THE BIG MISTAKE OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM


EVERYBODY IS A GENIOUS.
BUT IF YOU JUDGE A FISH BY ITS ABILITY TO CLIMB A TREE,
IT WILL LIVE ITS WHOLE LIFE BELIEVING THAT IT IS STUPID. ~ Albert Einstein.

Different people learn differently. There are introverts/extroverts, close-minded/open-minded, messy/OCD, booksmart/streetsmart... So why we insist on using only 1 teaching method when there are SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO LEARN?!!!

Let's think about to change the educational system for once!

I'm totally against the old educational methods and the orthodox evaluation tests because it's based on a mechanical method of learning. It just worth for learning lessons like a parrot learns to 'speak' and stimulates an unwholesome competitiveness. 

Everytime I think about a good and effective education, I can't help but envy the Finland schools:

"Finland's school system has consistently come at the top for the international rankings for education systems. How do they do it? It's simple: by going against the evaluation-driven, centralized model that much of the Western world uses."

TEACHING IS AN ART OF COMMUNICATION.

A good teacher is not the one who has lot of knowledge, but the one who knows how to communicate that knowledge. Teaching is about communication!

I've seen many times situations in which some teachers are very proffesional and they know everything about a subject, but it happens that a high percentage of their students fail in a test. Why??
Well, some people might think it's because is a 'tough subjetc' and students should pay more attention... But I don't think so.

When there is a high percentage of students failing in a same classroom, usually it's not because of a lack of interest, but because of a serious communication problem. The teacher and his method are failing.

Unfortunately, when it happens, the teacher is not humble enough for doing this necessary self-criticism's job , and he just prefer to think that their students are lazy.

So, I'd like to send a message to all the great people who dedicate their lives to the art of teaching:

Please, remember: Never stop learning!
Review and update your methods, keep yourself up to date about the new educational techniques, talk to your students, listen to them (get a feedback), motivate them, learn from them (yes! they can teach you too!), be a 'guide', be creative, don't be a mere knowledge speaker...

And last, but not least:
Learning should be a fun thing, not a chore.

Thanks for reading.

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Some amazing facts about Finland's Unorthodox Education System:

- Finnish children don't start school until they are 7.
- They rarely take exams or do homework until they are well into their teens.
- There is only one mandatory standardized test in Finland, taken when children are 16.
- Finland spends around 30% less per student than the United States.
- 66% of students go to college.(The highest rate in Europe)
- The difference between weakest and strongest students is the smallest in the World.
- 93% of Finns graduate from high school. (17.5% higher than the US)
- Elementary school students get 75 minutes of recess a day in Finnish versus an average of 27 min. in the US.
- Teachers only spend 4 hours a day in the classroom, and take 2 hours a week for "professional development".
- The school system is 100% state funded.
- All teachers in Finland must have a masters degree, which is fully subsidized.
- The national curriculum is only broad guidelines.
- Teachers are effectively given the same status as doctors and lawyers.
- In an every year international standardized measurement, Finnish children came top or very close to the top for science, reading and mathematics.

INTERESTING TED TALKS ABOUT EDUCATION:

Ken Robinson: Do schools kill creativity? (one of the most popular and recommended Ted talks)

Ken Robinson: Bring on the learning revolution.

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  • I will be pretend to be shock with your blog... Spectacular, the way you explain things is very simple but effective. This year I´ve read a couple of books about this issue, one of them "Basta de historias" written by Oppenheimmer, the other one "Abundance" by Peter Diamandis.

    It´s hard to believe (and very sad)... the world have changed, but not our education system... we still pretend to "create factory workers" like the past century. 

    There are many things to say about this, so I think you can include the internet, without a doubt is the most powerful education tool in the world.

    Thanks for sharing it, take care, hope see you later

     

  • Batuhan, thanks for your comment, I understand your anger and frustration's feeling pretty well; it happens the same in my country, and I'm afraid it's the 'general rule' almost everywhere. It's really sad, but that's why is important not to keep quiet. It's our responsibility to demand a good education. Thanks again for sharing here your concern.

    Vision, I'm glad you liked the picture. I guess you know the saying: A picture is worth a thousand words. Thanks for dropping by.

    Mishaikh yes, that's another problem to add in this rotten system's equation: money. Education and Health service are things that should NEVER depend on someone's money or social status. But that's how it is, because that's the education we're supporting: an education without values and based on competitiveness... Thanks for reporting here that situation.

    Adiba yes, that's an homogeneous education, and it leads to an homogeneous society... and an homogeneous society is always more easy to control. That's why is so 'convenient' for governments and 'world leaders' to keep this old education system prevailing everywhere. Thanks for dropping by and sharing here your opinion.

    Way to the Moon! You always surprise me...  :D

    femina, thanks for sharing your opinion, I agree with you, and it's true that people who got the chance to go to a private school usually get more professional chances. But that doesn't mean private education is better. Usually it's based on the same old educational system. But the difference is that, at the end, it doesn't matter what you learn there, but what contacts and "business" you can make.

    Thanks Mohammad.

    Ben 10 yes, I've seen that movie. I guess it's already a 'classic' movie, even if I'm not sure it stands the test of time. But it's a good example of a teacher trying to motivate their students to be creative and independents. That's the key.  Thanks for your comment.

    Evangelina yes, I think this 'beloved' society of which we all are part of it, should be definitely reformed, you said it yourself: "the entire educational system needs to change"

    Yes, it needs to change, for the sake of the future generations and the future of the human being itself. Education affects every facet of our lives and civilization. For instance, we are not gonna do big changes about using renewable energy and become aware that the world resources are limited and we should take care of that, if we don't give importance to this problem in our schools. This is just a small example, but it's just to show how important is the education to improve our society. All what now we think are 'utopias' can be reality just if we change our education. Can you imagine a world where 'money' is just a piece of paper that means nothing and people just live in peace? That hasn't to be a 'dream' but a real thing just if we change our collective mind, our system, our education... That's why is so important to talk about this.

    Anyway, I know you already know all these and I'm just 'preaching to the choir', but I just wanna repeat the message over and over again if necessary, to fix it in our mind... Thanks, as usually, for sharing here your thoughts. I really appreciate it.

    Adaline, thanks to you for reading and taking your time to leave a comment.

    Erza, what a beautiful picture, thank you for sharing!
    Of course, we all are able to achieve the most awesome things. We just need a lil guidance and support in schools and the freedom to explore our own abilities. Thanks a heap for your comment.

    Estanis, I know the situation is really bad, governments just use education as a manipulation's tool and they don't really give a shit about a real good education. Actually, it's good for them if people get a poor education, so that makes a society more easy to control. And that's how the world goes... I'm afraid the only way to change the world would be to spark a revolution. But our society is afraid to change... because we already had a very good bad education that made us the perfect flock of sheeps.
    Thanks for dropping by and sharing your thoughts.

    Seeker, yes you're right. Thank you so much for dropping by.

    Onee-chan, I'm happy to read your nice comment. Thanks a heap for dropping by.

    --

    Thank you all, for taking your time to read and sharing your thoughts about this topic. I really appreciate every opinion, and it's very nice to see that all of you are very concerned for the situation of world's education because, unfortunately, this problem is happening everywhere.

    Become aware of the problem is already a big step. 
    The next one is not to keep quiet. Let's try to do that!

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  • Wow!! I like your message....MARY

    "Never stop learning! 
    Review and update your methods, keep yourself up to date about the new educational techniques, talk to your students, listen to them (get a feedback), motivate them, learn from them (yes! they can teach you too!), be a 'guide', be creative, don't be a mere knowledge speaker..."

    Many thanks.... I absolutely agree with you.... Your message was delivered to bottom of my heart. ^_^

  • Totally agree my neighbor.

    Perhaps it's a matter of time to rise those standards of education although I'm not too optimistic at least in this 'blessed country' since our education methods change every four years or every time a new party gets governing.

    Anyway teachers have the last word and obviously the more important role in matter.
  • Dear Mary, Lovely blog, I took time to read and enjoyed. Thank you for sharing such a precious thoughts.

    Well Done!

  • Nice and informative blog, Mary.

  • Hi mary , Absolutly true about the education system...In my country mark is the only thought of all of our parents and teachers and education institution .now a days most of the school started teaching early for board exams from 8 th on wards .there is no use in it .and here there is a big difference in teaching between private schools and govt school.we can tell more abt our schools .....and i wish if education system is changed .student will be more brighful. thank you for the good blog:)
  • I would like to voice my comment with Bathuhan.  We have the same problem here in my country, may be worse than in there..................unbearably expensive too.

    In one of our private groups of schools charging Rupees 100,000/= just for admission fees including first two month fees for class - I. This is only the initial cost, in return we have the bad quality of education.

    When I started giving tuition (years back) one of my students said, "why are you explaining all these subject, why don't you just guide us from the solved papers of the previous years?'

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