We have a tradition that at the start and the end of each school year, we take a picture with the date on it. Hopefully, this will be kept up for the entire school journey with the same letter board, so we can see how Smallsteps has changed, while still keeping a thread of consistency.
While it is Saturday, this was the official end of the year before going on summer holidays, and we went to stand for twenty minutes in the classroom while the kids sang a song, and the teacher said a few words and teacher handed out final certificates. Not unexpectedly, Smallsteps did well across the board. Actually, she couldn't have got any better, with everything in the "excellent" column. Not that it matters much, especially at this age, but she enjoys school and it shows.
I found it interesting though that there were stipends given out, but these are sponsored by local businesses and the categories were geared toward the business activity. There is no real issue with this, but it is also strange that there was nothing for academic ability, meaning kids are getting rewarded for other aspects. Again, nothing wrong with this, but thinking about it in terms of the future for these kids - does it set up an expectation that practical skill isn't important?
I got a triple-double.
I was the nicest, most empathetic, and smiled the most.
Those weren't the categories in the school.
But you get the point. Soft-skills are vital for successful living and even with the addition of AI, that isn't going to change much. In fact, it is likely going to go the other way and the need for human interpersonal skills will increase. However, I don't think the schools do a very good job of training for it, and perhaps that is not their place anyway. In my opinion, the soft skills learned at school should focus on things like time management, decision-making, problem solving, and communication - and keep the moral opinions out of the equation as much as possible.
However, I also see value in highlighting the importance of these things in the school also, because looking around the room at some of the kids and their parents, it could be that they aren't getting a lot of support in the home for it. One of the girls spent the time barking and growling, because she identifies as a dog. Being recognised for a positive trait early in school, by an authority figure like a teacher, can influence a kid to lean into the trait and make it more of their personality.
It can also go the other way.
I am often in two minds about the role school should play in shaping children's behaviour, because I am not a fan of the one-size approach to education, or the narrow focus and importance it puts on skills that might not be valuable in the future, or maybe even harmful for children's development. However, I also think that a lot of parents are no longer playing their role well, and are instead parenting by convenience, where they avoid enforcing rules because they fear the conflict, and it is easier to let their kids do what they want and "find their own way". I think it is a protection mechanism for the future so the parent can say,
"Don't blame me - you chose this!"
I don't have many worries for Smallsteps herself, but I do worry about the environment in which she grows up in, and will have to navigate as an adult. I am hoping that she will be a skilled, well-rounded person, who is healthy across the physical, mental, and emotional domains. And hopefully, in the process of doing this, she is able to build the healthy relationships across all of their forms, to be able to be willing and able to face whatever she encounters along the path.
For this weekend though, we were able to find a short-notice, cheap deal on a night away at a nearby swimming centre to celebrate her results and the closing of this school chapter in her life, as she changes school now and in doing so, a lot of other things will change too. Smallsteps and I have already discussed it and she has recognised that when she goes into a place where no one really knows her, she can reset and reposition herself as who has she is now, rather than who she was a few years ago. It will be interesting to see where she decides to focus her attention.
Taraz
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