Education....or should it be entertainment?
I was asking my teenage sons about school today. Instead of the usual "Have you done your homework yet?", I asked how they liked the subjects they were learning. To me, learning should be life long. I'm excited about what I learn in coaching and I can't get enough of all the books, new tools, new ideas etc. I can't wait to apply what I've learnt. Most importantly, nobody has to tell me to study. I study because it thrills me and I don't consider it work.....it's pleasurable.

I know that's not the case for the boys. I've been trying to figure out how to change that. I don't like being 'chief nagger' and I think the key is to unlock their internal motivation. Anyway, the bottom line of the separate conversations I had with the boys was that they liked the subjects that were taught by younger male teachers who knew how to crack jokes. The subjects were social studies, geography, history and biology. I wonder why it seems that math is always taught by older women who have no sense of humour. Sigh.

I think teachers can make or break an interest in a subject. Most kids entering secondary school have no pre-conceived biases or notions about the new subjects they will be learning. That's a perfect chance to get off to a flying start. So my boys' favourite subjects are the ones where the teachers enjoy themselves whilst teaching and are able to share some humour with their students. So.... do we need to change the mindset of our teachers so they realize they are actually in the entertainment business?