Comments on: In a class of her own http://www.blogistan.co.uk/blog/mt.php/2006/09/17/in_a_class_of_her_own Politics, tech and media issues from a Muslim perspective Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:32:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Richard http://www.blogistan.co.uk/blog/mt.php/2006/09/17/in_a_class_of_her_own#comment-3989 Richard Mon, 25 Sep 2006 19:48:07 +0000 http://www.blogistan.co.uk/ijwp/mt.php/2006/09/17/in_a_class_of_her_own#comment-3989 The modern education system was invented in the middle of the last century, during the industrial revolution for a specific and well-publicised reason: to destroy any sense of wonder or imagination a child might have and prepare them for a life of unrewarding drudgery in a shop, an office or a factory. Read Hard Times, by Charles Dickens. What reasonable person would sit in an office eight hours a day (with half an hour for lunch), performing a set of routine tasks that would drive a chimpanzee mad. It takes years of indoctrination by the state. Hence the futile years wasted in the prison cell of a classroom when little children are forced to spend trying to memorise facts and figures about the kings and queens of England. Step out of line - question the context - and you are punished with isolation or humiliation or expulsion. A bit like telling your boss you don't want to work this weekend. Any bright child can learn literacy and numeracy skills (or even a foreign language) in a matter of weeks. And we learn from our parents, not from teachers. The modern education system was invented in the middle of the last century, during the industrial revolution for a specific and well-publicised reason: to destroy any sense of wonder or imagination a child might have and prepare them for a life of unrewarding drudgery in a shop, an office or a factory. Read Hard Times, by Charles Dickens.

What reasonable person would sit in an office eight hours a day (with half an hour for lunch), performing a set of routine tasks that would drive a chimpanzee mad. It takes years of indoctrination by the state.

Hence the futile years wasted in the prison cell of a classroom when little children are forced to spend trying to memorise facts and figures about the kings and queens of England. Step out of line - question the context - and you are punished with isolation or humiliation or expulsion. A bit like telling your boss you don’t want to work this weekend.

Any bright child can learn literacy and numeracy skills (or even a foreign language) in a matter of weeks. And we learn from our parents, not from teachers.

]]> By: Old Pickler http://www.blogistan.co.uk/blog/mt.php/2006/09/17/in_a_class_of_her_own#comment-3988 Old Pickler Wed, 20 Sep 2006 18:03:14 +0000 http://www.blogistan.co.uk/ijwp/mt.php/2006/09/17/in_a_class_of_her_own#comment-3988 It depends on the home and the school. Generally I'd say it was better for children to be at school, but these days schools don't encourage individuality because there are so many tests and so many boxes to tick. When I think of homeschooling I think of Ruth Lawrence and other hothoused kids. It depends on the home and the school. Generally I’d say it was better for children to be at school, but these days schools don’t encourage individuality because there are so many tests and so many boxes to tick.

When I think of homeschooling I think of Ruth Lawrence and other hothoused kids.

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