School System – Learning Freely and Independently

School System – Learning Freely and Independently

People’s Thoughts:

„I just thought about the topic of school. As a teenager, it was an obligation for me—I didn’t want to go, but I had to… ( ) … Many children are not suited for school or the system and don’t want to go, but they have to… Am I wrong in thinking this?“

Maybe there are people who enjoy going to school. But there are also those who don’t. We can sugarcoat things as much as we want, or we can be honest with ourselves and choose a solution that actually suits us. Forcing children to believe that school is good through manipulation leads to frustration and self-denial.

Children either become rebellious or withdraw completely. We need to realize that each of us has a unique purpose in this world—a gift. When we are forced into a school system that does not nurture our talents, we go against our nature. We end up doing what others tell us to do.

Personal Experience

I see that the school system can change—free learning is developing. In my family, a teacher is fighting for a free system. And I emphasize fighting because, unfortunately, conservative voices are still too dominant. In her class, students are so enthusiastic that they don’t want to leave; some even want to go to school during the holidays.

I, on the other hand, never enjoyed school. The only thing that motivated me was the people around me. But waking up to an alarm clock every morning, following a system that didn’t align with my nature, left me feeling frustrated for years. I graduated with my Abitur—13 years of schooling. And yet, to this day, I don’t really know what I actually learned there. The only useful thing I still need is the rule of three, which I only learned in vocational school. Some people see it differently, but to me, school was a waste of time.

Approach

It is what it is—the school system is changing, but slowly. That means it’s in your hands to shape your life the way you want. It’s also in your hands to decide how your children grow up. But manipulating them into living against their own nature only fuels their inner struggles. And that should not be our goal. Instead, we should focus on how teachers can nurture students‘ talents and gifts. They should be prepared for life, not forced to learn things they despise.

In Germany, school attendance is mandatory by law. However, we can choose which school we send our children to. Nowadays, there are schools that adapt to a free and self-directed learning system.

Take a moment to reflect on these questions:

• How do I want to learn, and more importantly, what do I want to learn?
• Which school system can best nurture these gifts?
• How do I want my child to grow up, and what kind of environment should they have?
• What can I do to support free and independent learning?
• How do I feel about the decision to send my child to a traditional school?