Schools are often likened to assembly lines where students are processed through the education system with a focus on producing a workforce that can contribute to the economy. As Sir Ken Robinson, an expert on creativity and education, notes, "The problem is that our education systems have been built on the model of fast food. This is where you stand in line, and you get what you are given, whether you like it or not." Such an assembly-line approach to teaching and learning, whose primary goal has been to produce skilled workers who can meet the demands of the job market, has led to the notion that our schools are simply places where students are viewed as products.
The industrialization of education is a concept that has been discussed by several authors. Ivan Illich, a philosopher and social critic, wrote in his 1971 book "Deschooling Society" that schools are part of a system that creates a dependency on formal education and that they perpetuate the values of consumer society. He argues that schools are factories that produce people who are dependent on institutions and experts, and that this dependence limits their ability to think for themselves.
The impact of this assembly-line approach to education is visible in the high levels of stress and anxiety that students experience. According to a survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, stress levels among teenagers have reached an all-time high. In fact, the survey found that stress levels among teenagers are higher than those of adults. This is partly due to the high-pressure environment in schools, where success is often defined by grades and students are expected to perform well academically and excel in standardized tests.This pressure to succeed can also lead to a fear of failure and a reluctance to take risks or explore new ideas.
Furthermore, this approach to education can result in creating students who lack the skills necessary to thrive in the real world. In a world where innovation, creativity, and critical thinking are valued, students who have been taught to follow rules and memorize information are ill-equipped to succeed. As noted by Tony Wagner, a senior research fellow at the Learning Policy Institute, "The world no longer cares about what you know; it's all about what you can do with what you know." In his book "The Global Achievement Gap," Tony Wagner argues that the current education system is designed to produce compliant workers, rather than creative problem-solvers who can adapt to the challenges of the modern world. He suggests that the focus on standardized testing and memorization of facts has led to a lack of critical thinking and creativity in students.
In a 2010 survey by IBM, which interviewed 1,500 CEOs from 60 countries and 33 industries, creativity was identified as the most important leadership quality for the future. However, the current education system often fails to foster creativity and collaboration, as students are taught to memorize facts and regurgitate them on tests, rather than to think creatively and work collaboratively.
Finally, the emphasis on vocational training and academic achievement has resulted in a neglect of character development and social skills. In his book "Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire," Rafe Esquith argues that teachers need to focus on character development as much as academic achievement. He suggests that students need to be taught values such as honesty, responsibility, and empathy, and that this will lead to better academic outcomes in the long run.
It is clear that by focusing solely on academic achievement, schools are ignoring other important aspects of learning, such as character building, creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and compassion. It is time for a completely new approach to education, one that recognizes and nurtures the individual strengths and talents of each student. Schools need to shift their focus towards a more personalized approach to education and prioritize character development and social skills, as well as creativity, alongside academic achievement and vocational training.
References:
American Psychological Association. (2014). Stress in America: Are teens adopting adults' stress habits? Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2013/stress-report.pdf
Esquith, R. (2007). Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire: The Methods and Madness Inside Room 56. New York: Penguin.
IBM. (2010). Capitalizing on Complexity: Insights from the Global Chief Executive Officer Study
Illich, I. (1971). Deschooling Society. New York: Harper & Row.
Wagner, T. (2008). The Global Achievement Gap: Why Even Our Best Schools Don't Teach the New Survival Skills Our Children Need—and What We Can Do About It. New York: Basic Books.
