Power to the people or the children?. Or perhaps the sad reality is the power is still with the system. The industrial revolution a celebration of 'mankind's potency' turned our education into a industry and as a human race we saw it as progress. There are many lessons to be learnt for this current modern age.... lest we forget.
I completed my art degree and teacher training six years ago after working for Child, Youth and Family. During that time my children were born. As I learnt about teaching I listened to their endless questions spurred on by endless curiosity, sometimes I had enough .......but that was just my immaturity as an adult.
My children now all go to a Montessori school ( from year three ) and have been able to continue this exciting journey of curiosity and questions. As parents, a choice was made as generally the education system is unable to hear the individual.
I know there are an incredible number of passionate teachers in primary school - in the primary school that we bypassed in order to give each of our children a chance - Aroha mai.
An incredible number of teachers who used to wake up with all the passion in the world until the system ground them down. And yet they continue to try.
Maybe e-learning can make possible what is humanly impossible ? - to meet the individual in a classroom of thirty.... it's early days and time will tell if that theory is correct.
Another trend is to have classrooms of ninety with three teachers - why? - some expert sees it as progress. Who am I to criticise an expert's finding?
I am a parent - a qualification that gives me a platform to challenge anyone , if they are going to conduct a social experiment with our children. With respect, a scientific approach to education is no better than an industrial one, if it doesn't see the individual. And where is your evidence?
As I write, there is a severe storm outside cutting across the estuary and I am reminded of a proverb-
'No longer be infants tossed back and forth and blown here and there by every wind of teaching'
Hey I am all for progress and e-learning.
I would not want to live in any other era. I use twitter, facebook, tumblr, instagram, blog, shop 90% online, I have a smart phone. My children play minecraft. I appreciate the real world which is not as virtual as we make out.
Yet what do we do? I believe the answer is with the Treaty of Waitangi- that made some progress.
According to the Treaty of Waitangi - education has a responsibility to whanau, according to the Treaty of Waitangi - government has a responsibility to whanau, according to the Treaty of Waitangi, whanau has a responsibility -we all have a responsibility to each other. No shifting of the blame.
The graffiti on a garage door makes us angry not because there is a bored young man out there but because he intruded on our space. ( Ownership of space, well thats another blog)
And there lies the problem, we have ceased to be a nation that respects individuals.
We need to cease being spectators and make sacrifices so that individuals in New Zealand can have a better education.
We are all part of a great nation. And this nation will only make progress when we listen to all the individuals.
This nation will only make progress when we unplug from the machine.
Make the switch.
The Artist. The Teacher. The Parent. The New Zealander.
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