> We are creating a curriculum based on the idea that kids should minimize having to do things they don’t want to do or might be difficult, and are now seeing a generation of children who are incapable of doing anything they don’t want to do or anything difficult, and it’s impacting their ability to function in society.
This is a solid point. Mostly I don't really agree that the right arena here is the domain of the canon. Real problem here is material - more parents work more hours and bring home less than they used to, and they devote less attention to their kids' education. It's not surprising that kids would rather stare at their phone than do any meaningful learning given that trend. Adjusting the canon to be more forgiving and hopefully give kids something to grasp onto and challenge themselves with is probably a fine intermediate solution for the moment, but there's a larger problem at play.
This is a solid point. Mostly I don't really agree that the right arena here is the domain of the canon. Real problem here is material - more parents work more hours and bring home less than they used to, and they devote less attention to their kids' education. It's not surprising that kids would rather stare at their phone than do any meaningful learning given that trend. Adjusting the canon to be more forgiving and hopefully give kids something to grasp onto and challenge themselves with is probably a fine intermediate solution for the moment, but there's a larger problem at play.