Congratulations, new parent! You’ve finally mastered burping, diaper-changing, and pretending to understand baby babble. Now let’s talk about the next boss level in parenting: school.
Ana Lorena Fábrega (Ms. Fab) basically takes one long look at our education system and says, “Really? This is the best we’ve got?” And honestly… she has a point. The book begins with her own childhood: ten schools, seven countries, and enough report cards to wallpaper an entire 3BHK. She quickly learned that school is not about learning — it’s about playing a very weird game.
The Game of School goes like this: Sit up straight. Be quiet. Pretend you’re listening even though even the teacher wants to sleep. Raise your hand like you’re competing in the Olympics. Don’t question anything. And whatever you do… follow the bell.
Kids who master this game get “good student” badges. Kids who don’t? Well, they’re told they’re “distracted,” “slow,” or “talk too much” (which, by the way, is just leadership waiting to blossom).
Ms. Fab loved learning but hated schooling. Her real learning happened outside school — when she was making forts, designing doll wedding dresses, writing diaries, and solving mysteries. Basically, everything that would make a modern school say, “This is not in the syllabus.”
Then she became a teacher. She loved the kids, loved teaching — but hated the system. She tried to create a magical classroom with choices, curiosity, and “Says who?” questions. Her students loved it. They sparkled. They explored. They took ownership.
Then they moved to the next grade… and the spark died.
Suddenly, learning went from “Yay!” to “Why?” The system sucked them into routines, worksheets, and endless instructions. The flexible, curious child was replaced by a mini-office worker with a lunchbox.
So Ms. Fab started asking the classic parent questions:
- Why does school make kids uninterested in learning?
- Why do we force them to memorize things even ChatGPT can answer faster?
- Why do kids stop asking “Why?”
- Why does everyone become a robot?
This led her down a historical rabbit hole.
Welcome to Prussia: The Original School Factory
School wasn’t created with kids in mind. It was created by Prussian leaders who wanted:
- Loyal soldiers
- Obedient citizens
- People who don’t ask too many questions
In short, the perfect WhatsApp group admin’s dream.
This model spread worldwide. Later, the U.S. adopted it to create factory workers and managers — not thinkers. Schools became production lines: bells, batches, uniform instruction, and standardized tests. Basically: IKEA meets military camp.
And we’re still stuck with it.
Standardized Tests: The Boss Level Nobody Wants
Tests were supposed to measure learning. But in reality, they measure:
Your test-taking skills
Your anxiety levels
How fast you can forget everything after the exam
Kids panic. Teachers panic. Principals panic.
Basically, exam season turns schools into a pressure cooker with children as the idlis.
Some teachers even cheat to boost results. Yes. Adults. Cheating. On kids’ exams. It’s like seeing your doctor googling “How many kidneys do humans have?”
Rewards: The Candy Trap
Schools try to fix boredom with stickers, stars, and pizza parties.
“That’s not motivation,” Ms. Fab says. “That’s bribery in a cute font.”
Rewards work for two minutes but destroy long-term curiosity. Kids start thinking:
“I’m reading because I get a sticker,”
not
“I’m reading because this is so cool!”
Intrinsic motivation — the desire that comes from inside — dies slowly while everyone smiles at the treasure box.
Seven Dangerous Lessons School Accidentally Teaches
According to educator John Taylor Gatto, kids learn seven wrong lessons:
Confusion – Subjects feel disconnected
(“Why am I learning the orbit of Saturn right after long division and before gym class?”)
Stay in your place
(Class rank, roll numbers, and labels galore)
Don’t get too attached
(You love poetry? Too bad. Bell rang.)
Emotional dependency
(“Smile when the teacher smiles.”)
Intellectual dependency
(“Don’t think. Wait for instructions.”)
Your value = your report card
(Self-esteem outsourced to teachers)
You’re always being watched
(Privacy? What’s that?)
Basically, school unknowingly trains kids to become obedient employees who wait for orders and panic when the WiFi drops.
Five Lessons Kids Should Unlearn ASAP
Here’s what Ms. Fab hopes parents teach kids instead:
Mistakes are good
Failure is not the enemy — shame is.
Don’t fit in, stand out
Unique beats obedient.
Don’t wait for instructions
Initiative is a superpower.
Learn on demand
Not “just in case.” Because honestly, nobody has solved a real-life crisis with the periodic table.
Question everything
Even the instructions on the shampoo bottle.
Learning Happens Everywhere… Except Where We Force It
Kids learn from:
- Play
- Curiosity
- Problems
- Exploration
- Tinkering
- Stories
- Projects
Basically, everything school doesn’t reward.
If that sounds familiar, congratulations — you’ve just described your toddler.
What Parents Should Do
Design your child’s own “Learning Game” — one filled with:
- Choice
- Exploration
- Curiosity
- Questions
- Hands-on play
- Meaningful conversations
- Fun (yes, it’s allowed!)
Because the real world doesn’t care how well your child filled up worksheets. It cares whether they can think, adapt, create, and stay curious.
And honestly? Parenting already feels like a game — except no one gave you the rulebook. Ms. Fab just wrote one for learning.