To think - how awful schools really are

[Ippimi]

I remember hating school when I went to school. But that was a long time ago now. I'd kind of forgotten about it.

I work for a training company that usually delivers training programmes to businesses. I usually teach adults. I'm not working in the UK at the moment. I'm working in a different country in Europe.

However we recently got asked to design a training programme for a local school. So for the last couple of weeks I've been going in and talking to the children in a school about a topic.

Going into the school- and looking at it as an adult - I just think it's so so awful. Why do we do this to children

The children are not allowed to move , they're not allowed to talk. The teacher yells at them to be quiet all the time.

I understand this is the school system everywhere. I remember that I hated school as a child and I felt trapped. But when I look at it from an adults eyes, it looks even worse.

when I look at it as an adult, it really seems like emotional abuse of children.

It also seems like such a waste of their young years.

They should be playing and having some fun.

They're not allowed to move or talk. And they get shouted at A lot. It just seems like they're getting indoctrinated to not think for themselves and to follow orders. The school system is just awful and needs to change in my opinion

There are plenty of opportunities for children to talk in school, including while they are working in lots of cases.

But they can't talk while the teacher is explaining something, otherwise how will they follow what is being said? If one child whispers in her friend's ear, she's distracting her friend and probably other children sitting near her.

If the teacher allows whispering when the children are supposed to be listening, it will not just be one whisper. It will soon be a hum of whispers all over the room, probably with louder talking and giggling as well.

My children's classroom has special chairs that they can rock and sway on all they like, so they are not required to be still but of course they must be quiet and listen for brief periods.

You're talking about children's rights, but it's not a right to chat when you should be paying attention?

The system could definitely do with a rethink and upgrade. It needs to be improved.

It's based on a very very old system

OP if we believe what you are saying - all the six teachers you work with are horrible shouting people whereas you deal with these same children on your own without needing to tell them to be quiet at all and they are all attentive and lovely. How likely is this? Anyone who has worked in a school will tell you this is frankly nonsense.

But how old are they?

I'm really surprised you're being left with a class without a member of staff.

Interesting question.

I don't recognise what you're talking about at all, OP. Not from my own experience. Not from my experience of having a dc in school. And not from what I've observed over the years in different schools as a volunteer and as a school governor. The picture you describe doesn't reflect any of the schools that I've been familiar with here in the UK.

I find myself wondering about your agenda tbh. I can only assume that you're either one of those evangelical HE parents desperately trying to justify your decision to home educate. Or you're trying to work through some sort of trauma in relation to your own school experience and finding it helpful to believe that all schools are shut. Or perhaps a combination of the two.

Either way, there will be people who didn't enjoy school who will no doubt agree with you, people who loved school and don't know what you're talking about and people who liked some aspects of school and disliked others. The rather obvious reality of the situation is that all schools and all children are different, so generalisations are pretty meaningless.

Ippimi why name change for this post then? If people do this there is usually a reason lol

Why?

I remember being in primary school as a child.

I remember people coming in to give us talks. About health /sport. One time a local politicians came in

Our teacher didnt stay in the room

I remember when I was doing work experience in a school. The way the teacher talked made me think I'd be nicer, id never shout or get frustrated. But its so easy to think all these things when you're not actually doing the job!

Kids shouldn’t be talking in class when a subject is being taught to them, it’s disruptive and rude. If they’re doing a group activity fine, but to sit and chat and disrupt the class, no.

My dc school is not like that. I was there for a meeting with the senco and my dc was walking towards reception on his own. 3 teachers stopped him to ask if he was ok or needed anything. There is sometimes one child say at the desk of shame outside the head teachers office but they are regularly checked on, asked if they need anything etc. The head teacher always makes a point of talking to younger siblings and saying she can't wait for them to come to her school when they are old enough. This is state secondary.

How are they supposed to learn if they’re talking when the teacher is talking? I don’t mean during group work, discussions, Q&A etc but if there’s 30 children who can talk to each other whenever they want then how is the teacher going to explain anything?

Because I'm talking about my employer. I just like to name change when I talk about anything related to work or personal life.

That's what the name change feature is there for.

I agree. I work in a school and they are programmed to sit down and be quiet and by the time they leave school we wonder why they have no motivation

Being told to close your mouth is awful as is no understanding for some quiet chat during say independent or group work so I agree your description sounds awful. Not allowed to move? Also poor.
Like a pp I loved school the whole way up and now I'm a teacher (who doesn't shoutand treats the children with respect and kindness). Last year I had a class and told them regularly how lucky I was to have such a wonderful class. It was true.

What country are you from OP?

Or I'm just writing about what I've experienced in working in this school.

I'm upset to see it and I've been thinking about it.

Yes! It's all "sit down and shut up"!

The UK.

I don't have a problem with children needing to be quiet in the class. I can't see how they could possibly learn if there were 30 children chatting away.
What I can't stand is punishment for minor mistakes, such as forgetting equipment. My friend's 12 yo DD is an absolute sweetheart, always polite and kind, but a bit of a worrier. She hadn't long started year 7 when she forgot her PE socks and had to spend the day in 'reflection' AKA a cupboard with a laptop in it. Her DD was mortified and ended up barely sleeping or eating, she'd wake up at 3am and go through her school bag to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything. My DS is going to the same school in September and I'm dreading it.

Usually, yes, most people can hear others whispering. Surely you know that?

It's terribly rude to whisper in the cinema during the actual film.

I'm sorry if I've missed it but how old are they?

I'm surprised you're left alone as I assume you don't have a dbs check? Even if you do you are a stranger or someone getting to know them but that's a lot of trust they have to leave you with them. From your point of view a child could accuse YOU of something and there wouldn't be anyone there to back you up.

🤣🤣🤣

Well, if you're writing about your experience of working in just one school, why make wild generalisations about all schools?

If you have concerns, write to the chair of governors or the local authority.