The discussion on how our education system needs reform from its outdated and traditional ways is not a new one. In 1995, Robert Sternberg opened the dialogue on how schools stifle creativity by encouraging conformity. In his book “Defying the Crowd”, he reveals that “gifted” children oftentimes struggle with producing new and insightful ideas because of how schools prioritize the ability to memorize and analyze material over original thinking. In 2008, Tony Wagner names gaps in the educational system in his book “The Global Achievement Gap”, saying:

“However, it has become increasingly clear to me that even in these “good” schools, students are simply not learning the skills that matter most for the twenty-first century. Our system of public education—our curricula, teaching methods, and the tests we require students to take—were created in a different century for the needs of another era.”

While I agree with the sentiments of Sternberg and Wagner about the flaws and faults of the current educational system, I believe that there is one aspect that’s often overlooked. I concede that traditional approaches to education and schooling are outdated to serve the needs of the 21st Century; however, I argue that most of all, these educational methods are not enough to truly provide students with what they need: the ability to think critically, which will allow them to lead lives that they will find fulfilling. Oftentimes, we view education with an economic perspective, hyperfocusing on how to make students the most productive members of society for our world’s development. However, what’s most important for schools is to leave students with the ability to see the current and to swim against it.

I was in a deep Wikipedia rabbit hole when I found out that a group of fishes had two names: school and shoal. According to Wikipedia, a shoal is when fishes aggregate in a social and interactive way. On the other hand, a school of fishes is a tightly organized shoal, where fishes “synchronize their swimming so they all move at the same speed and in the same direction.” Most of us swim like schools of fishes. With the way our education system works, we can observe how students seek out the same opportunities, awards, extracurriculars and statistics. It’s not inherently wrong, in fact, it’s admirable to have clear goals and high ambition. But, the fact is, most of us pursue these milestones without a much deeper evaluation of why we want it. Rather, we do it because it's automatic. We do it because it’s our default setting.

This only ensures one thing: we become productive members of society, but we grow to be frustrated adults. After graduating, most of us go on to find jobs that we insist on keeping because of its prestige despite the fact that it burns us out. We swim, thinking we’re in control, while being oblivious to the current that’s driving us to go in a specific direction. And because everyone is swimming in the same direction, the current gets even stronger and it feels natural and automatic to simply go with it. Ultimately, we end up living lives that we think we want, but actually don’t because we failed to see that we had a choice to swim against the current.

This is what our schools fail to teach students above all: the ability to question things that we think we think we know, things that are second nature to us. Some call this ability critical thinking, while others may call it mindful awareness. Regardless, this skill is what will give students the autonomy to truly live lives that are meaningful, beyond just contributing to the workforce. This is what education should be about and what it ultimately fails to do. Instead of teaching students how to think, schools teach us what to think. Instead of fostering individuality, schools reward conformity. Most of all, what schools must do beyond teaching students how to learn, is to teach them how to unlearn the things they thought were true. When that is achieved, that is when we can live the lives that we choose while being productive members of society. When that is achieved, that is when we can begin swimming as shoals rather than schools. As Wikipedia puts it: “Although they are nonetheless aware of the other members of the group, shoaling fish can relate to each other in a loose way, with each fish swimming and foraging somewhat independently”.

Cover Image Reference:

Diaz, B. (2019). Jubilee Christian Academy. photograph.