Canadain society places value on successful education. From our first few years in elementary school to our adult life, passing the grade and being a great student is a measurement of worth.
But what does it really mean, and could the "successful student" be just a label for those of us with a set personality disposition. A personality that fits into the mould of our expections within the boundaries of our education system.
At the elementary level I was an honour student, a model student, I raised my hand often, followed direction, did my homework, and tried to please and impress my teachers. All of these brought me awards, praise and ease of transition into the higher grades. But it left me lacking in one area. Confidence in my own way of thinking.
Once I hit highschool the need to please others had vanished, I feel into a difficult reality of being myself, or moulding myself for the continued label of the model student. Nolonger was the world black and white, nolonger we're teachers perfect, nolonger was authority always fair and just.
I could now read between the lines of political, and educational misjustice. I became more questioning, more assertive and less likely to follow ones lead. Therefore I became a challenge student. Difficult, too direct, too opinionated, and too outspoken for the likes of many teachers.
Independent thought raises to chaos.
My "model student label" vanished to the way side, and although I was still doing fine academically (except for spelling of couse) I struggled with just getting along with the authorities. Did that make me less intelligent? No, of course not.
Therefore why do we look at the quiet, shy, non disruptive children and adults as success students. It is much easier to speak only when asked, answer questions with only what is taught and rewrite only what is written.
Is it not true that the world was once thought to be flat, and that medicine was only a practice for men. Those who had great discoveries, wrote amazing books, and build unheard of flying machines we're not model students. They challege the masses in their narrow thinking, they causes choas and discord. Therefore lets stop expecting our kids to be successful students, giving them drugs for attention disorders, and praising straight A,s. And if they are a "model student," then all we truly know about them is that they can sit quietly for long periods, listen too direction, and rewrite, and reverbalize what has already been said and done.
Besides any really great teachers out there always loved a challenge. Let's encourage all types of personalities, and find worth in all of them.
