Having a four year old at
Kinder we’re starting to look at schools. The Transition Program has started
already, and it’s only March. There is a great deal of emphasis on ensuring
each child is comfortable and at ease for this huge change in life.
Some schools start their
transition visits next month, and a part of me is crying out “Can’t they just
enjoy being four?” What’s the rush, I ask? But perhaps those schools aren’t for
us.
We had a lovely time
recently at a local school fair and for the first time ever my son left my side
to chase other boys around the yard. It was water pistols at 20 feet for an
hour and a half. Coincidentally I chose to get some shade at the stall that was
run by the Prep teacher and now I’m loaded up with brochures on ‘The Friendly
School’.
As a result, when we drive
past that school now, McEwan says ‘That’s my school I’m going to with Rider’.
Even when we point out other schools, and other friends going to it, he’s quite
determined. It’s very sweet and reassuring to see his confidence and certainty.
What I like about this
school that we’ll probably choose is the continued emphasis on creativity and
fostering individual interests. Toddlers learn that imagination and exploration
of their world is so important. Just look at all the toys that are made to
encourage these skills.
We are also, much to the
parents’ relief, reassured about differences in development as each child is
expected to be at different levels of capability. For a while I was concerned
that McEwan was ‘behind’ in his counting because he showed no interest at all
in counting to 20 and all his little mates did. But recently he nailed it, and
proceeded to count every item in the house for days on end: the stairs, his
cars, the peas, and was hitting his stride in the 30’s and 40’s and on and on.
I imagine the transition
into High School from Primary is also implemented with such support, care and
attention to the child’s comfort.
However, I am starting to
question how well we transition teenagers into the real world from High School.
I started to ponder this whole issue a few weeks back when at the chemist.
Poor McEwan. The dentist has
told him to stop sucking his thumb as he has changed the shape of his mouth and
his new teeth won’t have enough room to grow in. So now I’m taking this
seriously. We’ve tried consequences and rewards-but have realised it’s not
behaviour; it’s a habit.
I had finally decided to
buy the nasty tasting stuff that you put on your nails. It’s pretty drastic for
all of us.
The young sales girl
assured me I had chosen the right product. ‘Oh yes, I used to bite my nails
terribly’ she said. “It worked really well and I stopped. Oh, except for Year
Twelve, at exam time. It didn’t work then.”
Well, that stopped me in my
tracks. How could something have been allowed to become so stressful for
someone at such a young age? Why did she feel so much pressure that something
that was previously toxic to her became powerless to help? Where was the
support and transition program in place to ensure that this girl felt
comfortable and excited to be taking the next step in life?
What I want to ask is this:
why does the Education System transform from encouraging creativity and
imagination in young children to squishing it with stressful exams and
unreasonable pressure to perform and be rated in boxed-in comparisons with
others?
And now I wonder if perhaps
parents haven’t been helping either? Can’t we take a lesson from our younger
years and foster individualism and creativity in our teenagers too? Surely Blue
and Pink hair is just another great drawing brought home to show mum and dad.
At what point do parents change from being proud of their children’s artistic
abilities and self-expression to grounding them for it? Do you have an insight
for me?
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