Are kids being turned into drones?

Question

Are we putting so much information into children's brains too quickly that when they grow up their creativity will be greatly diminished or that they will have less ability to think?

Will they grow up to be mindless drones who only do what others tell them to or follow the same routines as others?

Or is it better?

Answer 1

Did you want an answer or a book? It is crazy - we have some major problems. I heard on the radio the other day there was a movement to Take Back Recess, because so often that's the first thing to go, and if they do have it, it has to be structured with an objective and meet curriculum content. Stop already! And lunch? Do you want a traffic light telling you to quiet down or everyone is on silence? 20 minutes to get your food, sit down, eat, clean up and get back in line?

I was a teacher. I was having a lot of trouble with things we were asked to do - heck, lots of times they give you a program (materials) you must use - there isn't much room for creativity on the teaching end. Someone may say a good teacher will find a way, but perhaps they also have a good principal that will allow it. I can say, wholeheartedly, that I did not. She walked in for less than 2 minutes, didn't think a child's question was appropriate, and let me know we needed to talk. The very best compliment I got was from a 4th grader that said he wished he could stay until 5 o'clock - we were working on fossils. Another came from a class that posed this question - if the sun wasn't blazing, if it was just a large ball of gas, could something pass through it? Did they get that out of their science book or out of their heads?

You do know that spelling doesn't count as high in writing assignments as content, right? Spelling barely makes it into the curriculum - same with multiplication tables. Are they supposed to absorb this with all the other rules, regulations and testing they face?

My son HATES school - he faces a daily color system. He's not an angel (not a bully, but does talk - social). It's taking so much out of him and tomorrow we get to talk with the principal. He's even supposed to change his color if he has to use the restroom outside a regular restroom break. Wonderful! I'm just about there - homeschooling (think I'm going to do it). I don't want a little robot. I thought school would be okay due to the social aspect, but I don't see anything positive going on there. I'm not going to blame individuals, I'm going to blame the system. What happened? Accountability like it is, stinks. Should your child receive a D in reading if he's reading below grade level? What if he's improved, but still not where he's "supposed" to be.

It's ugly. Thanks for letting me vent. And you know, it isn't just student drones - it's teacher drones and administrator drones, too. We're in trouble.

Answer 2

Well, if you want a worst case drone scenario, read Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.

But to answer your question, no. Education may seem more rigorous today since there are vast amounts of new information presented to children, but there are also entire bodies of old information that are either no longer taught, or merely skimmed over. The educational system evolves, although a lot slower than it needs to! I do lament the loss of creative electives like wood and metal shop, but unfortunately schools have judged the creative benefits of these courses less important than their relevance as future careers. It's a shame, because we are building a culture that has to have it's nails hammered by illegal immigrants.

Not being a "drone" (ie. a person who simply obeys, follows a set of rules, etc) is probably more a product of a persons tendency towards "individualism" and "leadership", than the education they receive. Some people simply don't aspire to greatness, and underwhelming them with technology/information in lieu of more arts & humanities will probably make little difference. What probably will help is a rich, interactive home life, especially at a young age (2-6 yrs) so children feel comfortable with curiosity and inquiry.

A more relevant question might be how have schools changed their methods of socializing children, for this is the area which will ultimately have the most impact on whether a child grows up "dronelike." Few people realize that the ulterior purpose of primary and secondary school is to socialize children.

The trend in our culture has been towards social isolationism. Email, instant messaging, text messaging, cell phones, webcams, online multiplayer games (particularly those that involve alter-egos), are all creating a culture where people can be alone while being together. Humans are social animals, and by removing the genuine, subjective experience of face to face interaction and contact we are becoming more like the machines we use to isolate ourselves. Pehaps not drone-like, but certainly less human.

My feeling is that children need to be immersed in a variety of non-academic activities so as to develop the "human" side of their personality. Sports, dance, music (especially), martial arts, nature, scouting, swimming, hobbies, travelling, art, theater, and anything else that is not in the realm of mainstream public education, AND ESPECIALLY when these activities involve other children and healthy competition.

Teaching children how to focus on, prioritize and manage multiple tasks (something schools are woefully remiss in) will also help them go far in life. So will presenting challenging activities that result in failure, because learning how to deal with failure in a positive way, and understanding that failure at a task doesn't make YOU a failure, is a part of life that many people never come to understand.

Special attention should be given to teaching children about manners, polite behavior (ie. consideration for others), ethics, morals, respect for adults, as well as self-expression, and recognizinging their innate talents and being allowed to pursue what they enjoy (and feel good about it), as opposed to always doing what educators believe is important (ie getting good grades.)

These are the things that will ensure our children do not grow up to become drones.

Answer 3

eh- teachers in high school, especially english ones- teach students to think for themselves. English teachers do a lot of symbolism and analysis so that students get really creative.

Answer 4

Its better only if we want our kids to grow up boring.

Answer 5

i know my head just spins with so much info going into my mind. it like no wonder i fail some tests. =P