Monday, March 9, 2009

My School Boy Confession - School and Depressed Kids

Throughout my school career there was always a nagging little voice telling me to move away from what I was learning and to move toward things I was passionate about.

While I was in school, I always felt that the subjects taught were trying to break me down and somehow break my true human spirit. I always felt the conflict between trying to make people happy (teachers, parents etc) and always feeling that I did not want the boring existence that went along with mastering what I was being taught.

It was hard to ignore that voice but like all good students I eventually just put my nose to the grind stone and fought tooth and nail for high marks with my fellow students. What were we fighting for? What was our reward for our high marks? Are we happy?

Were you aware that there were no formal education systems in most countries prior to the industrial revolution? Were you aware that what is taught within our school systems is highly influenced by the needs of business people, who always seek to mass produce the skill sets necessary for their business ventures?

Are we taught just enough to work in a factory and just less than what we need to own the factory or make a living from our creative passions? Does our school system actually dumb us down? We know our school systems do not teach us anything about cooking, eating or growing healthy foods. Is our school system designed to make our children dependent on third parties for their survival? How is our spiritual and physical health connected to what is taught in our schools?

Have you ever had a passion you wished to pursue when you were young but were told, "you can't make a living at that"? Is it really true we couldn't make a living with our passions or is it true that North American capitalism just works better when evreyone is the same?

What was that little voice trying to tell me when I was in school? Is the violence our children are showing toward school a reflection of the spiritually unsatisfying job options that await them? Can our children literally smell a con job? Is this why so many children are depressed and not wanting to listen to what is being taught to them? Is it ADHD or is the curriculum the equivalent of spiritual suicide for our children?

With so many adults depressed and unhealthy, is it even logical that we expect our children to just follow the same processes that have already produced the most dysfunctional society in human history? Our children are smart and see the pain and boredom in most adults they come into contact with.

Many adults are depressed, overweight, medicated and generally unhappy. Are the depressed adults a mature function of the non-creative educational system they were exposed to during their childhoods? Does our education system sow the seeds of an unsatisfying life by teaching us to be afraid of "mistakes". Does our schools crush our creative and adventurous spirit? Is absence of spirit tied to an unhappy life?

If this discussion interests you, you may want to watch this video by a brilliant school teacher. Are you sure your children are being educated correctly so they become healthy and happy human beings? Sit back and watch. This is worth even 5 minutes, trust me.



Find yourself again at Physical Limits. Discover what is true once more. Call us at 613 932 4766. We are here when you are ready.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sending this to me, I was very inspired by what this teacher had to say....I believe he is absolutly correct in his findings.