The School Experience

My experiences in primary and secondary education were not the most enjoyable. Nor would I describe them as productive. It wasn’t completely bad, but all that was good is dwarfed by the negative aspects my time in American public schools.

My ability to learn (or at least learn effectively) was hindered by two forces. The first was the nature of how schools were structured. When I was younger, no one knew what to do with kids like me. I had that weird combination of a learning disability and above average intelligence. The extent of my capabilities was never expressed through grades or daily homework assignments. Curriculum was not formatted in a way that catered to my learning style. Teachers and administrators expected me to conform to meet their needs, rather than becoming creative to meet my needs.

The second force that made my education less than stellar was beyond the control of the schools. I had the intellectual capabilities to do what needed to be done. Yet socially, culturally, and economically speaking, I was disadvantaged – especially when compared to other students in my district. That left me with fewer opportunities due to financial restrictions or social ineptitude. It is hard to focus on the role of a learner when you’re constantly bullied or do not have the funds to attend extracurricular functions with the rest of you class.

After high school, and throughout my adult life, I have had to pursue my own learning to make up for what I missed through formal education. Even in college classes, I have thrived most in environments that were the least structured.

A lot has changed in the last twenty to thirty years. If educators knew then what we know now, I think my experiences could have been more successful and rewarding. Unfortunately, I look at the schools my kids attend now and not much has changed. The ridged application of lecture and homework is still designed to teach to the test. Budgets continue to shrink. And schools progressively see reduced value in arts and athletics.

Even with my disappointments, I see hope. Schools have better supports to help disadvantaged kids and students with disabilities. Classrooms are beginning to incorporate technology in daily lessons. And there are a variety of options from magnet schools to online education to meet a wider variety of student needs and interests. The more schools begin to shift their priorities to be student-centric and less focused on standardized test results, the better our schools will be suited to meet the needs of all students.