Page 6 - Education Supplement_Issue 2_ 2022

OPINION PIECE

Forget about past perceptions

of success and realise your

child has a future

ALIGNING SUBJECT CHOICES WITH CAREER PROSPECTS IS KEY

undreds of thousands (if not millions) of parents verbal ability and is able to charm and convince people
today have children who require additional easily? What if your child has the skill or ability to run a
Hassistance academically, emotionally or both. For business or be an entrepreneur? It makes no sense to force
these parents, concerns are never far away that their child them to follow a career path which is not natural for them,
will battle in the world of the future, and that they might while there are avenues available, which will support their
not ultimately achieve personal and career success. future career success in a field that interests them or which
they are passionate about.”
But the opinion of Dr Greg Pienaar, renowned Educational
Psychologist and Principal of The Bridge Assisted Learning “It is legitimate for parents to be concerned if their child
School, is that parents need to change the paradigm battles to focus and concentrate, struggles with words and
through which they view success, as many are still focused reading, blanks out when numbers are involved, or is bright
on ideas about what constituted becoming a successful but not interested in academics. However, realising a child
adult in the past, rather than embracing a world of new needs additional support is the start of the road, not the
opportunities that are constantly emerging. end of it.”

“In the past, and unfortunately among some people to “Often children battle to focus on a career early in life, but
this day, there was this perception that if your child is they do know what they like and don’t like, sometimes
not studying to be a medical doctor or a lawyer, then as early as primary school. Our role as parents is to help
they haven’t made it,” he comments. “Everyone has a nurture these interests and provide the space for the
future in terms of a passion or career, so if your child is child to develop without pressure, and harness additional
not specifically focused on academic matters and isn’t support, if needed, to assist them on their academic
necessarily wanting to study anything related to Core pathway, even if that is not the standard pathway related
Mathematics or Physical Science or Life Sciences (Biology), to past perceptions of success. The old cliché still holds,
then there are literally thousands of other career paths to that you can’t force a square peg into a round hole. This is
follow. And these career paths are not inferior, they are just never truer than with our children.”
different.”
“Academic and career success is not merely a case of
Dr Pienaar notes that there is also still a perception that doing well, but of also being happy and fulfilled while
students can only advance to tertiary studies if they attend doing so. It is important that our focus falls equally on
a traditional high school and follow the traditional academic the other half of the equation, not simply the surface
journey in terms of subject selection. That is simply not considerations of success.”
the case, he says, because students at schools that provide
additional support emotionally and academically on the “Parents can help their children make a start on this
neurodiversity front, also write Matric exams. Additionally, road by allowing them – with the help of education
future success isn’t reliant on choosing only those subjects experts at their school – to choose subjects that suit their
that provide access to traditional ‘high-end’ careers. temperament and interests. Students should not make
subject choices according to someone else’s expectations
“How about if your child is interested in something to do or dreams, or based on the road most travelled. As
with food or cooking or hospitality? What if your child adults we have to be clear about our children’s passions,
loves everything to do with computers or technology? strengths, and weaknesses, and guide them responsibly
What if your child is interested in travelling the world and and honestly on their way to success in life – whatever that
discovering its wonders? What if your child has strong means within their unique context,” he concludes.

Education | August 2022 | 4