“I work under a great deal of tension”, “I have certainly had more than my share of things to worry about”, “I am afraid of losing my mind”. In a survey made by a psychologist to determine how levels of anxiety and depression have changed, these were some statements that were asked for yes or no answers. I bet that most 10 graders, just as me would answer them as to show high rates of these disorders. In the book Free To Learn, Peter Gray suggests another perspective to the modern educational systems. This perspective certainly offers a doubt, suggesting that students nowadays should have more free play, or having a more student-led projects and choices. This would DECREASE the anxiety and depression levels and INCREASE the sense of control in situations.
Further in the book Gray presents us with a hypothetical person no explain how students in modern times spend their days. This character is called Evan he spends hours in school sitting at his desk listening to teachers, following instructions and taking tests. While reading first sentences, while the author was describing Evan, it was like he was narrating MY LIFE. On the other hand, I don't find myself as having a such busy life as this character but han hugely relate. For example, Peter Gray also mentions that Evan´s school reduced recess time to have more time at school, that is exactly what my school has done and now the school policy is to have 40 minutes of recess. It was 11:30 pm and I had just finished the math project that was due at 11:59 am. You may now think “She must have left all until the end and procrastinate”, so let me tell you I didn´t. The night before that I had also stayed until that hour. Since I woke up at 6:30 am and went to school until 3:30 pm I just thought about school. I then arrived at my house set up my things and went right back to work. I finished and went to sleep ALL day I had been doing homework or working at school except for those 30 minutes from school to my house in which I slept. I even worked while eating. This types of projects, homework and any school work that prevents free play for children to happen. The same type of free play that helps me and all children. School has overpowered their lives subtly. Their systems have “fostered an attitude in society that children learn and progress primarily by doing tasks that are directed and evaluated by adults, and that children's own activities are a waste of time. So yes, future generation´s childhood has been ruined. Schools are simple numbers, they rely in a compound of lines and curves in a paper. These are obtained by taking tests that are compared and evaluated to determine who is the best. Tests that require information acquired by memory and that is forgotten after a few weeks. It then creates a competition that leads on to the roads of depression and low self esteem. “Children are pawns in a competitive game in which adults around them are trying to squeeze the highest possible scores...” What is left out of context is the real knowledge that is obtained my children. Their incorporation of informations and ideas, their understanding and their reaction towards the world that surrounds them. Students should be given more autonomy and a more exploratory work that hinders the capacity to think outside the box and offer more space to innovate. What is school planning to do next? Take out student´s recess and giving them enough time only to eat? Give children six hours of homework? Have school end at 5 pm? Nowadays it is pretty much close to this extent. Children and not allowed to go outside and play by their own rules and no supervision what because “they may get murdered or abducted or bullied” this cases have even decreased and with it free play has as well. Gray says it all “What kind of a society do we live in if our children cannot play safely and freely outdoors?”
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Cristina BarclayCurrent eleventh grader at Colegio Franklin Delano Roosevelt, taking the IB diploma program. Archives
May 2016
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