The Big Read: Thinking outside the rules

31 July 2015 - 02:36 By Jonathan Jansen

Do you have ADHD? In all my years of speaking to large school audiences, this was the first time a primary school child had the courage to ask such a very personal question, after an admittedly energetic speech in which I left the stage and took the microphone for a walk. But this was not any school; it was Cedar House School in Kenilworth, Cape Town, and whether I had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder was a fair question.The children call the principal "Frank", but there is respect. "Stand up for Frank," said the MC before the headmaster briefly welcomed the parents; every child jumped up from a sitting position on the grass and tarmac outside. The school has single-sex toilets. The pupils do not wear uniforms and there are no standardised haircuts. The facilities include a skateboard ramp and some pupils attend a philosophy course at the local university.Pupils are assessed for what they can do in real-life scenarios and whether they can think analytically. The small, wooden school building means that children have to cross the busy road to attend some classes at the Kenilworth Racecourse. This was the ultimate un-South African school, and I loved it."What do you think of School X?" one of the older pupils asked me, referring to a very prestigious school a few kilometres up the road. I knew where he was headed with the question. The young man wanted me to know that not all children fit into rigid, masculine, rule-driven, rugby-mad schools where initiation is common and those who do not fit in are bullied.He once was at such a school, and clearly carried the trauma of that experience. What Cedar House allows for is a completely different experience where you can be the person you are, and wish to be.On its website the school pronounces itself as progressive, as offering alternative education. Those parents who want a highly disciplined school environment in which every child fits into a narrow, compliant, uniform(ed), test-driven culture, would send their children to the usual public or private schools. But for a parent with a child who hates convention, enjoys the freedom to think for herself, challenge authority, experiment with bold ideas and question a stranger about his ADHD, Cedar House is the school for your offspring.The results were self-evident. I had seldom before seen such depth of inquiry, such ease in raising questions about uncomfortable subjects - like racist parents - and the complete lack of fear in performing before a large audience. There is something special going on at Cedar House - children learn that respect is not contained in fancy titles or formal achievement; that a relaxing school environment does not mean a lack of discipline; and that finding your way across a dangerous main road is part of learning about the real world.I heard some horror stories recently. A child not yet three years old recently returned from the US where he did his initial pre-schooling. After a short time at a Western Cape school the poor child, just learning to speak fluently, told the principal: "I don't like my new school any more." It's quite simple - the harsh, regimented, disciplinary environment of most South African schools is foreign to those who have experienced classroom climates that deeply respect the pupil.Another pre-schooler's report had teacher comments like "refuses to stay seated" and "does not know her home telephone number". And then my favourite assessment comment alongside: "Not yet achieved." Goodness me.Make no mistake, some parents and children like regimented school environments. Parents do and should choose schools that reflect their values and preferences. But how many parents ask their children what they really want? That school worked for you as a parent in the 1970s definitely does not mean it works for your child, with her own unique personality, in 2015. Nor should a parent choose a school simply because it is close to home - the kind of school you attend can free or trap a child, and the consequences can be long-lasting.So Cedar House taught me something precious - that schools can be different; that children can thrive intellectually and socially in less formal schools; and that smart goes way beyond remembering a phone number or staying in your seat."I have not yet been diagnosed," I responded to the questioner, "but that does not mean I do not have ADHD."..

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