books,  videos, games, and socializing with peers and adults in the community. Unschooling is not a method or curriculum but rather a philosophy of education that promotes students' natural curiosity and desire for learning.

Getting into College 

Boles states the unconventional route to college for alternate learners, saying that students can bridge the gap between alternate education and college by creating a solid portfolio highlighting their interests, accomplishments, and experiences.

According to Boles, community college is vital in serving non-traditional students who may not benefit from a traditional four-year university degree. He also highlights the value of vocational training and apprenticeships and the potential for entrepreneurship and self-education.

The need for College 

College is considered like a religion Boles mentions in his books; he says people believe in college education for money, enlightenment, and to move towards an upwardly mobile middle class. However, Boles raises whether college is necessary for success and whether alternative educational paths can lead to a fulfilling career. He challenges the commonly accepted belief that college is the only path to success and encourages parents and students to consider non-traditional options.

He talks about the book The Case Against Education by Bryan Caplan, where Caplan argues that the value of a college degree lies more in its signalling effect than actual knowledge and skills acquired. This idea challenges the notion that traditional schooling is necessary for success and instead suggests that alternative paths may be just as effective. Caplan also talks about the sheepskin effect, where employers value the degree more than the knowledge and skills acquired during college.

Boles also mentions the rising cost of college education and the burden of student loans. As more young adults graduate with significant debt, it begs whether traditional schooling is worth its high price tag. 

Do Kids Feel worthless?

But at the same time, Boles raises the question of why kids feel worthless through this traditional schooling experience. He suggests that conventional schools' rigid structure and lack of freedom may contribute to feelings of worthlessness and low self-esteem among students who do not fit into the traditional mould.

He quotes John Taylor Gatto: if a young person doesn't feel helpful to anyone, they feel useless. 

By restricting their movement and dictating their every move, traditional schools may hinder the development of essential life skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity.

Also, the complexity of work has increased now that it is different from helping at home, fetching water,  and collecting food; these tasks require a high level of coordination, communication, and decision-making skills not often developed in traditional schooling environments.

Boles says that young people cannot participate in the modern economy as it is closed off to them, hidden behind office doors and screens.

This can lead to feelings of worthlessness and inadequacy among students not equipped with these skills. They know that good jobs rely on complex skills, which can only be developed in school and colleges many years away.

The school work that prepares them feels silly, inefficient, and only marginally relevant. Young people want to have a purpose, do things that matter, build skills, and feel relevant.

They want to understand the world and contribute, but their path is schools disconnected from real work.

Even if we children don't enjoy school, kids are still forced by society to put in long hours of hard work in the name of education. As a result, many students become burnt out and lose their passion for learning.

Boles suggests that we should question the value of this constant pursuit of hard work.

He quotes Peter Gray, a psychologist who studies children's play, saying that the societal push for hard work and achievement is "destroying our kids' natural ways of learning."  

Boles says modern kids are economically worthless cause current jobs are complex and not simple like in the olden days, which included tracking an animal and making a shelter, which could be watched and learned. 

Encouraging Interest Exploration for a Real Education

Blake Boles, an advocate for self-directed education, emphasizes the importance of interest exploration as a fundamental aspect of proper education. According to Boles, allowing children to pursue their passions leads to meaningful and compelling learning experiences.

Supporting Young People Effectively

To navigate this transitional stage successfully, Boles suggests several strategies for parents:

1. Encourage self-discovery: Help your teenager explore their interests outside of school by providing opportunities to pursue hobbies or engage in extracurricular activities.
2. Foster independence: Allow your child to make decisions and take responsibility for their learning journey. Young learners can be encouraged to travel, volunteer, or participate in internships to gain practical experience and develop independence.
3. Facilitate connections: Help your teenager build meaningful relationships and networks by connecting them with mentors, professionals, or like-minded peers who can support their personal and academic growth.
4. Embrace alternatives: Consider alternative education options such as homeschooling, Unschooling, or flexible learning programs that prioritize individualized learning experiences and cater to your child's unique needs and interests.
5. Focus on life skills: Encourage the development of essential life skills like engaging in real work experiences or learning financial management, which are often overlooked in traditional education.

By challenging societal norms and promoting alternative approaches to education, Boles' philosophy offers a fresh perspective on how we can support young people in their personal and academic journeys. It encourages us to rethink our priorities and consider the value of pursuing our passions and leading meaningful lives.