School system

[ChickenRacer]

Hi,
My lo is supposed to be starting reception in September, but I really do not feel happy about it. No concerns specific to lo.

Its I just don’t feel confident schools are good places - because of the testing and pressure it brings, large children to staff ratios, ungentle behaviour policies, potential for bullying, the manipulation techniques teachers have to use when managing a class of kids, lack of play as they get older, I could go on!

it seems children have so many mental health problems these days and whilst I’m sure some of that is down to more awareness etc, I can’t help think that the modern school system has a big role in this too.

I know there is the possibility of home educating, but this isn’t a option for everyone, so where does this leave our children?

I see today that the government is increasing the academisation of school, basically privatisation of schools, which surely means managers making lots of money, money that really should be going to the children.

i don’t see very many people worried or talking about this often, so is it just me?!

Also have you done any actual work or reading on this? I've read John Gatto Taylor, John Holt, Paulo Friere etc. Have you? Or is it all based on your own options OP?

I think there's a lot of good in home Ed and for some kids it really is the best way for them to access education.

My personal concern is what happens when the kids reach the limit of parental ability to teach them. Does doing home Ed for secondary disadvantage them or block them from certain careers because the hoops haven't been jumped through or the people educating them don't have the required knowledge.

I agree with you OP. I hate the concept of putting my children into an institution. It seems so archaic. My son is bored to tears at school. I don’t know what the alternative is 🤷‍♀️

People always bang about how much better Finland is in these debates. It isnt the case Finnish children just play before formal school. It is similar in other countries, eg Germany - kids stay in kindergarten an extra year doing almost exactly what our F2 kids so at school.

In Finland, there is a preschool, which has been obligatory from the beginning of 2015, but has existed for decades. Most children have attended it anyway for the last decades. It lasts the whole schoolyear before the actual school, about 3 hours on 5 days per week. There are general national learning/development goals for that. Sometimes it is arranged in kindergarten, sometimes at school. The main thing is to prepare the children for the school: to make sure that they can follow instructions, work in a group, have fine motor skills like using pens and scissors, develop their vocabulary, get basic knowledge like weekdays, months etc. So when the children start the actual school, a certain level of maturity and skills can be expected.

In preschool they don't teach actual writing, but the children learn the alphabet and how to write the individual letters, or writing their own name. They don't teach calculation, but basic skills that are prerequisite for that like comparison (bigger/smaller), counting, sorting, numbers.

They do some exercises that develop fine motor skills and using a pencil to connect dots, draw a path through a maze, colouring in.

The children develop their vocabulary by being read aloud by teacher, learning nursery rhymes etc.

They also learn to express themselves, so there may be music, arts, handicraft, physical activities.

So it may seem like they are just playing, but in the background of all these playful activities there is some bigger developmental learning goal.

This may also be a point where they can find out if there is some learning disability/disorder or behavioural issues which may require special arrangements or support when starting the actual school.

Of course many children already learn how to read/write before the school even if it's not required, and the phonetic way of writing in Finnish makes it MUCH easier than for example the English language.

It's just you.

Home schooling creates extremes - genius children and drop out children.

I have to say that isn't my experience of HE kids. tbh, as adults they seem decidedly ordinary although most often under-achievers compared to their parents.

I know teachers who agree with you. They are leaving the profession in droves.

What about educating at home?