What Does School Really Teach Children?

Children can't be taught anything. I always get a funny look when I tell that to parents, but it's true. Children can't be taught anything.

Test it out yourself… Go to your child and start teaching them something boring and see how much they learn. Then go to your child and teach them about something they love, and you'll instantly see a difference in how they react. The only difference between those two scenarios is their choice. Your child chose to take information in when they were excited by it.

So, if that's true, how do conventional schools teach anything? By making children obedient and terrified of failure. Your child crams for a test not because they love what they're learning but because they don't want to be punished for not conforming to the school's expectations. Do you know what else your child learns from conventional schooling? That truth comes from authority, intelligence is the ability to remember and repeat, accurate memory and repetition are rewarded, and non-compliance is punished. Sounds fun, right?

Is it any wonder that a 2018 study published in the journal Pediatrics analyzing hospital admissions confirmed a high correlation between school attendance and suicidal thoughts and actions? It's horrible, but when schools want conformity and punish anyone stepping outside their boundaries, how can that not happen?

School should never crush your child's spirit, creativity, and passion for learning. We believe your child deserves to be treated as an individual in an environment where they can explore, create, and grow, so they may find their calling in life and change the world, and that can only happen at Acton Academy.