(no subject)
We went to observe one of the two fifth grade teachers today and OMG. I could feel the weight of the souls being crushed. John Holt spun in his grave.
The teacher was not terrible... he was polite to the kids and didn't seem overly intimidating or strict. But the teaching to the tests was very obvious, the activity was dull, there was no room for creativity or individual thought.
Of course, Bam really appreciates structure and has difficulty with certain kinds of tasks requiring a particular kind of imagination, so he might do well in that environment. And I think the stress of being in a small room with so many noisy, antsy kids definitely colored my view of the experience.
But ugh.
The teacher was not terrible... he was polite to the kids and didn't seem overly intimidating or strict. But the teaching to the tests was very obvious, the activity was dull, there was no room for creativity or individual thought.
Of course, Bam really appreciates structure and has difficulty with certain kinds of tasks requiring a particular kind of imagination, so he might do well in that environment. And I think the stress of being in a small room with so many noisy, antsy kids definitely colored my view of the experience.
But ugh.