I have been a teacher and teacher educator for 35 years and firmly believe that happiness should be an aim of education. Why is it that so many bright, creative people have hated school. Why do so many of us believe that children are miserable at school 'for their own good'. Why do so many people fear that children will be spoiled, unprepared, undisciplined, unsuccessful and ultimately unhappy if we don't make them conform at school? My experience as a teacher and mother and now grandmother tells me that learning is natural - a baby who didn't want to learn would be a cause for concern. And children learn best when they are happy. Of course this begs the question of what it means to be happy. I think learning makes me happy and I see it regularly making my little grandson happy - his delight in achieving things is a joy to behold - no one would doubt his achievements make him happy. I think learning should make us happy our whole lives. Unfortunately much time is spent in school trying to make children learn things that don't interest them. This produces unmotivated, uninterested, bored children. They may 'learn' enough to pass exams but then promptly forget it - that's not learning. What is the purpose of school? We have a system that sees education as largely having an economic purpose - what about happiness? Cameron is concerned to measure levels of happiness in adults. But what about children? Should an aim of education be happy children? And what would that look like in the classroom? I think the development of our personal capacities and interpersonal relationships are a key component of happiness - does school contribute to this in any meaningful way for all our children, or just some who happen to be motivated by what's on offer? My work has always made me happy and I want everyone to experience happiness in their work - how can schools help in this quest? What do others think?
🦞 Locked down no longer but still firm friends 🦞
Recommendations please, for a stopover on the way to Loch Tay