Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.
Spending time in the school system, can polarize your views on education. It has left me somewhat ambivalent. Which is not to say I'm indifferent, quite the opposite. I find myself feeling quite strongly about two opposing ideas. On the one hand you want to tailor education to each little fella. You don't want to be making any little fishes in your class climb trees. Yet on the other hand you have a mini world in your room and you need to have a common platform for you all to communicate.
I think finding the right school that suits your child's personality is pretty key. The first high school I attended was a selective school. The focus of the school was maths and science and I found this didn't quite suit my Doc Martens mentality. I went on a drama camp and discovered a group of quirky people that were at a High School of Performing Arts, in Newtown, Sydney. My eyes sparkled and conjured up images of youth in sweatbands and leg warmers, excitedly kicking up their heels down the school halls singing 'Fame I want to live forever!'. This wasn't that far from the truth and I felt instantly at home there. The drama block was a beautifully old creaking building, with heavy well worn wooden stairs and large windows that gaze onto the eclectic sea of King St. I spent many hours drawing at the foot of those stairs. Opposite the school was a Hare Krishna place, you could sit crossed legged and score a free lunch. We found a large table in a cafe across the road and would camp out there at lunch and spare periods. 'Here comes the kids!', they would say. I loved every second of it. I'm sure its what got me into university, certainly not my maths or science marks. I often wonder how things would have turned out if I hadn't found my little world at Newtown. If I hadn't taken that path less travelled. If I had tried to conform to the mentality of the first school. I also often think of my english teacher and the significant effect she had on me. I was easily distracted by the world around me (still am really) and when I hadn't turned in an assignment, I remember her speaking to me outside of class. Strongly nudging me to get myself focused. I admired her, trusted her and listened to what she had to say. I credit her with my English mark. As a teacher myself now, I often remind myself of her support and the need to make connections with students. To understand and find their talents and to keep on them till the final bell.
Now I wonder what my little man (now 8 months) will want to be, in trees or rivers. We will have to help him find his world, when the time comes. Lets hope our current shift in education reform doesn't just mimic the words of Einstein but tries to instill its philosophy.
