So, it’s ‘back to school’ time, once again, for millions of students all over the world, for whom it’s a new year, full of new friends, new possibilities, new challenges and new adventures.
At the same time, from pre-schools to universities, and everywhere in the middle, it’s time for teachers and lecturers to brush off the cobwebs, to fire up their laptops, projectors, smartboards, or wipe off their blackboards and whiteboards, or to gather up their building blocks, numbers and alphabets, and get down to the nitty-gritty of inspiring their new learners to seek excellence in, and for, themselves.
I wonder how many of you, on the parental spectrum, have had any more than a cursory discussion about your expectations for, and of, your offspring, as they march off, full of purpose and anticipation, to school. The reality is that most do very little, other than to reassure the youngest that “everything will be alright” at school, they will have asked their middle kids, “Is everything alright?”
Getting them ‘ready’ for school is about much more than books, uniforms and lunchboxes.
Throughout their educational lifetime, most young people today are, in terms of preparedness, and going off to school with a healthy attitude and in a composed state of mind, are given the most cursory of support and advice, and that’s not good enough. It’s not that anyone is going to tell you it’s not good enough, but surely a few moments of reflection upon your own educational experiences should make you aware that there is much more that you can and should be doing.
Parents, in fact, are often seen as having the view that what learners do at school is down to the schools and teachers, that the learners are their responsibility... but it’s not that simple.
First, and yes, right from the beginning, that first day, teachers should not be required to set standards with students as to how and when to question, when to listen and when to speak, with the teacher, within study groups, and during class time. Yet, no matter what educational environment, wherever in the world, at whatever age, this is the single most combative issue of any learning environment, and particularly at the outset of a new academic year.
It’s a respect issue really... One that should be being progressively taught at home, in preparation for education or to make the most of education. There are two factors in play here. Many learners won’t say “boo" to a mouse at home, because there are significant consequences for ill-behaviour. It’s amazing how one insistent, ill-disciplined student can thoroughly dismantle a quality learning experience for an entire classroom, and when their interruption is merely attention-seeking, even the best of teachers can never ‘get back’ the time and learning lost through selfish behaviour.
Why? Because in education today, teachers can only remind students of their obligations to the class, the need for respect for their peers and teachers, and to await the appropriate time for their query. Unfortunately, with respect often an elusive concept among the young, this is rarely acceptable to the miscreant and has usually destabilised a settled environment. Even for a minute or two, its consequences are a bitter pill. In terms of discipline... teachers are ‘toothless tigers’ today.
Parents must work hard at ensuring that their ‘young ones', are properly ‘prepared’ for school, aware of behaviours, both theirs and others, and what is acceptable, and what is not at school. Encourage them towards their best behaviour, not to behave like “the others.” You should also be asking about their expectations of school, and keeping them ‘real', linking those expectations to what they will encounter. Finally, leave them in no doubt, school, while seeking to integrate play and enjoyment into learning... is their very first place of work.
School plus effort, including respect, equals achievement, and, as Imam Ali writes, "The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you.”
Ray Petersen
The writer is a media consultant
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