by Michael Andoscia

Created on: June 27, 2008

My son was 1 when I started teaching him the ABC's. I wrote three letters on his magnadoodle and had him point them out. But he would follow me around with the magnadoodle and hound me until I did the ABC's with him, "Daddy...Daddy...ABCeees...ABCeeees." It was to the point that I could hardly get my own work done. He was so excited about learning something new that he hounded me to perform what were, in essence, school lessons. Within three months he had all of the letters down to the point that learning ABC's was no longer exciting for him. He stopped hounding me...about the ABC's.

My point in this story is that he was so excited to learn. He went out of his way to learn. I'm a teacher at the high school and college level, and I must say that it is rare to find kids who are as passionate about learning as my little boy was at one. What happened? Is my son some exception to the rule? I really don't think so. Spending most of my time with students I can say that, when it comes to learning, most of the kids I've ever worked with have exhibited a profound lack of curiosity. At least when it comes to what is being taught in schools.

Oh, there's plenty of curiosity about other things, the opposite sex, cars, video games. Kids display infinite curiosity...just not for school lessons.

Why is this?

I'm currently working on a non-fiction topic called Teaching Heresies in which I explore this issue. Why do kids hate school? The answer is...because they love to learn. An analysis of schools does not make sense from the perspective of learning institutions. What actual learning takes place in schools usually does so despite the institution, not because of it. Schools are institutions of conformity and social sorting. They are rituals which all children must suffer, after all, I had to go to school...and hated it; you had to go to school...and hated it; so why shouldn't Junior have to go to school...and hate it?

What makes children curious? Children are curious when faced with 1. Novelty 2. Freedom to explore that novelty 3. The prospects of successful understanding. What helps a kid learn? 1. Freedom 2. Choice 3. Guidance from a patient mentor 4. Past successes.

How do schools teach? What novelty is introduced in schools is mostly lost to the mundane sameness of the presentation of new material. "OK, students, we are starting a new chapter today!" "Yeah. Wow. Can't wait." Freedom to explore is utterly destroyed by standardized curricula and assessment. The prospects of successful

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