PSHE lessons, although intended to
contain life-saving knowledge and
advice, have become the most
irrelevant, pointless things on the
Year io time table. The first two or
three years were absolutely necessary
and informative, as they discussed
important, sensitive matters. Since
then, the topics sex, drugs, bullying,
smoking and alcohol have been
repeated again and again, drilled into
our brains, chewed to pulp, and
regurgitated year after year after year,
and the Year IO students are sick of it.
The majority ofa typical PSHE lesson
is spent rambling on and on about a
topic we have discussed so many
times before, and we could probably
teach the class ourselves. Although
the teachers often ‘try’ to make their
lessons interactive by using
recommended games, the questions
often seem more like an insult to our
intelligence than a quiz. Every week
when we leave a PSHE lesson, we
think about how the hour could have
been spent so much more efliciently,
for example, as a homework hour, in
which the class would sit and do given
homework or revision. This way, our
time would be spent on doing
something productive, rather than
|
having our brains fried by listening to
a teacher ramble about a subject
mashed to sludge by the countless
lectures before. Furthermore,
relieving us of some revision or
homework would leave more time for
learning new skills or sports. Students
may even consider joining more
committees and organizations, and
getting involved in more events such
as the International Award, the
Environmental Committee and Young
Enterprise.
But no, instead of doing something
productive with the one hour lesson,
we are forced to learn for the end
nth time how "binge drinking will ruin
[our livesl", "smoking will kill", "sex
before I6 is irresponsible", etc. etc.
We do, of course, take these topics
very seriously, and see how valid and
vital they are to our lives, however
teachers do not seem to grasp the idea
that everything has already been
said. There's nothing left to say, so
teachers will delve into great
unnecessary detail, about a subject we
no longer deem relevant as teaching
material. PSHE is constantly praised
as one of the most important subjects
of the school, when actually, nobody
cares anymore. Students see it as iPad/
procrastination time. We are not
saying that PSHE itself is a pointles
subject, we are merely objecting to
the way the school teaches it. We
suggest that if there are no more
topics to discuss, instead of
regurgitating last years information in
more detail in a bad attempt at
inspiring us, we replace the lesson
with something productive and
relieving like homework or revision
time.
|