I never enjoyed school, but I enjoy, and have always enjoyed, learning. I would undoubtedly have done better if I had been simply taught to read and given a large pile of books, rather than being sent to school — even the extremely good school I went to.
In fact, the only subject I remember being particularly good at was physics, which was something I studied almost entirely by myself at home (going well ahead of what we were doing in class), and then sat with glazed eyes through every lesson, and then got near perfect marks in every exam.
The other thing that I was really good at was reading, both in speed (fastest in the year when we were tested), and in the literature I read. Again, this was something that I learnt almost entirely at home, and owe to my late mother.
As an adult how well I did in exams depended on how much I was taught: the more I was taught, the worse I did. I dropped out of my first attempt at a degree. I then managed to do a distance learning MBA in an year (it should have taken 18 months) and narrowly missed passing with distinction. I then did an MSc in Finance, and struggled with it. I then started on an Open University undergraduate diploma in IT and score high (usually over 90%, as far as I can remember) marks until I was forced to discontinue it because I left Britain.
I think the pattern is pretty clear.
As miserable as I was at school, many people have a far worse time. Some are even drugged, although their true abilities can be revealed by providing them with opportunities to learn that suit them. Even people who do brilliantly often learn little at school and hate it.
After I started writing this, I found this interview about the Qi edition of The Idler, via Dare to Know. It outlines a possible solution, which also goes a long way to solving the problem of freedom for teenagers, which I discussed yesterday.
Hi Graeme, when I was sixteen I felt the same way, so I left high school for “self-schooling” which essentially meant staying home and reading lots of books. I think I learned more this way but I could have really used a network of other like-minded people, some sort of community where I could engage with other learners.
I wish I had done the same!
I can see the need for a network. I think the networks will not emerge until there are enough people doing it for them to have critical mass. Of course the lack of networks is probably a deterrent for many people who might otherwise consider it.
I … was almost taught to read and given a stack of books. Okay, so my mom made me learn some subjects, but she did keep just leaving books around and only telling me after I read them that they had been for school… and I managed to find plenty of time to learn about all kinds of things, especially computing… (most of it was stolen, actually ;-)
You had an enlightened and clever mother Samuel! I take it you are happy with how it worked? I did not quite understand what you mean by “most of it stolen” — the time?.
Some people apparently believe that they should get a medal for doing what is required of them. Or, that everything that they participate in should be required to stimulate them. At some point in their existence, perhaps all the little boys and girls should finally figure out that they are not the center of the universe?
John, I cannot understand what your point is. You seem to think that it is good that schools are holding back, rather than encouraging education.
You also seem to suffer from the common idea that children are best socialised in a highly ordered and disciplined environment with only those of their own age (and often similar socio-economically) and teachers, rather than meeting a wide range of people. I can think of no environment they will meet in later life which resembles this, except, possible, the armed forces.