Over recent times I have enjoyed a role which has allowed me to make contact with children in the early years of their education. After a number of years working in secondary settings, with students heading towards the end of their school life, what has really struck me has been the excitement and energy young children exude. It is actually quite refreshing to experience the creativity, enthusiasm, simple joy, passion, and openness of young children. They are excited about life, about school, and able to experience happiness from even the very simplest of things. On the other hand, it makes me wonder what happens to so many of our students as they near the end of their education, with much of the enthusiasm of their early years lost.
It is actually quite sad in many ways. I have observed for many years students in their late secondary years, some devoid of enthusiasm, some rebellious, some unmotivated, some apathetic, some unable to seemingly experience joy, others simply over being at school.
What happens in between? Why do so many of our young people finish their schooling in this way? How has the excitement and joy of the early years been lost in the process of education?
At least part of the answer may lie in the narrow focus of our education system as students progress through school. The breadth of curriculum and experiences offered in the early years narrows dramatically as students head towards their last two years. In fact, the focus becomes a final score, a magical number which determines post-education choices for many students. Every effort is made to reach the desired score, students are tired, pressured, and in many ways can come to feel that their score defines who they are.
The focus of the final years on exams, assessment tasks, homework, and ultimately a numerical ranking which in many ways summarises a student’s whole school journey, takes its toll. It is little wonder that students can become devoid of enthusiasm and joy as they strive to reach this goal.
Another issue is the focus on bringing as many students as possible to completion of year 12. This is something I struggle with as I come across many students who simply need to be working. Twenty years ago they would have been in the workforce as apprentices by 16.
As teachers we need to focus on educating the whole child, regardless of age, and help them rediscover the joy of learning. Equip them to feel the excitement they felt when they were just starting out. How good would it be if students finished the way they started?
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