End of winter. And since the beginning of the year, the parents of future students are already in search. The main concern is in which school the child will be better? And what does it mean — better?
Schools have always been judged on student achievement. The only advantage of this criterion is that it is easy to calculate and take into account. The disadvantages are more serious. First, of course, subjectivity and partiality. Secondly, and no less important, the price paid for the result is not taken into account. This price is often the child’s health, including mental health. There are no words, good preparation for a university, which many parents are guided by, is important, but life does not end with admission to it, and sometimes health resources are running out.
Curriculum makers, of course, “want the best”, without taking into account the gap between intention and reality, between what was said (teacher) and heard (student), between desire and possibility. Therefore, inflating the volume of already inflated programs does not lead to a proportional increase in education.
It is more important that the child feels comfortable and safe at school. After all, a school is not just an ATM that issues knowledge and certificates. This is the environment in which children spend a fair amount of their lives, regardless of their desire. And it affects their personal development in general, and the more, the less children feel interested attention, care and emotional support in their family. Like the street, school can teach both good and bad, especially if life’s questions do not find a clear answer at home.
But comfort is not an end in itself. To pamper a child means, along with emotional well-being, to form his dependence on a favorable environment. There is a big risk that, when he grows up, he will not be able to build a happy life for himself, but will expect this from others, blaming others for all his real and imaginary troubles. Therefore, one of the main tasks of childhood, and hence a good school, is to gradually, step by step, prepare a child for growing up, encouraging and developing his independence, initiative and his own system of motives and values.
More important than knowledge is the ability to handle them — go to the goal, not be afraid of failures and not boast of successes
Childhood should be childhood, but it is in it that adulthood should gradually mature. Preparing a child for success in the future does not mean stuffing him with knowledge. More important than knowledge is the ability to handle them: set goals, formulate tasks and solve them, correct mistakes, not be afraid of the unknown, enjoy what you are doing, not be afraid of failures and not boast of successes. The rest will follow.