School Days

Darrell Kidd
Aug 9, 2017 · 1 min read

It is the start of a new school year. High school students are ready to hear about all the rules and process and classes they are expected to conform to. Also, there is a certain pride and arrogance that comes with each new school year. It is not from the students, but from the teachers. The problem is that the teachers tend to forget that the students are not there for the teachers, neither is the building. The teachers, administrators and buildings are there for the students.

Why are high school students bored? High school is boring. Classes are taught without relevance to the student’s perceptions or passions. Details are taught without context. It is not the lack of structure, rather it is the over structured nature of our education system.

Imagine what might happen if, as teachers, we were to ask students what they are interested in? Their interests could be incorporated into the curriculum (although this would mean more work for the teachers).

Imagine giving students goals to achieve and an outline of steps to reach that goal (like World of Warcraft). The goals will not be easy, but they are achievable. And as students ‘level up’ the challenges become more difficult and the instructions have more ambiguity. Are students learning? Yes. Are students’ abilities challenged? Yes. Are students bored? No.

These are just a few thoughts as we are preparing to meet our students as the new year begins.