Seems to me that society is constantly seeking to push the envelope regarding elementary and middle school education. The first thing that comes to mind is an age-old adage.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Nowadays there is a significant push to include gender education in elementary schools. But that… is a topic for another article, and will not be discussed here.
Recently I spoke with a family friend, mother of two elementary school children. The eldest is about to enter middle school, and the mother expressed concern that the school was attempting to pigeonhole middle school students according to career interests.
Really?
My mind went back to when I was in high school, and was thinking about a career. I spoke to a school counselor, and she suggested engineering, since I was good at math. But prior to high school, the last thing on my mind was a career.
I was too busy being a kid.
Adult (to an 11- year old entering middle school): “So, Johnny… what do you want to be when you grow up?”
Johnny: “I want to be a Pediatric Virologist with subspecialties in Epidemiology and Molecular Medicine.”
Adult: “Ok. You will be in curriculum 304-B. Next!…”
Most 11-year olds I’ve ever engaged have either wanted to be astronauts, firemen, cowboys, or all of the above. Many times this changes from week to week.
To my surprise, most articles I have read about the subject are totally in favor of career education beginning in middle school. To be clear… while I do not completely disagree with the idea, I cannot get totally on board with the notion of holding pre-teens to career “decisions” expressed at that stage.
Technology has changed. The normal growing up process should not. Why force our adult perspectives on kids?
I remember an old movie where a group of moms were observing their kids playing in a sandbox at the park. While the kids were gleefully being kids, their moms were competing about “little Johnny” playing Mozart at age 4, while the other countered with “little Sally” learning Mandarin at age 3.
Eventually the vast majority of us eventually figure out what to do with our lives, including our field of study.
What’s the hurry? Let kids be kids.