Greg Shapiro

Greg:     Hi! It’s me, Greg Shapiro: The American Netherlander. And this time it’s also my wife Inez de Goede; author and mother of our two kids. Inez:      The mother-who-always-gets-the-blame-when-things-go-wrong-with-her-child. Greg:     Right. Inez has quite some experience with… read more >

Dutch Education: Even When You’re Sick, Just Act NormalGreg:     Hi! It’s me, Greg Shapiro: The American Netherlander. And this time it’s also my wife Inez de Goede; author and mother of our two kids. Inez:      The mother-who-always-gets-the-blame-when-things-go-wrong-with-her-child. Greg:     Right. Inez has quite some experience with our 15-year-old son and his medical condition. Inez:      Our son has Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. His diagnosis has been very complicated for the Dutch system. I mean, it’s a difficult situation for all of us. But instead of getting support, we were left to our own devices. Nobody, and I mean nobody, communicates with each other. So there you are, a parent with a sick child – with no background in medicine, psychology or education – and you’re supposed to coordinate doctors, school, psychologists, therapists and everybody else who is making money with their so-called expertise, while you don’t, but you do get to organize the whole thing.   www.gregshapiro.nl read more >

My son was 13 when he was diagnosed with a chronic disease. We almost didn’t want to tell his school, because we knew we’d get a chronic response. But – before we get too far – let me say a)… read more >

Chronic Disease? Enjoy Our School’s Chronic ResponseMy son was 13 when he was diagnosed with a chronic disease. We almost didn’t want to tell his school, because we knew we’d get a chronic response. But – before we get too far – let me say a) his diagnosis is comparatively mild; b) his school has much improved by now; and c) there’s so much more to tell (but I’m saving that for the health care issue). At school, we noticed that our son was indeed becoming more and more miserable. We’d met with various mentors, trying to find an explanation. And finally we had one! A chronic disease. Effectively we’d branded him with a scarlet letter P for ‘Problem Child,’ aka probleemkind. The school replied with an epic game of Pass the Buck. One mentor said he was too busy to handle our son’s case. The other mentor was now not really his mentor. We asked to talk to the principal, de Directeur. Since she was new on the job and still learning her way, we were shunted over to the Assistant Directeur, who was also new. Only months later did we finally make contact with the School Nurse schoolarts. As parents, we were now developing a case of chronic depression.   www.gregshapiro.nl read more >

The assignment was simple. Write an essay on the question: “What is a burnout, and how can I avoid it?” And by the way, “You have to write the essay while you’re juggling homework for eight other high school classes,… read more >

Dutch Education: Burnout Early and Burnout OftenThe assignment was simple. Write an essay on the question: “What is a burnout, and how can I avoid it?” And by the way, “You have to write the essay while you’re juggling homework for eight other high school classes, extracurricular activities inside school and extra classes outside school. Not to mention the prospect of spending your puberty in the most judgmental environment imaginable, as opposed to, say, hiding under a rock.” My previous column on education was Let Kids Be Kids – Until Age 11, When You Must Decide the Rest of Your Life. Well, my youngest is 12 now, and the pressure is only greater. While some multinational companies are introducing the concept of ‘Work Life Balance’ to prevent ‘employee burnouts,’ Dutch high schools are teaching kids to visualize their own burnout and head straight for it. www.gregshapiro.nl read more >

I was reading one of those articles about how Dutch kids are the happiest in the world. Every so often someone does a survey and finds that – instead of pushing kids to perform well on tests – Dutch schools… read more >

Dutch Schools Let Kids Be KidsI was reading one of those articles about how Dutch kids are the happiest in the world. Every so often someone does a survey and finds that – instead of pushing kids to perform well on tests – Dutch schools let kids be kids. What do you know? Kids are happier without homework. I’ve noticed this trend with my own kids – up to a point. That point is called 11 years of age. You know the American ritual called ‘Going to College?’ It’s the biggest decision of your life, and it normally takes place at age 17. Dutch kids have to make that kind of decision around age 11. And it’s not just about the school, it’s about the category of school and the right trajectory for the career you want. Do you want to make things with your hands? Do you want to work in management? Do you want to focus on academia and research? “You’re 11, time to move on with your life.” Yes, the Dutch school system lets kids be kids. Until it yanks them by the hair, smacks them in the face, and says “Get a job!” www.gregshapiro.nl read more >