By Erik
As
we all know, our ways to live and services around the world have changed
through the years, and of course, school is no exception.
I
had the chance to travel back in time to the 19th century by
visiting Lang Pioneer Village’s school. I became a witness of how classrooms
used to be, sorry, how the classroom used to be. That’s right, the school used
to be just one classroom with all the students from different grades being
taught at the same place.
Another
big difference between the past and present of the schools is the way to teach.
The 19th century happened years before the birth of the Digital
Revolution so people weren’t able to learn or teach through the benefits of
technology. Instead, they were taught by chalk boards and used mini chalk
boards as notebooks as well. Sure, chalk boards are still being used today to
teach, but most of our education and assignments are applied in computers.
Discipline
applied in school is another aspect of school that has also changed. They used
to have a board telling the rules about the way the students should behave
during class and if they refused to obey they would have consequences. Rules in
the classroom were simple but solid, for example, not leaving your desk without
permission, being silent during class, not disturbing peers, among many other
rules. The rough part was the punishment of not following these rules. Through
the years the rules became the basic structure of discipline in school but
punishments were becoming smoother until the point that punishments were no
longer intimidating for kids, much like it is today.
Erik is a grade 11 student at Trinity College School and guest writer for the Museum.