By ESTHER RAMOS
Have you seen this commercial? How many of us enjoyed being in school? With the getting up early, and the dull teachers, and the repetitions of materials for those who didn’t pay attention to the first 4 explanations. Then, as young teenagers, the boys became rude, and the girls became giggly.
But did anyone ask you whether you enjoyed it or not? No! No they didn’t!
As a result of this, you figured out how to manage yourself and your problems in your own space. You learned by doing.
I’m not suggesting that we allow no latitude with regard to our children’s educations. But to me, denying them the opportunity to learn how to behave their way to success and to accomplishment, seems woefully short-sighted.
So I hear you saying “But I’m protecting little Johnny from . . .” so-and so. Yes. I know you believe that. But segregating your child’s schooling puts a temporary band-aid on a permanent condition.
In your own past, when did you learn to have a confidant? I’d bet it was in school. And probably in a particularly disagreeable or boring class.
I believe children need to know, at some point, that out in the real world, their bosses at work will never arrange for them a job to match their personal tastes. A bossman will simply fire the one who doesn’t do their job well.
I know there are many ways to tailor an education to fit the student. Very nice. And convenient. However, I submit to ya’all that, as a person with several “ conditions”, including learning and reading disabilities, when I began school in the mid 1950’s, nobody cared whether I was learning to read or not. If I couldn’t sit still in my chair they’d have me sit in the hall. If I was too anxious, I was sent to the principal. When I couldn’t slow my mind down enough to quit outrunning the teacher, again to the principal. Too distracted? I would simply fail the class.
I could not, and still cannot read aloud in a group of people. Teachers didn’t believe it then. Some don’t believe it now. That’s fine. I had no shortcuts, and no sympathy. Neither at school, nor at home. But I survived.
It made me determined, and a little bit mean. I figured out how to gain and to retain information. Yes, I became an outsider. I didn’t have friends at school, but I still know the information we all had to know to pass 3rd grade, 5th grade, 9th grade, anatomy, geometry, etc.
I learn things in a different way. It’s not easy, but it seems to work fine. I’ve been able to do almost everything I’ve needed to do so far, and fairly successfully.
I’m still an outsider who reads poorly. When I have to read and understand a document quickly, I get somebody else to read it and tell me what it says. It doesn’t bother me to do that, even though it might bother them.
I know if I had been coddled through school, I would not be able to intellectually defend myself now. I’ve got a small group of friends whom I enjoy immensely, and I’m sure they don’t realize how much they’ve helped me to hide my deficits over the years. So I remain scatter-brained, with notebooks and lists that remind me of what I’m supposed to be doing, and friends that I contact to center myself.
And NO. I did not enjoy school!
