Teach the children what they want to know?

Question

Why do we pump primary shool children full of information that we, as adults, think important they know at an ever younger age?
So from when they start primary shool do away with all the lessons that adults find so important and replace them with each class doing a 'Question Time' class of say half a morning or afternoon a week.
Have the children agree to let pre-determined pupils to prepare a question for the next classes and that way children will learn what they are ready for.
Fair enough, some questions some pupils will not be ready for, and others will be beyond others but the children will learn from eachother. And allowing them to do it in a class situation. Allow a discussion to develop in the class for the older ones and in my opinion children would thrive in this kind of environment.
Don't tell them what they want to know. Allow them to ask what they want to know and take take serious time to listen. What you think?

Lilliput: what teacher has the time to answer questions like that? But it is exactly the kind of question that an older child could/would throw into the lesson.

For everybody: I am talking of a lesson format. A 1.5 to 2 hour lesson once a week. Possible either side of breaktime, breaking up the length of the class. It would also help build confidence in not so self-confident individuals I believe. Self-confidence is that what you learn from home. Too many children are told they are stupid, lazy and belinguerent when all that is really wrong is the adultscalling those names are the ones needing therapy and/or medication!
As for the idea being total anarchy ... children will learn more if they know the adults are interested in what THEY, as children, want to learn. Not that the average child is even aware of that.

Student: I am trying to find a balance. My 3.5 year old is being introduced to Steiner-Waldorf education now :-)

Lilliput. Lord of the flies goes over my head for now. I'll might come back on the later

Sex might or might not belong in school. As in it the government says it does. let children explore the subject on their own terms rather than following a regimented syllabus set up by adults stuck in their own paradigms is what i'm saying

Jillary: nail on the head in a way. I was a bright student from a dysfunctional family. I was intimidated by school life and made to feel worthless evn more at school since my aspirations were not up to what teachers tought i could achieve if pushed. All they ever did was push me away from an education.

Melonhead: Why would a 7-10 year old want to be taught about a cheque book? As it is we don't have a clue, by allowing them to ask questions some kids might surprise you. As for Lord of the Flies ... don't know much about it but from what i've been told NO. I'm talking about giving children some credit and respect. Everyday i heard someone tell a child they are asking a stupid question. No question is stupid. What is stupid, no pathetic, is adults that are not adult enough to deal with potentially akward questions!

Answer 1

I believe you are right.Good idea.I hope you are practicing what you are preaching.

Answer 2

I have to tell you that the problem with the schools in this country are that they don't teach the children enough of what they DO need to know. When are high school students going to go to class and learn how to balance a check book, or understand credit reports, etc., etc.? You're proposing a sort of "Lord of the Flies" type school system, that ignores the collective learning of humanity in favor of what?
Besides a good teacher will answer a students question, but those questions have to pertain to what that teacher is trying to teach all of the students.


I didn't say that any teacher had the time to answer questions about check books, etc.. I suggested that maybe there should be a class dedicated to lesson like that. Maybe our problem here is that we're not communicating with each other very well. But I happen to believe that schools need to get back to teaching kids the basic things that they need to know first.
My daughter is only in the 7th grade and she is on her fourth science book for this school year. It just so happens that this week, 9 week exams were being given and she doesn't have any science book at all to study. They got caught between books at this important time in the school year. We need to get back to the basics and stop toying with our childrens education.

Answer 3

You really have put a fuzzy question here, now lets see, what children are supposed to learn at school are the tools to learn , how to get along in society, math, reading ,writting, history and about the time they get to high school ,they must be given the opprtunity to choose a vocation, whether is a caropenter or a medic , thei previous schooling ,if all teaching went accordingly, should tell the teachers what a student is best suited to do, ! No the way we have it now! ,we are putting high scholl students out who cant even read , in the streets , and ileterates who most likely end up a society problem or worst a big prison population! Schooling is a domino effect , what we TEACH, or how these students are tREATED at elementary school level, has all to do with HOW and What they learn and impliment to their lives! Sex education ,{gay=lesbian ] or hetorosexual for that matter does NOT belong at school! Why do we permit these teachings ,[sexual deviations] to be thaught to children as young as five!!! Foe heavens sake ,teaching these so call anti discrimination has nothing to do with sexual choices! Me think the activist on the gay -lesbian side are using the civil right laws of the blacks to teach and thus accomplished a whole generation of feeble minded ones who cant make a choice ,because ONLY one side was being thaught! Imbeciles! the ones who imposed this awful predatory stuff and the ones who permit it! Bananas here!

Answer 4

I think it is a good idea that children ask what they want and get an honest answer, the problem would be about if the child asks a question that their parents don't want them to know about, like father christmas or sex or religion. That's the only thing, some people want to keep their children innocent for as long as possible.
I don't like the way we fill childrens heads with crap, like maths equations or binary numbers, and we punish them for not knowing the answer to a question that most adults don't (and nor do they want to) know. I think we should teach them worthwhile things.

Answer 5

Interesting point, but a lot of children lack the confidence and maturity to speak up in a group environment, especially young children.

I don't think they should replace all classes with this kind of learning, but as an additional 'subject' then yes I think it could be good.

Answer 6

Can we start by getting rid of the archaic practice of the daily act of christian worship in schools first? That would free up some time for your idea.

The main problem is lack of time. Already from KS2 modern langauges are due to be implemented soon. Some complain that there isn't enough space in the curriculum for PE. I can see good and bad things coming out of it - at the moment the curriculum is too regimented and too focused on testing. I wish I had a solution but sadly don't have one yet.

Answer 7

You go to school to learn....I may be misunderstanding....but you can't just have "Question Time" all day....teachers wouldnt have jobs nor would they need to go to school....and students have certain criteria they have to learn in order to meet standards with No Child Left Behind....if they don't meet that criteria then the school loses funding ....and children know they can ask their teachers anything and they will answer it....

Answer 8

What you're really saying, correct me if I'm wrong, is that you believe the national curriculam is tedious, detrimental & failing to achieve the desired result (i.e. well educated children), & that we need a rethink- a major over-haul, to establish a fresh/er, more radical, modern prospective?

Yeh, I agree with that...

Answer 9

Math and reading. These are the two areas that should be pushed from beginning to end. Everything else is just filler.

From these two areas, all others become attainable.

Answer 10

You are a prime example of a Blairite Socialist Zealot. Kindly leave, and start your own commune in the Outer Hebrides.

Answer 11

Sounds like a great idea,
Children are not minature grownups, let them be children.