The Education Discussion Thread

DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
edited November 2020 in General Discussion Posts: 17,727
We don't seem to have a specific thread to discuss education so I thought I would create this thread to cover all aspects of education from government policy, your education history, general thoughts on educational reform, case studies of education in your particular country, teaching as a profession and so on.

I'm sure that @DarthDimi for example could give us a lowdown on teaching as a profession and what he has learned from it as well as a case study on education in his particular country.

So this is the place to discuss all things related to education. Hopefully this thread will be educational for us all. :)

Comments

  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,448
    Great thread! I'll chime in when I'm home.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,727
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Great thread! I'll chime in when I'm home.

    Great stuff, @DarthDimi. I look forward to your contributions in this thread. :)
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,448
    Let me start by saying that teaching is still the most beautiful profession there is. I'm sure of that. The satisfaction one feels when a 17-year old shows appreciation for having learned something new thanks to you is priceless.

    One alternates between good days and bad ones. Some students are kind, some are dangerously close to being criminals for life. Some parents are helpful, some get angry for the silliest reasons, and the worst parents are those that simply don't care how little Timmy or little Maggy perform in school. Some teachers want nothing but the best for their students, others are lazy do-nothings who only care about vacations and certain other benefits.

    The biggest problem we must constantly face is, however, politics. With every election, a new minister of education is installed in office and boy, can they screw up. They care more about changing what their predecessors have come up with than with what's actually good for schools, their students and their teachers. Another problem is social media and the no-good distractions they offer to young people who should be studying instead. They expect rewards just for being present and for doing their homework regardless of the quality of it, and they can no longer stand any form of criticism. Pedagogues jump on that trend by saying that we should focus on the good things students do rather than on their flaws. We should no longer expect a student to ask, "what can I do to improve my results"; but rather, we should tell them to "please accept these extra problems and if you'd like, you can try to solve them and if you struggle, call me, e-mail me or text me and I'll help you wherever I can. Meanwhile, congratulations for attending my class." *Pat on the back.*

    But I'm exaggerating, of course. They're not all like that. Most of my students are GREAT people who show respect and gratitude and who work hard to achieve their ambitious goals. It is they who remind me, every day, why my profession is still the most beautiful profession there is.
  • Posts: 1,314
    In the words of ken Robinson: Education = your own talents realised.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    School does not equal education and education does not equal school. I see school more as a forced conformity factory.
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