Opinion – the necessity of going to school

I have heard students ask why they need to go to school.  Many honestly do not understand the need to know who Oliver Cromwell was and the fact that Suriname is part of South America, one of nine countries that have a land border with Brazil.  Why do they need to go to school?  What are they learning there?

I would like to opine that students go to school to learn.  However, they are not just there to learn what books have to offer.  Rather, they are there to also learn life skills.  For one thing, they are learning how to learn.  By having to sit through subjects that are of no interest to them, they are learning how to cope with challenges.  Learning to pay attention to something that holds little interest for them can prepare them for the future when they might find themselves in similar situations.

A varied curriculum also allows a young person to discover his skills and talents.  Whatever he finds interesting, be it math or geography or language, could become his life’s work.  School offers a safe place for young people to learn about themselves and about the things they are good at.

School is also a place to make friends and learn to deal with those who hold opposing views and beliefs.  Under the guidance of professional educators, youngsters can safely define themselves through the acquaintances they make.  Watching their peers and understanding their own feelings towards the behaviour of those around them help students to mold themselves into the kind of person they want to be.

A good teacher, in my opinion, is one who looks beyond the books, homework and tests and makes the effort to help students grow into the sort of people who will fit well into society.  A good teacher will harness the rebelliousness of a young person and channel that aggression into something positive.  School is a place where students can safely push the boundaries and learn what the consequences are for their actions.

These are a few of the things I’ve said to students who have asked me why they need to go to school.  While it’s simply the opinion of just one person, many of those students seemed to understand and agree with my point of view.