CHILDREN HAVE DUTIES: SUMMERHILL REVISITED
Abstract
A.S. Neill insisted that "what is called laziness is either lack of interest or lack of health." Neill's rejection of the use of the word "lazy" hinges upon his refusal to blame a child for inactivity in a learning situation. His refusal to blame such a child hinges upon his rejection of the notion that children ought to learn, and also upon his rejection of the notion that a child could be learning "better" than in fact he or she is learning. Stott maintains that neither of these rejections is justified, and hence neither is Neill's rejection of the term "lazy". Critics of the school system have done teachers a disservice in their refusal to recognize that children can be, and often are, lazy. RÉSUMÉ A.S. Neill soutenait toujours que "ce que l'on appelle paresse n'est soit un manque d'intérêt: soit un signe de mauvaise santé." Si Neill rejette l'emploi du mot "paresseux", c'est qu'il refuse d'accuser l'enfant d'inactivité dans une situation d'apprentissage. Ce refus d'accuser l'enfant est lié au rejet de la notion qu'un enfant doit apprendre "mieux" qu'il ne le fait en réalité. Stott soutient que ni l'un ni l'autre de ces refus n'est justifié, et par voie de conséquence, pas plus le rejet du terme "paresseux". Les critiques du système scolaire ont fait du tort aux professeurs en refusant de reconnattre que les enfants peuvent être, et sont souvent, paresseux.Downloads
Published
1984-01-01
How to Cite
Stott, L. (1984). CHILDREN HAVE DUTIES: SUMMERHILL REVISITED. McGill Journal of Education / Revue Des Sciences De l’éducation De McGill, 19(001). Retrieved from https://mje.mcgill.ca/article/view/7546
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