By Maggie Foight In class we learn about mathematics, the way government and countries function, how to craft a perfect essay. We know how gravity works, how to graph a point from an equation and how to distinguish an animal cell from a plant cell. It’s all a part of a set system, learn this, test that, but don’t we absorb much more than facts and figures at school? It’s expected that we memorize multiplication tables and word roots, but the standards don’t include learning how to argue civilly, how to respect one another or how to have a sense of competition alongside companionship. These values are taught not through worksheets and multiple-choice tests, but they are nonetheless “graded” by teachers and peers alike. Think about it -- how many close friends do you have that you argue with on a daily or more-than-daily basis? Do you get detentions or reprimanding in return from teachers you show disdain for? Are you close with students from rival schools, or do you boo them from the stands during sporting events? We evaluate each other based on qualities that aren’t taught through curriculums. We don’t focus on and judge our peers based on a test or an essay. As people we assess personalities, not GPAs. Non-specialized employers think this way as well; there aren’t many jobs teenagers can have, but those that we can hold are typically taken by students with civil, respectable and competitive yet friendly personalities. Since this is the norm pretty much all around the world, doesn’t it make sense that we teach our students these lessons over those that aren’t considered in the big picture? Some may argue that these traditional lessons -- about long division, the periodic table, the Revolutionary War -- teach invaluable lessons about patience, determination and honor. This isn’t untrue though other lessons should be drilled into students as well. One answer to this personality crisis could be through another class. Maybe we create another Bulldog Period-like situation, but on a different day, perhaps? We could host school-wide debates and invite speakers in from our community to have them share their stories. We could host small-scale competitions with other schools, like coloring or costume contests, to boost our sportsmanship abilities. Everyone at school has a personality trait they’d like to change. However, it’s difficult to make change when our social environment is fostering that negative trait. In order to really make a difference in our characters, we need to support each other and teach each other how to be people we would really want to be. Who knows! Maybe the student sitting next to you in math class can teach you a thing or two. Photos Courtesy Of: pixabay.com; The Blue Diamond Gallery
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Elena Caputo
Hi! My name is Elena, and I'm a senior at Wilson and one of the Editors of the Editorial section. If you have any questions or ideas or if you want to write, email me at [email protected]! Olivia MonosHello! My name is Olivia and I'm a junior this year, and one of the editors of the Editorial section! I'm really excited to write for the Paw Print again this year!
Archives
December 2019
Categories |