I am a critical thinker, I approach most issues by asking “why”, I avoid accepting information at face value and I always raise my hand. Though not always well received, these qualities have served me well in life. And while some of this may be attributed to personality, my willingness to question and challenge was encouraged at a young age. Emboldened by teachers in a progressive school who recognized that teaching is more than transferring facts, that true learning occurs when we question and consider the material we are taught. I am the product of a thoughtful education, it’s methods long forgotten, replaced with systems designed to produce standardized students, those who can raise average test scores and perform on demand. Performance …show more content…
A school designed for kids who were, for one reason or another, not suited for a “mainstream education”. We were bright, creative and interested in the world around us, some of us rebellious, others socially awkward, most of us just a little “different”. We found a home at Piedmont, a school that pushed against convention, inviting students to call teachers by their first names, leveling the playing field, creating an environment of equality. It was a place for teachers who were inventive, their lessons reaching beyond facts to explore ideas. We were a diverse group, a mixture of the richest and poorest, kids of every color, race and religion. While I know that we were not of equal-intelligence, I have no recollection of who was smart and who was stupid, we were not singled out for being either. We were, in general, a well-adapted group of teachers and students. Sure, there were issues, the occasional fight in the hallways, graffiti on the bathroom walls, break-ups and make-ups. We were kids after all. It wasn’t perfect, but it was …show more content…
Recently, while on a short road trip with my thirteen-year old son, I decided to ask him his opinion of his school, his teachers, his education in general. The conversation went like this: “Alex, what is the most important thing you’ve ever learned in school”, his reply: “ummmmm, I don’t know Mom”. Well, do you think that what you are learning will help you succeed in your career as a fashion designer”, a slight pause and then “not really”. Me again, “how do you feel about your education?” his response “I used to hate school when I wasn’t doing well, I felt bad about my grades and I didn’t’ want to work hard”. Okay, progress! “So, what changed, for you?” Alex again “well it was really boring, and I didn’t want to do it, but it made me feel bad when I failed so I decided to try. Now I don’t feel bad anymore”. Interesting, I try again “So, is school more interesting to you now that you are paying attention and doing your best? Alex, “no, I just do it so that I don’t feel