Square Peg

I was reading a quote from Springsteen the other day. He was speaking about his failures in the school system all those years ago.

Bruce explained that he always felt lost in the classroom and that he knew he wasn't an idiot, but that he just didn't fit in, and he had little interest in what they were trying to make him commit to memory.

He learned more from a 3 minute record than he ever learned in school.

And it got me thinking.

I never struggled much in school.

I was a great reader, a good speller, and I could memorize everything. I always did real well on the standard tests and on the regents exams.

I sort of thought that the people who struggled were in some ways a bit slower.

What a naïve take that was!

As I've moved out into the world I've learned that the way that they measure intelligence in school is sort of slanted away from some really brilliant people.

There are ironworkers and carpenters and laborers and garbage men who have way more smarts in way more situations than I'll ever have.

Certainly Springsteen and Billy Joel and John Steinbeck found their niches long after failing in school.

And each year I hear the complaints from well-respected educators who rage against the fact that they have to administer these tests to all students.

Then I saw a cartoon about seven different animals all being taught on how to climb a tree. Some weren't capable of climbing. Others could fly to the top

The true meaning of it all wasn't lost on me because through the years I've watched all of my children battle it. Matt has flown through as I did. Sam has shown the same sorts of signs of being able to fall in line, but Jake, who is extremely bright, has fought being placed in a box when it comes to what he does and doesn't know.

I'm not sure what the answer might be.

There are people who study such things for years, but as a parent I've sort of been able to gauge my children's strengths and weaknesses in a different sort of light.

"Work hard and success will find you," Bruce said in the same interview, and I certainly believe in that.

Yet Springsteen also spoke of having to overcome what he felt was a label that was placed on him by those who were supposed to encourage the intelligence that he did have.

He spoke of believing that he was, in fact, stupid.

I know one guy who will certainly speak to the content of this blog.

So let me hear it, J.C.

Comments

John said…
I've been thinking about this for days and keep coming back to the round holes (a-holes and otherwise) that we expect kids to fit through. Thanks for spurring my thinking. You are absolutely right, we are all square pegs with many differing abilities. Fish don't climb trees, but damn can they swim. Bruce may not do linear algebra, but damn he can write! And the world is a great place with swimming fish and singing Springsteen.

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