Stop asking children what they want to be when they grow up
As children return to school for a promising new academic year, classrooms are once again filled with introductions. Teachers want to get to know their students, and children are encouraged to talk about themselves. Somewhere in those early conversations, a familiar question often appears: What do you want to be when you grow up? It sounds innocent enough. But perhaps we are asking children the…
As students return to school for a fresh academic year, teachers are eager to get to know their new pupils, and children are prompted to share about themselves. One common inquiry during these initial conversations is, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" While it may seem harmless, this question may be asking children the wrong thing.
When asked about their future aspirations, a youngster might repeat something they've heard from parents, mention a profession they admire, propose an imaginative occupation, or simply state, "I don't know." Why should they have an answer? Asking children to predict who they will become before they have had ample opportunity to uncover their interests, talents, and passions is not ideal.
In fact, Sir Ken Robinson, the renowned educator, shared the story of Gillian Lynne, a child who struggled in school. A doctor reportedly discovered her unique need to move in order to think and express herself when he played music for her during an assessment. Gillian eventually became a celebrated choreographer, working on renowned productions like Cats and The Phantom of the Opera.
Children learn in diverse ways, and should all be educated in the same manner? Children often appear to be constrained by adult-created structures – sit here, complete this task, answer this question, achieve this grade. However, a child's true strengths can emerge in different environments that allow them to explore. Taking away the device for a while, resisting the urge to fill every free hour with structured activities, and providing children with paper, books, building materials, music, a ball, or unstructured time can reveal a lot about their emerging interests.
The most significant outcomes of education may not be measured at age 18. When children are left to their own devices, they may engage in activities like drawing for hours, building something, organizing a game, inventing characters and stories, taking something apart to understand its function, or explaining concepts to others.
These seemingly ordinary moments can provide valuable insights into a child's emerging interests that asking about future occupations might not capture. Adults could also learn from reflecting on their own childhoods. I recall pretending to be in a classroom with my younger brother, teaching him English and Mathematics using a glass and a marker.
There was no grade, reward, or career plan attached to it; I simply enjoyed teaching. Later in life, I still find joy in the classroom. Not every childhood interest will translate into a profession, and that's okay. Children will change their minds, discover new abilities, and sometimes abandon things they once loved – all part of growing up.
Perhaps as the new school year begins, we could change our approach. Instead of asking children, "What do you want to be when you grow up?", we could ask what they enjoy doing now, what sparks their curiosity, what they would spend hours doing without any grading, and what they would like to create, explore, or learn. By giving them time and space to show us, their answers may reveal more about their future than the name of a profession ever could. Bernadette Guirguis is an Assistant Professor at Zayed University.
Written by urgent.news from Gulf News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
