Basketini

3 0    D A Y    C H A L L E N G E    –   B L O G    # 9

This is a better topic for me to write a passionate and opinionated blog about.. finally!!

I believe our current public school system is one of the BEST and believe it or not, WORST things to happen to children. I have seen many good things come from today’s public school system. I have worked for non-profit organizations such as the YMCA; Being a mentor to children and youth in recreation and arts. Working for programs like “Jumpstart” and “Blast”. I have worked with our community schools partnership division for the district in a program called “Dream”, which is every single day after school until 5 pm with all sorts of children who are at-risk for different reasons. I have done my practicum in an elementary school in my city’s wide district, shadowing Child and Youth Care counselors, outreach workers, support staff, and teachers. Needless to say, I’ve had a wide variety of experience in our school settings for someone of my age. I aspire to turn my Child and Youth Care counselling degree into an Elementary Education Degree. I want to be a teacher to install positive values into children, and explore their interests and skills in an inclusive way while covering the necessary curriculum.

I have seen teachers fully degrade students in front of their peers. I have seen teachers ignore students. I have seen teachers obviously playing favourites, not even giving the rest of their students the time of day. We need to put all of this to an end. This is why I am so thrilled to learn that there possibilities for students in my position to complete their degree in Child and Youth Care Couselling, to complete their PLP Certificate a year later. We are the new generation of teachers who put children first.

Education is important. Of course we need to teach our fundamentals such as math, science, socials, and most importantly english. However, I feel that the intent has been lost in translation. We want children and youth to be INTERESTED and EXCITED for learning. We want to create a safe and engaging environment where everyone is treated as equal with their own unique special skills and contributions. Comparing children on a generalized scale against others of their age is only setting them up for failure and disappointment. We need to learn to use their diversities to their advantage. We need to practice the most important “child-centered approach”.

I have become a real advocate for creating a larger part of social learning for our public school curriculum. It is silly to me that the only “life skills” class I ever took in public school was in 8th grade where I only learned to sew and cook. Furthermore, our joke of a “planning” class in 10th grade where we played on the computer and made resumes that had nothing on them yet…………….. LIFESKILLS?! PLANNING?! They didn’t even come close to teaching me the responsibilities, obligations, and paperwork that comes with being an adult. What about how to open a bank account? How about learning about taxes? How to file our taxes? Planning for our future careers? How to enroll in school? How to jump start a car? Perhaps if I had learned how to properly save money and what interest meant, I wouldn’t have ever gotten into even the little bit of debt I have been in. It would have been nice if I had learned that our “amazing Canadian medical system” that “we are so lucky to have” only counted for so much, it would not cover ambulance bills or all medications along with other medical needs I have struggled to meet, and costs I have struggled to cover.

Going even further into this.. I believe that children should be taking a “lifeskills and planning” portion in every grade of their public school education. Starting in kindergarten where we could teach what it meant to be in school, and the responsibilities that come with it. Ending in 12th grade where we would teach more specific issues such as banking/financial issues, career planning, our Canadian rights and responsibilities, and more.

In the end, what I hope for is that our education systems will begin installing values such as respect, empathy, and trust into our curriculums as often (and important) as english or math. In doing this, I believe that our future generations will start to become more positive members of society, and more fulfilled people in general.

– T.A.B.