As a child in Elementary school, we learn simple subjects like Math, Literature, Arts, and Science. All of those are the basics I was taught about during Elementary school and they still are being taught to me today in 10th grade. But a subject usually isn’t taught so much as imagination, and the ability to construct elaborate structures by only thinking. It’s a shame that teachers do not progress the very useful skill of imagination to children nowadays like I was. Everything that has ever existed had to have been thought of and planned from the ground up. Nothing innovative has ever been a copy of another thing for Christ’s sake! I looked at my 7-year-old cousin’s class and she had to trace a picture of a simple fish that was given to her by her teacher. I was beyond disappointed to see adults make children draw something that everyone else has done! When I was a kid I could’ve drawn an alligator hugging a turtle that has been turned blue by the power of rainbows, sunshine, and Batman. See how amazingly weird and scrambled up that sentence was, that is how children should think! Children should be guided but not forced into doing things in school, they should be led down a path that can help kids harness the power of imagination.

For example, I think Isamu Noguchi’s idea for a Play Mountain is pure genius. Play Mountain is not composed of just rusty and squeaky metal equipment. In Play Mountain there is no metal equipment, the kids use the land around them as equipment. Kids use it to make new ideas for games in the most random places. THIS IS HOW KIDS SHOULD USE THEIR IMAGINATION. And as they use their imagination more, they could imagine elaborate things for various other subjects. Imagination has never only been about art, it could be used for an uncountable number of subjects.

(I HAVE ZERO CLUE WHAT I WAS WRITING ABOUT IN THE PICTURE ABOVE)

As I conclude my senseless rant about modern education, I just want to say not all hope is lost. In my 10th year of school, I’ve had the most amazing teachers who have let me make the most innovative work I can. Making something brand new just makes me feel so accomplished and smart, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. To all the teachers out there, please, make your students think about what they do. Just imagine that.