In last week’s newsletter I wrote about the sense of relief that students feel upon the completion of their studies and how the media exacerbates this by reporting on the HSC every day.
You can set your watch by it can’t you? Seriously.
Well, twenty-four hours before NSW student sat for their first English HSC, the Sun-Herald ran a front page that claimed HSC students are taking illegally obtained prescription medicine to help cram for their final exams.
I’m not here to argue the veracity or otherwise of this piece. I’ve no doubt that some students are using whatever means necessary to get the best ATAR possible.
However, I do question the sense in a widely read newspaper going into great detail as to the benefits of using such drugs as study aids. Sure they counter this with some expert advice warning against it, but I’d question whether an anxious Year 12 student would have seen past the graphic explaining how the use of drugs such as Dexamphetamine, Ritalin or Concerta improves energy and focus for between 4-16 hours! All this after the headline screamed, “It Makes it Easy!” (The only reason I’m comfortable putting it in here is that I don’t think too many Year 12 students will have the time to read this!)
However, the bigger reason reason for writing this piece, is to ask why? Why do students feel the need to used ADHD medication, or as the article reported, cocaine and (bizarrely) the hallucinogenic drug, DMT.
I’ve got no doubt that this symptomatic of the educational model that (if we’re being honest) we have come to depend on. I call it the Pressure, Fear, Relief model of education, and this 2min video explains how I think we subscribe to this model very early on in a child’s education.
Basically, I feel we rely too much on external pressure and a fear of failure to get our kids through the educational process. I’d assume that the kids who are misusing these drugs are those who are intent on securing a university place.
If we were to use the “Education Race” analogy of which our politicians are so fond, and if we were to see university places as being the prize, then we could draw a similar analogy between doping in education and doping in cycling. And that it happens for the same reasons.
- Winning a university place is the goal.
- Only the best are doping.
- All your competitors are doing it, so you have to in order to compete.
Author: Dan Haesler, he is a teacher, writer and speaker at the Mental Health & Wellbeing of Young People seminars He writes for the Sydney Morning Herald and blogs at http://danhaesler.com/ and tweets at @danhaesler
A very valid point Dan! When will key decision makers realise an overhaul of the education system must include social and emotional strategies. While competition can be motivating, it is equally destructive if those competing lack the critical and emotional literacy to understand why they are competing. I think too often the value of the learning journey is lost within a quest to achieve mastery. It is like running to meet tomorrow and not realising tomorrow will always be followed by tomorrow.