HW 40 - School Interviews x 5 & Synthesis

Interview: Making school better

Do you like school? Why?

Hmm Yeah I guess, because of my friends. That is the only thing that makes school better really.

What can be done to make your school experience better?

Burn it down and kill the teachers. Teachers suck because even though I like school its annoying getting up in the morning.

If you could choose your own classes what would you take? (you can use your imagination)

Uhm..Wizard spells, photography, astrology, potion making, anything that is related to Harry Potter... Thats pretty much it.

How effective do you think school is?

I think it is very effective, because even to work in McDonnals you need to have some knowledge so yeah it is very effective.

What do you think are the biggest flaws of school?

Homework and bad teachers.

Define bad teachers?

Well, teachers that like put students down. And that doesn't help the kids at all.

If the school system were to change do you think children would like to go to school? why?

Yeah, because the school system we have now causes many children to drop out of school.

-Dahina

Interview: The experience of being a student

Tell me what was it like to be a student?

It depends on class, classmates and teachers. That is why because of some bad experiences I quit high school. I really enjoyed going to school until junior high. I found the reason why when I entered high school. I got separated from all my friends because I did not pass the exam to enter the high school I wanted, so I went to another one which was completely different and I didn't like it so I quit.

Do you think teachers make school better? why?

Sure, most students dont know why we have to go to school, but we have to study for the future and we have to build up our common sense and how to think in a public place. And I think we can't build up all these attributes without the good teachers in school.

Do you miss school?why?

Yeah, I mean actually I don't miss school itself but my classmates. Because they became very close friends of mine and we shared our minds together and we grew up together. And then I had the opportunity to reunite with my classmates twice a year and it was great to see them again.

Do you feel like you can build that special relationship with people you meet now?

I think its different, because I already have a solid way of thinking. The friends I made in school are people I grew up with so they had a really strong effect on me because I was growing up with them. People I hang out with now simple meet my expectations of a friend.

Did you ever felt depressed because of school?

I think I didn't until high school. Back then I was really depressed, I didn't like my classmates and my teachers. I felt like everything changed. My previous classmates naturally studied and got good grades, but the ones in high school only wanted to play around and I hated that.

Were you ever negatively affected by grades?

No, because my parents really didn't care about that. So how could I care about them. As a 10 year old boy I couldn't care about my grades because my teacher and my parents were now affected by it. I always has the worst grades specially in junior high. I was kind of a drop out since the beginning.

-Kenny

Interview: Pedagogic techniques - grading, testing, etc.

What are your general thoughts on pedagogic techniques?

I think the grading is stupid, because I don't think it shows your knowledge. It shows your responsibility and dedication but it doesn't show how much you know.

How does knowing that all the work you do in school will be graded feel like?

I think it is obvious that it is going to happen so I don't think anything of it. I think is actually fair because if its not graded then no one would do a good job.

Do you think those grades represent anything?

I already told you, it represents dedication not how much you know. If you get "F's" it doesn't mean you are stupid, just that you do not do your work.

What do you think grades and testing are for?

Grades are to show your work and dedication to school, and testing is to show what you know and what you don't know. I think school should be about learning not doing tests and such.

When taking a test what part of you do you think is being tested?

It could be many things, like how much you understand in class or how much you pay attention and study. They have to do something because it is not like kids can just go to school and do nothing.

How effective do you think grading is?

Well I don't think is effective because nothing comes out of it but it kinda is because it makers people work. It can make a person work and get into a good college, so I guess it teaches responsibility.

So do you think that good grades=good future?

Not necessarily but you do have better chances.

Do you agree that testing, grading, etc. may cause a negative impact to the student? why?

Yes, because students want to be successful. it really depends on what type of person you are, some people do not care if they get good grades or not. But others stress to much over getting good grades.

-My sister

Interview:The motivations of school - for the student, parent, teacher, system

How would you define motivation?

Whatever drives you to do something and keeps you on going.

What do you think motivates students and teachers to cooperate with the school system?

For teachers the paycheck, and for students basically because of the legal system behind it and because, I mean, I don't think school is that necessary, I think its more of a meeting people think. Because it is more like a social warehouse rather than a teaching warehouse.

As a student, what makes you wake up every morning to go to school?

Friends...Its a way for me to learn what is up with them. What are they doing. It is fun to be around them.

Do you think teachers teach because of the joy of it or because of the paycheck?Why do you think some do and why some don't?

Paycheck...Well some teachers actually like human interaction. They like the idea of being able to give something to other people and other teachers think they have no other career path...ha...

What do you think has to be done to motivate all children to go to school?

That is a hard one...Uhmm...I think having more interacting work instead of having them write essays all the time and doing homework, etc. I think that would really motivate them.

And how about teachers?

A bigger paycheck...I don't think teacher are truly appreciated for dealing with 34 kids 5 days a week for so many hours. I think that makes them tired. If they had a bigger paycheck they would definitely be more motivated.

Interview: School as machine for conquering and puppeteering a population

Do you consider the school system fair? why?

Yeah why not, I have no problems with it at all. Because it is reasonable that a child has to go to school in that way.

Do you think that school might be manipulating the population in some way? If so In what way?

I really dont know. I mean it could be possible but I do not know if it is true.

How different do you think your life would be if you had not gone to school?

Very different, I mean I would have still learnt many things if I hadn't gone on my own. But school is the place where you meet the people you grow up with and develope.

What do you think is the main idea school teaches to the population?

To be respinsible and organized. Also how important it is to have a social life and take care of it.

Why do you think almost everyone is in favor with the school system? Could this be brainwash?

Maybe it is but I don't feel like I am brainwashed in any way. I know all parents want to send their children to school because it is good for them and that might be brainwash but It feels like the right thing to do.

-father

Since the beginning of each interview I kind of anticipated each of their answers. I think this is because I know what type of people they are, and we all shared the same bad and good experiences of going to school. Until today I have never met anyone who has never gone to school. If most people have bad experiences in school, specially the ones that drop out why would they force their children to go?

The people I interviewed also agree that their children should go to school because it is effective. Although the only reason why they think this way is because they gained some knowledge in school (2+2=4) They still think it is very important to send all children to school.
I believe that the only thing that makes school better as a student's perspective are the friends they make in school. Growing up with other children and sharing their thoughts together (Kenny's interview) is truly positive effect on children. I think that is one of the greatest opportunities school offers.
Also from Bere's interview I got that kids interacting more with friends and classmates could truly motivates them to go to school everyday. Also her perspective on teachers is very similar to most people I have talked to. They see teachers are people who are doing this because they have to and not because they want to. It is their job to teach and our job to learn but things would be beter if both parties actually wanted to be there. At least both sides would feel more appreciated and motivated.
None of the people I interviewed and myself are against the school system. Indeed we do not like it nor enjoy it but we are not against it because somehow we truly believe it is good for us. And although school might make us depressed we still believe it is good for ourselves. This is just another example of one of my theories explaining how suffering is actually a positive sign for us.
We are and were students not because we wanted to but because we had to. Even if we drop out halfway through we still consider school as the place we belong when we are young. Most people do dream of living of living their lives freely out there somewhere but they would never go for it. Perhaps it could be because they are afraid of failing in the end or because they simply recognize it as a dream that will never come true. In other words freedom is just a dream that could never be achieved because we do not simply belong to it. We belong in school.