For the average high school student, elementary and middle school may be a blur, as they probably spent most of their time counting down the minutes until recess or were concerned about petty drama. But high school is a totally different arena. After learning our A-B-Cs, 1-2-3s and dipping our toes in the subjects of math, science and history in elementary school, middle school pushed us to explore these subjects further at the deep end, leading to the ultimately swimming test–high school.
Upon entering high school, freshmen are relentlessly urged to join this club, play that sport and take these classes “for college.” They are introduced to the overwhelming competition that lives in schools across America. Students sacrifice their genuine interests and passions to pursue extracurricular activities that are unimportant to them and burden themselves with a heavy course load, packed with advanced classes that hold little to no personal meaning in order to “look good for colleges.” Many students are thus convinced that a perfect GPA, impeccable test scores and a truckload of extracurriculars guarantee admission to top colleges. All the while, elite colleges are beginning to de-emphasize standardized test scores in the college admission process.
It is highly unlikely for a student to leave high school having learned nothing. While some students may be blind to course material in the pursuit of the highly demanded “A,” they learn other things throughout the process. They figure out how to manage their time, study efficiently and potentially discover where their true passions lie. To say school is no longer a place of learning would be inappropriate. Rather, learning does take place, just not always in a traditional sense. Perhaps educating students on what particular colleges are really looking for will encourage them to pursue learning opportunities that hold a greater meaning to their character and enrich their lives. Integrating the principles of “unschooling” and “democratic schools”– where students are in charge of their own learning– with conventional schooling could potentially drive out the competition that drains the energy and passions of students across the country.
As with all systems, institutional education is not perfect. But with awareness comes change. It should be made point to tell students that it is unnecessary to burden themselves with the hefty weights of advanced classes and extracurriculars as colleges alter their admission processes to make post-secondary school more accessible. The countless hours spent studying for standardized tests can instead be utilized for the development of unique individuals with genuine interests, passions and a rekindled love for learning.
Photo: Nikhita S. via Unsplash
