Reflecting On My Own Schooling
I was good at school. Don't mistake that for arrogance—it's more nuanced. I was that compliant kid who aced formulaic tasks and thrived on gold stars. Sure, I had a few squirms against the system but all it took was the threat of parental disappointment and I was back on track.
I generally liked school and looked forward to going. A handful of motivating teachers, dependable friends, and routine affirmations through grades and competitive victories ensured that. I definitely had some disagreeable teachers, awkward social moments, and spent excessive hours doodling but either way, I didn’t know any differently and would rate the whole experience as just fine.
Pre-K - A double-wide trailer in Wyoming with ~20 kids.
Elementary (K-5) - Wyoming public school with ~25 kids/grade.
Middle (6-8) - Wyoming public school with the same ~25 kids/grade.
High (9-12) - Connecticut private boarding school with ~150 kids/grade.
Bachelor’s - Virginia private college with 3,000 students.
Looking back now in my 30s…
Objectively, my schooling did what it was designed to do. I learned the fundamentals, got excellent grades, went to college, was employed full-time within a year of graduating, and am now an upstanding, tax-paying citizen and consumer. By society’s definition, I’m a successful system output.
Looking back, what I wish were different is the sheer amount of time spent in school. The time-value of learning seems way off. Learning will always be inherently inefficient because it’s the trial and error that leads to comprehension. However, ~6 hours a day * 5 days a week * 180 weeks per year * 13 years (+ college) is a ton of time spent in a formal classroom. Much of that time was waiting for others, or bored with the content, or gaming the system to do the least amount possible for the highest grade. As far as I can tell, fixed time has no correlation with learning outcomes. Fixed time actually guarantees variable mastery for the group. At some level, it was a day care.
I did what I needed to get As and little more. See question, answer question. My hand shot up at any cue, a Pavlovian response to the classroom's operant conditioning. I spent nearly zero time being curious about something that wasn’t going to be graded.
I grew up loving to read and left school hating to read. I regularly read past 3 a.m. as a child, completely engrossed in stories. Come high school, SparkNotes became my go-to. After graduating college, I didn’t read a single book for 5 years.
I graduated with little idea what I was truly interested in. Like many, I walked into the real-world with little more than vague notions of being "good at business and tech." My career choices felt more like following the herd than blazing my own trail. Again, zero effort was spent on uninhibited curiosity.
I have retained very little of what I learned. Despite the high grades and accolades, what have I truly retained? If I'm being honest, not much more than the average person. Sure, I gained intangibles but my inability to recount basic American history, classic literature, or math beyond algebra is embarrassing considering how much time was dedicated to learning those things.
Teachers could ignite and douse interest. I loved calculus and physics until dull teachers and prescribed textbooks zapped the life out of them. Nearly all motivation was intensely correlated with my level of respect for the teacher. I’m not looking to point a finger for my own motivational shortcomings but this was unquestionably something I noticed.
What is success?
The diplomas, accolades, and grade-point averages serve as road markers on a journey we are often told equates to success. However, I’ve come to realize that success is not monolithic. It's not only subjective from person to person, but it can also evolve at different life stages for the same individual. While societal achievements can open doors, I'm convinced that it's our continual pursuit of knowledge and insatiable curiosity that truly enriches our lives. This doesn't mean abandoning the principles of hard work, financial stability, or societal contribution.
In my view, a more thoughtful approach to education could spur innovation on scales we've yet to imagine, producing not only wealth but also a deeper sense of collective fulfillment. In hindsight, I wish I'd cultivated my curiosity with as much fervor as I'd chased those As. However, the existing system doesn’t facilitate an environment to grow genuine interest. In many ways, it is a headwind against true personal fulfillment instead of the tailwind it’s advertised to be.
It makes me wonder:
- What content is truly critical for a K-12 student to learn?
- How efficient can you make learning that critical content?
- Is school fundamentally a day care?
- What different definitions of success do parents have for their children?
- Is delaying exposure to the "real world" a good thing?