An excerpt from the book The School That I'd Like by Edward Blishen a collection of opinions of students about their preferred education.
THE SCHOOL THAT I'D LIKE. By Edward Blishen, ed. Baltimore, Md.: Penguin Books, 1969.
About the book: With all the controversy about what should and shouldn't be taught in school and all the discussion about education reform, it is easy to forget the opinions and feelings of those who are most affected--the students. In December, 1967, the London Observer ran a competition for school children to describe "The School That I'd Like."
From the book: "I don't think I would get on very well in my ideal school because I am too used to being told what to do."--Frances, 15.
"The music department would be in the shape of a violincello, the music books kept in the thinner part of the building, and the remainder of the rooms having instruments which people could learn."--Sally, 14.
"Youths from 12 to 18 years of age are the most rawly aware, most dissatisfied and most rebellious age group in society. As soon as such and such an activity is compulsory, it becomes an unattractive thing to do. If every school activity is optional, even the boy who always 'hated' sport will go to a games lesson 'just to see what it's like,' and probably attend again when he finds that it's fun even when one does badly, as long as one takes everything in good heart.