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School for Humans
Is the focus on performance killing students’ curiosity?
The same conditions that produce academic excellence can also hinder skills that depend on the capacity to explore and adapt.
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The habits children form around learning, shape how they approach problems long after school ends.
ST ILLUSTRATION: BRYANDT LYN
Ng Fongyee
As children move through the new school year, they will become fluent in the routines of school. This is often seen as a good thing – it signals confidence, competence and academic readiness. But it also marks a turning point.
The way children learn may begin to change. Questions are asked more selectively. Fewer risks are taken. Many children begin to pause, to weigh the cost of being wrong.
