Comments for tHiNkEr'S rOoM http://www.thinkersroom.com/blog Unique - just like everyone else. Manufactured and bottled in Kenya Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:15:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on The Trouble With School – I by Prousette http://www.thinkersroom.com/blog/2012/01/the-trouble-with-school-i/comment-page-1/#comment-137823 Prousette Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:15:00 +0000 http://www.thinkersroom.com/blog/2012/01/the-trouble-with-school-i/#comment-137823 Hi M *waving* I have heard a parent or two complaining that their children have closed school and they (the parents) are not sure to what to do with them during this free time. With such a mindset the school serves as a convenient place to leave our children while we are off to other pursuits. I do not recall that being a problem to my parents as during the school holidays our helper took time off to be with her own family. Hi M *waving*
I have heard a parent or two complaining that their children have closed school and they (the parents) are not sure to what to do with them during this free time. With such a mindset the school serves as a convenient place to leave our children while we are off to other pursuits.
I do not recall that being a problem to my parents as during the school holidays our helper took time off to be with her own family.

]]> Comment on The Trouble With School – I by Safariant http://www.thinkersroom.com/blog/2012/01/the-trouble-with-school-i/comment-page-1/#comment-137822 Safariant Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:08:00 +0000 http://www.thinkersroom.com/blog/2012/01/the-trouble-with-school-i/#comment-137822 Totally agree. Unfortunately this happens in many places. Very sad that this madness has arrived in sweet Kenya :( Totally agree. Unfortunately this happens in many places. Very sad that this madness has arrived in sweet Kenya :(

]]> Comment on Strategy For Dummies by Jacquie Kariuki http://www.thinkersroom.com/blog/2012/01/strategy-for-dummies/comment-page-1/#comment-137820 Jacquie Kariuki Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:16:00 +0000 http://www.thinkersroom.com/blog/?p=619#comment-137820 *Grins* This is delicious tongue-in-cheek dessert...may I please have second helpings? *Grins* This is delicious tongue-in-cheek dessert…may I please have second helpings?

]]> Comment on The Trouble With School – I by Jacquie Kariuki http://www.thinkersroom.com/blog/2012/01/the-trouble-with-school-i/comment-page-1/#comment-137819 Jacquie Kariuki Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:05:00 +0000 http://www.thinkersroom.com/blog/2012/01/the-trouble-with-school-i/#comment-137819 I agree with you; It is about the whole person. My biggest problem is not even lack of the free time. They may still get the free time and not do much with it because their minds have not been developed to view the world around them in 3D. Their imagination has not been nurtured, Creativity is not encouraged, nor is critial thinking tested or participating in community service which I think should start at a young age. Subjects like Art & crafts, Music, wood work are no longer taught. I do not know if the mandatory P.E classes are there anymore. So you end up with kids who may be book smart, but can't apply the knowledge they have acquired... I agree with you; It is about the whole person. My biggest problem is not even lack of the free time. They may still get the free time and not do much with it because their minds have not been developed to view the world around them in 3D.

Their imagination has not been nurtured, Creativity is not encouraged, nor is critial thinking tested or participating in community service which I think should start at a young age. Subjects like Art & crafts, Music, wood work are no longer taught. I do not know if the mandatory P.E classes are there anymore. So you end up with kids who may be book smart, but can’t apply the knowledge they have acquired…

]]> Comment on The Trouble With School – I by SK http://www.thinkersroom.com/blog/2012/01/the-trouble-with-school-i/comment-page-1/#comment-137818 SK Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:10:00 +0000 http://www.thinkersroom.com/blog/2012/01/the-trouble-with-school-i/#comment-137818 I have been pondering about the same issue of lack of free time even after the Kenyan education system narrowed down the number of subjects that our kids go through. The other day I had a chat with my nieces about their learning methods & I was quite shocked to say the least. Right from the top, school administrators have it that schools are their little fiefdoms for them to rack in money at whatever cost. That explains the extra-coaching every evening & during the holidays, unnecessary field trips to Nairobi, Nakuru & Mombasa mostly. The number of books they buy within their time in first 8 years (for primary schools) to 4 years (for high school) is appalling! And mind you by the time one changes classes, the curriculum is 'conveniently revised' and parents forced to buy new books. For instance, my nieces are two classes apart, but the younger one can't use the elder's ones books due to such changes. If my memory serves me well, in our family I learnt with almost the same books that my bro who was 5 classes ahead of me started with. Another issue is the lack of involvement by most parents. They are usually called for PTA ( Parents Teachers Association) meetings to rubber stamp what the management and school administrators have thought would serve the institution better. By coercing a few cheerleaders a lot of underlying issues are usually overlooked and parents end up paying through their noses for such oversights. Good example, how does an institution have over 50 acres of free range land yet the institution will insist on buying food supplies wholly from middlemen in the local towns? Why not utilise the pieces of land to supplement some of the feeding even if it is for fun? Whatever happened to the 4K clubs in schools? Since I can't put all the issues in this space, it's nice you've touched on this issue to pick our conscience and hope the Education officials are READING this. Being a parent and in 2-3 years the little one joining school, I'm sure whichever school/institution she joins will have one noxious parent! I'll QUESTION EVERYTHING & keep them on toes! I have been pondering about the same issue of lack of free time even after the Kenyan education system narrowed down the number of subjects that our kids go through.
The other day I had a chat with my nieces about their learning methods & I was quite shocked to say the least. Right from the top, school administrators have it that schools are their little fiefdoms for them to rack in money at whatever cost. That explains the extra-coaching every evening & during the holidays, unnecessary field trips to Nairobi, Nakuru & Mombasa mostly.

The number of books they buy within their time in first 8 years (for primary schools) to 4 years (for high school) is appalling! And mind you by the time one changes classes, the curriculum is ‘conveniently revised’ and parents forced to buy new books. For instance, my nieces are two classes apart, but the younger one can’t use the elder’s ones books due to such changes. If my memory serves me well, in our family I learnt with almost the same books that my bro who was 5 classes ahead of me started with.

Another issue is the lack of involvement by most parents. They are usually called for PTA ( Parents Teachers Association) meetings to rubber stamp what the management and school administrators have thought would serve the institution better. By coercing a few cheerleaders a lot of underlying issues are usually overlooked and parents end up paying through their noses for such oversights. Good example, how does an institution have over 50 acres of free range land yet the institution will insist on buying food supplies wholly from middlemen in the local towns? Why not utilise the pieces of land to supplement some of the feeding even if it is for fun? Whatever happened to the 4K clubs in schools?

Since I can’t put all the issues in this space, it’s nice you’ve touched on this issue to pick our conscience and hope the Education officials are READING this. Being a parent and in 2-3 years the little one joining school, I’m sure whichever school/institution she joins will have one noxious parent! I’ll QUESTION EVERYTHING & keep them on toes!

]]> Comment on The Trouble With School – I by Skyhieghts101 http://www.thinkersroom.com/blog/2012/01/the-trouble-with-school-i/comment-page-1/#comment-137817 Skyhieghts101 Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:29:00 +0000 http://www.thinkersroom.com/blog/2012/01/the-trouble-with-school-i/#comment-137817 M, Good post, I have a few niggling questions: Why do we go to school? to get a job? (why do other animals educate their progeny? for a job?) there is something very wrong with this picture in that should I sacrifice my kids childhood so that they can get a job? does the best education gaurantee social mobility? (me thinks not) who provides these jobs? Where did this type of schooling / education system come / originate from? what was its purpose. It does not matter whether it is 7,6,3 or 8.4.4 the results seem to be the same in terms of what it produces? what are the origins of the National shools in Kenya, what was their purpose and who benefited from recruiting the'brightest' from these schools? what happened to the rest. M, Good post,
I have a few niggling questions:
Why do we go to school? to get a job? (why do other animals educate their progeny? for a job?) there is something very wrong with this picture in that should I sacrifice my kids childhood so that they can get a job? does the best education gaurantee social mobility? (me thinks not) who provides these jobs?
Where did this type of schooling / education system come / originate from? what was its purpose. It does not matter whether it is 7,6,3 or 8.4.4 the results seem to be the same in terms of what it produces?
what are the origins of the National shools in Kenya, what was their purpose and who benefited from recruiting the’brightest’ from these schools? what happened to the rest.

]]> Comment on The Trouble With School – I by MMK http://www.thinkersroom.com/blog/2012/01/the-trouble-with-school-i/comment-page-1/#comment-137816 MMK Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:47:00 +0000 http://www.thinkersroom.com/blog/2012/01/the-trouble-with-school-i/#comment-137816 - One thing I do not understand is: We did more subjects than the current students, and they are in school longer? How is that? - From class 1 to class 3, school ended at 12.45pm for us. I was home by 12.55pm. Play started at 1.30pm and ended when parents came home. - We played video games, soccer, basketball, shake, roundus (sp!), snakes and ladders. Read books and comics. Socialized. And still passed KCPE - The public playground next to where I grew up is now a church. So where do kids play? - One thing I do not understand is: We did more subjects than the current students, and they are in school longer? How is that?
- From class 1 to class 3, school ended at 12.45pm for us. I was home by 12.55pm. Play started at 1.30pm and ended when parents came home.
- We played video games, soccer, basketball, shake, roundus (sp!), snakes and ladders. Read books and comics. Socialized. And still passed KCPE
- The public playground next to where I grew up is now a church. So where do kids play?

]]> Comment on The Trouble With School – I by catherine gathoni http://www.thinkersroom.com/blog/2012/01/the-trouble-with-school-i/comment-page-1/#comment-137815 catherine gathoni Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:36:00 +0000 http://www.thinkersroom.com/blog/2012/01/the-trouble-with-school-i/#comment-137815 are the kids not sleep deprived???? someone should cover this like in a documentary ama the news like seriously when your in nursery, why would you ever need weekend classes. too sad are the kids not sleep deprived???? someone should cover this like in a documentary ama the news like seriously when your in nursery, why would you ever need weekend classes. too sad

]]> Comment on The Trouble With School – I by Ruth http://www.thinkersroom.com/blog/2012/01/the-trouble-with-school-i/comment-page-1/#comment-137814 Ruth Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:35:00 +0000 http://www.thinkersroom.com/blog/2012/01/the-trouble-with-school-i/#comment-137814 My daughter will not grow up like this.She will learn things old school. My daughter will not grow up like this.She will learn things old school.

]]> Comment on The Trouble With School – I by Anonymous http://www.thinkersroom.com/blog/2012/01/the-trouble-with-school-i/comment-page-1/#comment-137813 Anonymous Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:19:00 +0000 http://www.thinkersroom.com/blog/2012/01/the-trouble-with-school-i/#comment-137813 The lack of free time is worrying. It cultivates a culture of being always on! Even now, years later, some time off the daily grind is necessary for one to sit down and reflect on what you've been doing, plan for what you need to do next. The lack of free time is worrying. It cultivates a culture of being always on!
Even now, years later, some time off the daily grind is necessary for one to sit down and reflect on what you’ve been doing, plan for what you need to do next.

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