TBH:My 17-year-old son is sitting his Leaving Cert in three months. He has no interest in the books or in any of the subjects he is taking and I can't force him to study – he's practically a man.
He’s a bright enough lad, can find his way around a computer and he’s very witty (supposed to be a sign of intelligence, I believe?). He thinks the whole thing is a waste of time and I’m finding it increasingly difficult to defend the system.
I don’t blame the school – they’ve done their best with him. The problem is that the system is just not designed for lads like my son. He doesn’t understand why he has to learn Irish verbs, Shakespeare plays, French letter writing or maths equations. “You just have to” is not an answer any bright 17-year-old is going to accept.
He wants to work in computers but he gets precious little chance to develop those skills in school. He might have benefited from taking some more practical, vocational courses for the Leaving but the expensive, exclusive private school I sent him to doesn’t offer them.
When I was in school, people would just say that a kid was not into the books and not make such a big deal of it. It’s a wasted opportunity though. The Leaving Cert doesn’t bring the best out in so many of our students. My son is an active, practical person – hands-on. He has a lot of ability but there’s little to interest a 21st century kid in the Leaving Cert cycle. Despite all the talk of the smart economy, the Irish classroom is still very close to model I grew up with, and indeed my parents before me. Teacher talking, kids taking notes. Learning reams of information off-by-heart with no real motivation given other than fear of the exams.
My son has no fear of the exams. I can’t instil that in him now.
To be honest, I can’t even say with much conviction that a lot of this stuff is worth learning. I don’t use the Irish verbs, Shakespeare plays, maths equations or French letter writing techniques I learned in school. And he knows that because he asked me one day in the middle of yet another conversation about why he should get up the stairs and study.
I tell him what all parents tell their kids. You just have to do it to get into college. Never mind that it doesn’t stimulate you and it doesn’t suit your abilities and you’ll never use it again. But how much longer can we be expected to spin that line before something changes? Isn’t it time to face up to the questions our own kids are asking about the Leaving Cert?
This column is designed to give a voice to those within the education system who wish to speak out anonymously. Contributions are welcome.
Email sflynn@irishtimes.com
