[elliotbnvl]

> The pandemic showed us exactly what children would prefer to do, when they don't have a physical teacher standing over them, which is bugger all.

This is not true. The pandemic showed us exactly what children who are accustomed to being force-fed information and whose natural learning mechanisms and curiosity have been suppressed in favor of a generalized one-size-fits-all approach do when suddenly removed from the only learning paradigm they've ever been exposed to.

My kids (not yet old enough for school) are extremely self-motivated to learn and explore the world around them. So am I, and that never went away over the course of a full homeschool education.

[infecto]

Totally incorrect. The vast majority of the population are relying on schools and teachers to potty train, teach manners, instill excitement for learning and basically do everything a parent should be doing. Large number of kids have no real parent figure and thats from all types of backgrounds. We are not talking about kids who have strong households where learning and general manners are being taught.

[elliotbnvl]

I agree with you, but fail to see how our viewpoints are mutually exclusive?

[infecto]

While different teaching styles have their pros and cons, and a more hands-on approach might yield better results, the problem over the past 5-10 years is that many children lack parental support. Regardless of the pedagogy style chosen, without parents providing a strong foundation, meaningful progress in the classroom is unlikely.

Your kids clearly have a present parent who is engaged, it is a stark difference to many other kids.

[elliotbnvl]

It seems like that’s a societal problem that should be tackled at a societal level, rather than a fundamental failing of students.

It’s not something schools can fix, regardless of the style of pedagogy chosen; so why not improve school in its area of focus, and introduce solutions to students’ home life at the same time?

Easier said than done, I know, but focusing on the wrong area will get even less done.

[dontlikeyoueith]

The ignorance of this post is astounding.

You and your kids are not typical of society at large.

[elliotbnvl]

Could you elaborate? I would like to be less ignorant, if possible.

I went to public high school, public community college, and college. None of these experiences have changed my opinion, but rather informed it.