School is back

today and there is the inevitable picture of some of those attending school for the first time. This time it is two sets of twins, cousins, who will all be attending the same school.

I looked at them. Yes, nice looking "normal" (whatever that might mean) children who are about to start on a tough journey.

I would not want to be a child starting school now. My start at school was so very different. Perhaps it was not quite the same as that of many other children but mine and theirs was very different. 

I started school before anyone had a computer at home. The "internet" was unheard of. There were still many people who did not have as much as home telephone. There was no television. By no means everyone had a car. If you wanted money you went to the bank with your pass book and so much more.

And no, I am not really "that old". It is just that enormous "progress" has been made in my lifetime. I wonder about that progress sometimes. The internet has allowed me to work from home and that allowed me to care for my parents. The phone I use is not a fixed line now. It can go anywhere there is a "signal" and I can talk to people anywhere in the world there is another "signal". There is no need to go through an "operator" or "telephonist" or limit the call to three minutes.  All that is good.

I will not dwell on the harm that has also come about because of all this. It is enough to say that much of this has also brought out the worst in human nature.

There are some things from the past however it seems we might return to and recognise as not such a bad thing. Curiously one of those things is at school. It seems there is an increasing return to "four straight rows facing the board". It may not be an actual blackboard any more but I know that, given a choice, I would set up a classroom this way. 

I would do it not because I am "old fashioned" (although perhaps I am) but because I really do believe it is the best arrangement to encourage learning. It would not necessarily mean it always had to be that way but it would mean that when I was teaching the students would be looking at me. Having students twisting around in their desks to see the teacher is surely not comfortable or conducive to learning. Discipline is more effective too if a child is facing you and not making faces at the child opposite. I would not want "sets" or "groups" or "tables" when teaching is being done. Leave that for the occasional group activity. They are important too...just not all the time. 

I do not envy the child starting school now. I just hope they might find themselves back in the past - at least some of the time.