Is education the passport to success? Not quite.

Is education the passport to success? Not quite.

In Grace Boggs’ article, “Education: The Great Obsession” she argues that the educational system continues to fail and divide students, and that a longer duration of education does not necessarily equal success. She writes, “...the high school diploma is no longer a sign of academic achievement but of the youngster’s seat-warming endurance over a twelve-year period.” Students are still involved in a system that prepares them for an industry that is outdated. They are being treated as empty containers in which teachers place textual facts/truths to be regurgitated on the day of the assessment and forgotten after. Students are rewarded for their ability to follow instructions and respond to “one right answer” questions. Boggs mentions, “...the schools had become babysitting institutions in which their children had been socially promoted year after year, regardless of achievement levels as determined by the schools’ own tests.” They are neither being challenged nor solving problems. They are neither working together nor using their own passions, interests, or voice in class.

This video highlights six problems with our school system: industrial age values, lack of autonomy,
inauthentic learning, no room for passion, how we learn, and lecturing. “It’s no wonder that children are
bored and demotivated by school” (NEXT School, 6 Problems with our school system, 2:12)

 Even the brightest of individuals (Albert Einstein) were failed by traditional schooling but went on to
become famous and wealthy important figures. The video leaves us with this message: “If we want to
prepare our children for the modern world, if we want learning to be effective and engaging, then there is
no doubt that we need to fundamentally change our system of education.” (5:36)

Boggs also argues that there is little to no connection between what’s learned in schools and what is
experienced in the lives or communities of students, particularly the African-American communities.  
She adds, “Our children are not learning because the present system is depriving them of such natural
stimuli to learning as exercising their resourcefulness to solve the real problems of their own communities;
working together, rather than competitively, with younger children emulating older ones and older children
teaching younger ones; experiencing the intrinsic consequences of their own actions; judging issues.”
Students are sitting in classrooms, with teachers from outside of the community, being told what is true and
what is important. Students are not solving real life problems, are disengaged, and are losing or have lost the
motivation to be there.  Students are motivated by extrinsic factors. When Logan LaPlante’s mother realized
the damage traditional school was causing on her son’s creativity, she removed him. Here he explains
“Hackschooling”. (Hackschooling makes me happy, Logan LaPlante, TEDxUniversityofNevada)

His passions are the focus. For example, when asked to write about skiing, he developed a love for writing.
He learned about Physics through “experimenting and making mistakes.” His education is focused on his
interests, rendering it more meaningful and successful.  If we bring in our students’ diverse interests and
culture into our classrooms, we can begin to build a deeper, long-lasting connection. We can use their
passions for teachable moments. Unfortunately, the majority of students are not able do what Logan did,
nor do they even know that it is a possibility, so it is our job as educators to offer this untraditional
education in the traditional realm.

Embracing what is going on in our students’ lives can be a way for us to learn a bit more about our students, and use that knowledge to teach. In “Imagining futures: the public school and possibility”, Maxine Green says, “Rigour and quality of research need not be sacrificed when problems close to students’ lives force a recognition that students and teachers both need help in reading the surrounding culture, in naming what is lacking, in identifying what might be done in efforts to transform.” (270)  By identifying problems and utilizing resources within their community, students will not only focus on growing as individuals but also will develop empathy and support for others. In “A Simple, Revolutionary Idea”, Adrienne Goss writes, “Ideally, students will choose to use their resources to strengthen their communities, and not just acquire wealth for their individual households.” (61)

In this student-centered approach, great value is placed on students’ perspectives. Goss points out, “...Hilliard insisted that Black children be centered in an education that honors their worldviews—their ways of knowing and viewing the world—so that they may become aware of the greatness that their African heritage affords them. What a simple, yet revolutionary idea.” (58) What better way to connect with and engage students than by asking them to contribute their experiences to class to help create meaningful dialogue. Too often, students are forced to leave their differences at the door, therefore, leaving behind their cultural richness and what makes them them.

We must help our students discover who they are, their passions, and their purpose in life. We must help them become problem solving, compassionate, empathetic, successful, world-ready citizens. Why then, are we stuck in a system that holds both educators and students back?