Customer Reviews

Wounded by School: Recapturing the Joy in Learning and Standing Up to Old School Culture

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

For me, "Wounded by School" is a breakthrough book. Based in both quantitative research and case studies, it is the first book I've seen that examines the psychological damage that school often creates in young people, wounds that stay with all of us unless we recognize them and work to heal them.

I disagree with the reviewer who said that this book wasn't well-researched and was based on personal stories. Olson, who has her doctorate from the Harvard School of Education, peppers the narrative with statistics, such as "Dropout rates are about 60% in some American cities and half of the public school population consider the work they do unchallenging, superficial, and boring." There are 10 pages of comprehensive endnotes in small print that cite this type of research and quotes from various education literature.

I think that this book is a must-read for anyone who has been a student -- that is, everyone -- and especially anyone who is a parent or teacher. If we do not acknowledge the pain we still carry with us from the past, it will influence the way we live our lives in the future. In addition, if we don't question and change the school system that hurt us when we were young, we will subject our own children and students to the damage that we suffered.

I related very much to the case studies in the book of adults and young people who graduated from school feeling worthless and empty. Though the people featured in the book felt this way because they struggled in school for various reasons (dyslexia, ADHD, exceptional creativity, etc.), I was actually on the other end of the spectrum as an overachiever. However, I found that the very habits that made me a high-achieving student (suppressing my own desires and interests, sacrificing sleep and fun for my work) actually made me a very unhappy and lost adult. I didn't have much sense of autonomy after obeying my teachers for 17 years of my life. I had little sense of self worth apart from the praise I had become addicted to from people in authority.

So the result was the same as it was with those who struggled in school: I was wounded but didn't know that I had a right to be. If students at both ends of the achievement spectrum are suffering, whom exactly is school working well for?

Before I discovered this book, I created a self-healing project called Reschool Yourself ([...]), in which I spent a week in each grade of my old schools, advancing from kindergarten through college during the fall of 2008. I wish I'd had this book to guide me at the time, because I would have had a vocabulary to understand what I was doing (healing my school wounds), and a structure for "reschooling."

Olson concludes the book like this: "I believe that it is incumbent on every person who has been wounded by schools to take account of his or her wounding and to honor it, to not be ashamed of it, and to work to change the conditions of schooling that lacerate." The best part is that she gives a practical toolkit for doing so, in chapters specifically written for the individual (the one who is wounded), teachers, parents, and peers, and lists concrete qualities of schools where real learning happens.

I highly recommend this book.

As a former public school teacher and a current homeschooling mom, I was very interested in reading this book. I think the author makes good arguments for changing the way our schools educate our youth but first universities need to alter the way future teachers are prepared.
Reading Wounded by School has prompted me to make some changes in our homeschool. I have asked my children what they want to learn this coming school year. I discovered my eldest son would rather study US Government than a 3rd year of Spanish; I am letting him follow his interests. My youngest daughter wants to paint - so I'm looking for curriculum that will guide her interest since I have no artistic talent.
My eldest daughter (who is heading to college in less than a month to study to be an elementary teacher) grabbed this book from my to-be-read basket and loved it; I have been requested to not get rid of this one so it will be going to Mississippi University for Women with her next month. I have a feeling it will be passed among her college classmates.

Do you wonder why school was so tedious for you and for your children? Maybe you think that it's better for other people - Wounded by School provides compelling portraits of a variety of learners and the failure of school to capture the imagination of students, and worse yet the stifling of enthusiasm that results. But more than that there is a different way and Olson is an expert in mapping out alternatives to the deadening monotony of our current educational system, which is failing us both as individuals and as a society. Read this book - you'll be a better advocate for yourself and your kids.

Wounded by School reflected my life and struck a chord within me before I even read a page. I knew the book would have an impact on me. I had no idea how much. The stories were heart wrenching and they illustrated the points well. It was also written very well and in a very engaging manner. You can tell that Olson feels very passionately about the subject and makes you feel passionate about it too.

I think all teachers, especially of the younger grades, should be made to read this before they ever enter a classroom. Some teachers are unaware of the lasting impact they can have on children.The system doesn't help either but the teachers have the most direct impact. I am going to recommend this to some of my friends who are going to be starting teaching soon and hope they pass it on. I would recommend this to anyone involved in early childhood education and parents of children entering school. As you can probably tell, this book had a huge impact on me and I think anyone who picks up this book would have a similar reaction.

I understand that schools and school systems are at times stupid and uncaring. However, on the basis of my experience (long, long ago), those of friends, those of our five children, and those of several of our grandchildren, I found it difficult to recognize the very grim picture of our schools which the author paints. I work as a volunteer with public school teachers on various science activities, in-class and in the field, and have been impressed, by and large, with these teachers' ability and dedication. In my opinion, the author's description of our public schools paints a much blacker picture than is warranted. And it shows little understanding of the serious problems many schools face in terms of financial support, inappropriate interference by government at all levels, the educational bureaucracy, the unions, and a host of social problems over which the schools have little or no control. I get the impression that the author feels that our public school system is hopelessly and culpably flawed. Despite its obvious problems and faults, I cannot agree, although I must admit that some substantial changes are in order.

I can think of many, many ways in which I was wounded by school--most people can. What you might be surprised to learn is how damaging those wounds are and how they help shape who we are. Kirsten Olson explores this phenomenon and reveals many powerful and painful stories about ways in which our education system has failed learners of all ages. This book could not be more timely. We are in an age of transition. We're no longer being told that we don't or can't have a voice. This book offers hope, healing and empowerment to those who are ready to face today's educational challenges.

This book is a great read for anyone involved in the education system and wants to make a change. This book has tremendous impact for secondary schools and can be a great tool and resource for high school reform. It was fast-paced and thought-provoking - hopefully others will have some food for thought and work towards changing our education system!

Author Kirsten Olson is fighting the uphill battle of a person taking on the traditional school system. Here in "Wounded by School," she gives you the tools to fight along with her. Over a ten-year investigation, Olson defined the damaging gaps in the U.S. education system. Here, through personal case-studies, she shares the intimate stories of people who were indeed wounded by their school experiences.

Among the damages done to many students in the traditional education system, the wounds Olson describes include: a loss of pleasure in learning, compliance, rebellion, underestimation, perfection, and the sad wounds parents experience when they feel helpless about their child's education troubles.

Through "Wounded By School," you'll learn how to stop dysfunctional and outmoded methods that castigate teachers when learning fails and inhibit learning development.

Helen GallagherRelease Your Writing: Book Publishing, Your Way

I have had the pleasure of sitting with Mrs. Olson at a retreat and her hubleness amazed me. I have been glued to this oracle for everyone who has been, is or will be educated or educating. I was able to reflect on my journey and recall the exact moment of my disconnection from school. By High School I dissappeared because I wasn't out of control, remedial or gifted. I was just a regular student who slipped through the cracks. As an educator now I am even more committed to bring forth the problems we as educators have in engaging students, parents and collegues in creating a safe place to BE in this educational process. Mrs. Olson's book is the blueprint for living an undivided life as we seek to revive this "thing" called education. Thank you so much Kirsten for standing in an uncomfortable place. Without your energy so many others will probably feel the same pain as those in your book. My prayer is that this book is placed in the hands of teachers world wide so that we can reclaim our children.

I loved this book. It's an excellent tool for Teachers, Students, and Parents. I suggest this book to everyone i know. I had to read it for one of my college education classes and I really enjoyed it!