Education !?!

A few weeks ago I watched a programme called “PopStars – Du und Ich”. It is one of these “casting shows” á la American Idol. The German “PopStars” shows are looking for bands, in this case, a duo. We were in the final phase of this year's series and I was amazed to see that there were still a lot of young people in the competition who could not carry a tune. When the coaches told them that they had not done very well, they were offended. They cried. They said it was not fair. They blamed it on their partner, the person they shared a room with, on PMS or a slight cold or the bad dinner.

Which reminds me of my students when I tell them off for not doing their duties. They could not do their homework because the dog had to be taken to the vet's. They could not produce a sentence without mistakes because the person they are sitting next to is making strange noises. And I am SO UNFAIR because I don't praise them for simply being there.

Back to PopStars. A couple has performed their song, did averagely and are interviewed afterwards. Their comment : “Well, the most important thing is that we have fun on the stage. And we did have a lot of fun !!!” Well, I don't quite agree. I think the people who are supposed to enjoy the performance are the audience. The singers' job is to sing and dance well and deliver a good show. Of course, it is ideal if they like what they are doing. But if they don't do well, they should listen to those who know better and learn from them.

The other day I had a talk with my students who complained about some of their teachers and said that the lessons with Mrs XYZ were no fun. Hey, I have got bad news for you: school is not supposed to be fun, your teachers are no stand-up comedians. You are supposed to LEARN something. Good, it you have fun sometimes, but it is not the main objective.

Okay, we don't want to go back to the old days of teachers beating and humiliating their students. But I think it is time that we get a bit more of the idea that there is no God given right to have a life of ever lasting fun. That most of it is hard work and learning to live with frustrations.

Another scene from my fifth years enhanced this impression that education is going into a wrong direction: It takes me five minutes to walk from the staff room to their classroom . I enter the classroom after the bell has rung and the kids have had five minutes time to get their English books out of their bags or locker. There are no English books on the desks. I tell them to stop fighting/throwing jackets out of the window/doing whatever they do during the break and get their books. One student says : “You haven't taken your book out of your bag yet, either !”

I beg your pardon? After about five seconds of being perplexed, I exploded. It is time that these kids learn that there are adults and kids, teachers and students, that I am 40 years older than they are and that means I am allowed to do a lot of things they are not.

Respect is a good thing, but it works both ways. I claim the right to be respected, too !