INTRO We run counter-culture, counter-business schools. That means our business model doesnt make the best business sense. STUDENTS INTAKE Our schools have very good students who are there after spending years at international schools. Our schools also have some students who are there not by choice, but because they cannot be admitted to any public schools. Do we, for the benefit of having the best business model, accept only the intelligent, rich and well-behaved students since theyre easier to manage and pay their fees on time? Or do we accept all the ADHD, schizophrenic and pupils from bad family backgrounds? The ones who are not just harder to manage in class, but even their parents (or for many, not parents, only guardians) are hard to deal with? Since in monetary terms, they ARE costlier to the business? CATEGORIZING STUDENTS Do we, for the benefit of easier teaching, separate them according to their learning capabilities? When we separate them into their different standards, are we planting in their subconscious minds that in life, they will be placed into caste-like systems that they belong to a slower or socially less acceptable group? That just like in school, there’d be a high chance that they will be outcasts or in a lower caste in society? WHAT HAPPENS IN CLASS In class, do we only praise the good students and encourage them as role models? Or do we also make intentional efforts to EMPHASIZE on praising the slower students for their effort in trying? Or do we, like most traditional teachers, shame them for being the ones who are naughty and disrupt the class? Make them stand outside and cause them to further lapse in their learning? Ask them to reflect on their own when theyre too young to do any reflections or processing on their own? Since all they know is theyre not being loved? They dont even know what are or why they have emotions! Or if you are perceptive enough, do you realize that by shaming the weaker/slower/naughty students, we are indirectly setting examples for the good students that they should treat bad students in a certain manner? Or do we put in the effort to set the example that good students also have the responsibility to be kind and compassionate to other students in class? That instead of dissing, good students also has the responsibility to encourage and nurture those weaker then them? ON COMPASSION Why is compassion so hard to teach or nurture? Is it really so hard to teach? Or is it because we’ve all been subconsciously “brainwashed” since young? Think about it. Since young… “NOBODY WANTS TO BE LABELLED OR SEEN AS THE BAD KID.” When we grow up to be teachers/parents… “I DON’T WANT MY SMART CHILD TO BE INFLUENCED BY BEING IN THE SAME CLASS AS THE BAD KID.” As a result… “THE LACK OF COMPASSION CONTINUES.” Come on, let’s not cheat ourselves. What’s the point of teaching compassion by getting the students to serve community service once a year, once a quarter, or even once a week, when they don’t get to practice doing it in their natural (school/home) environments/oikos/spheres of influence? ON A SIMILAR STANCE I like this simple comparison --- “I don’t like Christians/donating to charity/doing community service/etc because I still see many people with poor attitudes there.” That statement almost has the same effect as saying, “I don’t like going to the gym because I can see many fat people there.” If certain places are supposed to house only perfect people, then where can the entire mankind go? CONCLUSION For some reason, we may never be known as running the best schools. But we know were doing the right thing. Little bit at a time. (Btw, the weaker students do get extra attention outside class through counseling and discussions with their parents. And the better students do get their space to excel in enrichment classes provided. Win-win. But what happens during their USUAL/natural class sessions is still the best space to build their characters…)
Posted on: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 07:24:41 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015