How schools destroy learning experiences of young minds

ome schools seem to do everything in their power to destroy any love of learning that young minds may have. From the rote memorization and drill of facts and figures to the competitive and often punitive atmosphere, many schools succeed in extinguishing the natural curiosity and thirst for knowledge that all children possess.

I was listening to these Ted Talks about how schools are failing and one of the big points that were made is how schools are teaching to the test instead of encouraging creativity and problem-solving. This has been shown to lead to students who are good at regurgitating information but don't have the critical thinking skills to apply what they've learned.

It's not just that schools are focusing on the wrong things, but the way they go about teaching is often counterproductive. The pressure to perform and the fear of failure can lead to students who are afraid to take risks and try new things. This stifles creativity and prevents students from reaching their full potential.

I have summarised these two talks for you:

This talk on TEDed on Five dangerous things every school should do by Gever Tulley is a great watch to get some ideas. Gever Tulley is the founder of the Tinkering School, where children are encouraged to explore and tinker with everything from electric circuits to carpentry. He is also the author of "50 Dangerous Things (You Should Let Your Children Do)," which aims to get parents and educators to think differently about how we raise the next generation.

He says these 5 very interesting things he mentions in the TED Talk

1. Do not train kids to be obedient or good at taking tests- All learning should be encouraged by following kids' excitement to learn more about any topic

2. Trust kids- They are much more capable than we think. They just need the chance to show it, they could learn to use tools independently and they would be braver if we let them try new things

3. Saying yes to what they want- Instead of saying no or providing a safety net all the time, we should encourage kids to try new things, try saying yes, and see the magic that happens

4. Focus on habits and character- We should focus on helping kids develop good habits and strong character traits such as grit, resilience, and perseverance. These are the things that will help them succeed in life, not just academic achievement

5. Believe that everything is interesting- When we believe that everything is interesting, we open up a world of possibilities for kids. They can explore and discover their own passions and talents, and they will be more engaged in learning.

These are all great suggestions that could help schools destroy the culture of conformity and competition, and create a more positive and supportive learning environment where creativity and individual expression

Here is another talk-How School Makes Kids Less Intelligent by Eddy Zhong.

In his talk, Eddy Zhong dives into the often unspoken truths behind our K-12 education system. A successful technology entrepreneur, Eddy believes that the current education system stifles creativity and funnels children towards a single path of success. He argues that kids are taught to view college as a necessary step in life instead of simply one option among many. By questioning commonly held beliefs about education, Eddy urges us to rethink the purpose and structure of schooling altogether.

Eddy makes some interesting points on how schools limit kids to be curious and how much more they can achieve if we let them.

The school works on academic success- It is almost like a job, where you are graded and put in different levels. The school works on making everyone the same- conforming to what is expected and not being too different. This limits kids' creativity and their true potential.

The obsession with grades and good jobs limits kids- In the talk, he talks about how in Schools, the pressure of getting a good job and having a good grade limits kids. They are not encouraged to be curious and ask questions.

Eddy concludes his talk by saying that no one has changed the world by being told what to do, we need to let kids be curious and ask questions. Let them take risks and fail. Only then will they be able to achieve great things.

Both of these talks make valid points about how schools are failing. But I want to focus on one particular point that I think is important: the idea that schools often inadvertently discourage a love of learning.

When I was in school, I often found myself feeling bored and unmotivated. I wasn't interested in the material I was being taught and I didn't see the point of doing well on tests that didn't seem relevant to my life. As a result, I stopped caring about my grades and stopped trying to do my best.

It wasn't until I left school and started learning on my own that I realized how much I loved learning. I was finally studying things that I found interesting and that had meaning for me. And because I was motivated to learn, I was able to achieve a lot more than I ever had in school.

So what can be done to change the culture of schools and help young minds to flourish?

For starters, we need to remember that children are not miniature adults. They learn best through play and exploration, and they need time to move their bodies and expend energy. So instead of sitting them at desks all day and making them learn through worksheets and lectures, we should be providing them with opportunities to move, play and explore.

We also need to focus on teaching children how to think, not what to think. This means encouraging them to ask questions, investigate problems and come up with their own solutions. And it means valuing their creativity and individual expression as much as we value academic achievement.

Finally, we need to create a more positive and supportive learning environment, where mistakes are seen as part of the learning process and where everyone is respected and valued. When we make these changes, we will not only help individual children to thrive, but we will also be laying the foundation for a more peaceful and just world.