A flawed education system.

[tomtom94]

I agree that education-to-examination in the UK has become hoop-jumping to a ridiculous extent. I'm taking my ASes and the amount of practice questions we did left me in no doubt that there is something fundamentally broken about the system; and I don't want to imagine what it was like for GCSE students who didn't understand what they were meant to be doing.

I had a minor debate with a fellow student in my class who took the view that the education system needs to grant children more freedom to learn what they enjoy, and I think you take the same view. This I disagree with. I feel that children should work for the education system, not the other way around. Perhaps this is a result of private education and being ground in with a genuine appreciation of the opportunity I've been given and the need to work for it, but that's my view. Certainly, as a previous fan of comics such as the Beano, it annoys me how so much childrens' entertainment promotes the idea that teachers are evil, and that you should try to outdo them at every opportunity.

I feel that the education system needs to teach children the essential skills early on. What use is developing a musicians' talent on his instrument in primary school if he is left unable to read? There is so much that can be taught to children that there is a need to prioritize essential skills. Certainly obvious creative talent needs to be developed but how can a teacher be expected to nurture a poet (such as in your example) when they have an entire class of 20-30 students to prepare? There aren't, and haven't been for some time, enough teachers to provide the level of one-on-one teaching that is a better system of education.

What does exist is the potential to stop secondary school being quite so mind-crushing. The exams I did for my GCSEs will not affect me at any point in my life and I think that is partly what breeds resentment. A think-tank in the UK suggested, some time ago, the option of taking GCSEs at 14, the same time as the third lot of old SATS, to test the essential skills - and then afterwards, switching into academic, vocational, and athletic study paths at the pupils' discretion. In this way, people could actually learn what they would want to learn. If forcing children to stay through to 18 led to this, or similar, being implemented, then who knows.

Until then, I feel part of the blame - while the rest is entirely down to the system, part of it must lie at the feet of people, children and adult alike, who do not appreciate and encourage education.

 

[Trilby]

What they ought to be doing is encouraging kids to find what they enjoy and follow it. There needs to be a reduction in the number of courses available at university and refine them to purely academics. The rest of it should be done somewhere else with apprenticeships for the job.

I'd agree with you in that there are far too many courses, and that there are a lot of courses that could be easily replaced with on-the-job-training. Example: a friend recently graduated with a 1st in Music, and wanted to go into Events Management at a low level. Well within her capabilities. However, she was refused a job because she didn't have a degree in Events Management. Not just a minor qualification or certification, but an actual degree. However, I wouldn't go as far as saying that all courses should be purely academic. There are some things that aren't academic, but can't actually realistically be taught through apprenticeships. Take Engineering, for example, or Medicine.

Back to the main topic:

I can fully understand how people can perceive themselves to be "highly intelligent" yet simultaneously be frustrated by what they see to be arbitrary tasks, such as analysis, memorisation, or having to sit exams. However, you must remember that the basic, state-funded education system is not designed to promote individual genius. Instead, it is designed to bring as many people as possible up to a standard of literacy, numeracy and general knowledge that is deemed to be required for modern life. You may want to show off your genius by writing poems or something - good for you. However, the child next to you needs to be able to perform basic reading comprehension if he's ever going to be able to fill in his tax forms. While it would be great for some omniscient teacher to be able to determine which of the teenagers in the room are performing badly because they're held back by the "conformist, institutionalist" education system, and those who simply find algebra difficult, and whisk the budding geniuses (genii?) away to a system tailored exclusively to them, it's not going to happen in a state-funded system, because the resources simply aren't there. Maybe they should be.

Here's the thing, though: if you're some great intellect with a thirst for knowledge that is consistently "held back by the syllabus", why can't you simply breeze through the assigned curriculum, and then do independent study? If your talents simply lie in an area you're not being examined in, then try to find some way to pursue that, and if possible, get some qualifications in it. You're only required to be in school (in the UK) until you're 16. It's really not that long - long enough, it's considered, for you to have learnt how to function in society. Once that's done, you can leave, and take up your dream career as a writer of astoundingly brilliant prose on the internet, or whatever the "highly intelligent" do when they're not designing bridges, or doing heart surgery or probing the mysteries of the universe or any of the other things that more often than not require a university education.

Oh, and that brings me on to university. That's there. You can go to it. It costs money, yes, and maybe it shouldn't. If you're really as bright as you think, though, you should be able to get a scholarship or something, or get some part-time work to see you through (it's hard, but doable). And then you're free to attend as many or as few lectures as you like. Of course, there is still a problem that you'll be examined from time to time, but here's the thing:

At the most basic of levels, the education system is about providing people with a pre-selected set knowledge and skills. Examinations are, pretty much, the easiest way to asses whether or not someone has those skills. If you already have them, well, that's great for you. You have the luxury of being bored in class, and you'll learn to deal with it faster than other people. That's good for you too, because most of the jobs you'll get as an adult are also boring, and if you can deal with it you'll have an advantage.

Education in the primary and secondary stages (up to 16/18 in the UK) is always going to be based around those towards the bottom, because they're the people who need it the most. Complaining that you're not catered to because you're much brighter than the person who's struggling to write their name is a bit like complaining that the doctor spent his time on the person with the broken leg as opposed to giving you steroids. Yes, the world may be deprived of your record-breaking 100m score, but the other chap gets to walk. Which is more important really depends on how much of an objectivist you are.

TL;DR: If you're really bright, then you can find ways to educate yourself, and let the system help educate those who can't.

 

[Trilby]

It is the same reason why your on-the-job-training is a bad idea. It is true some things have to be learned on the job but employers want people who are already trained and know what they are doing. That is what colleges and universities are for, to train you on your field. They are not there to hand out free certificates and then make your future employees do all the actual teaching.

I think you're misunderstanding me. I was saying that things such as Engineering and Medicine CANNOT and SHOULD NOT be taught on-the-job, but rather in university. Re. the events management thing: I'm probably going to upset a lot of people here, but events management, at least at the level that my friend was applying for, does not need any kind of prior experience. I didn't make this clear: she was going for something akin to data entry. The problem is that once universities start offering courses in things that don't need them, qualifications from those courses become mandatory.

You need a degree to design a jet. You do not to call a taxi firm and arrange a pick-up.

 

[Dark Harbinger]

Of course if he were to take a business studies course, he would be forced to 'jump through the hoops' of pointless essays and exams, which does nothing to cultivate business potential whatsoever as opposed to actually doing it without needing an 'approved course' or 'set syllabus'.

And that is all there is to really say, in short, if you couldn't be bothered reading or feel lost in the myriad of words, I feel that the conformist education system needs to be a meritocracy, instead of forcing talented youths to 'jump through the hoops' and then branding them without actually attempting to look for any intelligence or talents.

Any thoughts fellow escapists?

Honestly your entire post just seems like the rantings of a teenager who knows absolutely nothing about what he is really talking about and is upset because he didnt do well enough in school to get into the uni he wanted.

You may have had some valid points but it is overridded by the pure bitterness of your post.

I don't appreciate that. I am explaining what I believe to be the problem and how it has affected me and a few people I know, please keep your uppity, condescending tones to yourself. I never posted my school results nor started a sympathy thread. I am presenting what I see to be the problems with the system. If you actually had anything worth contributing you could have at least debated reasonably by perhaps presenting an alternate view with your own opinions. Rather than insulting my intelligence and making pre-judged remarks.

 

[Gobmech]

First of all:
Changing Education Paradigms by Sir Ken Robinson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

There is no doubt that most modern educational systems are seriously flawed in that they are very (as you say) standardized and in many ways marked by industrialisation and our capacity for mass production. The error, in many cases, is the idea that we can mass produce intelligence. My experience tells me that what is really important in order to educate children most effectively, is to individualise the education as much as possible, and make sure that every student is taught in the way that he or she learns best.

For two years, I went to a school that utilized an experimental form of education centered around the basic philosophy of "learning by playing". Exactly how the education at this school worked is a lengthy explanation, but summed up, the students had extraordinary control of how they would progress in assigned tasks and under what conditions they worked. And most importantly, the evaluation of student was not based on the quality of their completed work, but rather on the effort they put into the work.

Of course, it is not an airtight indication of how effective the school is, but I feel that it is worth mentioning that grades are well above the average for the rest of the nation, and that for the year 2008/2009, the school sported the highest average grade for English in all of Europe.

 

[Phlakes]

Man, I live in Texas.

If we keep going like we are, in a few years we won't even have an education system.

 

[Da Orky Man]

At year 6, while most of the class were doing homework about pushing toy cars down ramps, I was building small electromagnets. I'm trying to make a Van de Graff generator now

 

[Omey]

The Indian Education system has not been modified in a 100 years!
The British crippled it so that they could manufacture clerks to grind in their government offices

It has turned us into a IT powerhouse though..
So not complaining!

 

[Brian Hendershot]

Dear god the education system makes me angry over here in the states. I know right now that in my old elementary school, up until fifth grade, they only teach math and reading. Why? Because that's the only thing that students up until fifth grade are tested on the for that stupid No Child Left Behind Act. Students are not taught anything else until fifth grade when (you guessed it) they get tested on different things besides math and reading. The teachers can't "teach" anything besides the tests or else the school system will loose money. However, the kids are not learning anything important at all. Just the test. Not to mention the emotional and social skills that are so important...stupid Catch-22...

 

[bigwon]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldPTL8fyHBY

hehe....just thought i'd share.

 

[EeveeElectro]

Yeah, I agree. My primary school could have been so much better.
For example, we were taught history and geography about once a fortnight. I can't ever remember even been told where everything is on the map, or even having a labelled map. You know, the basics.
And with History, all we were taught about was WWII and evacuation, then we'd go to secondary school and be taught more about WWII and evacuation. I know it was a pretty big thing, but bloody hell! They focused too much on things we already knew.

art was a bit sucky too. I know it's good to get practice in drawing different things, but drawing the same chair for a few lessons, then not being able to express your artistic ability in a way you want was annoying. There's obviously some reason for it though.

Also, I think I can give this a mention. They need to start teaching people about homosexuality/bisexuality or same sex relationships. I was never taught and neither were my friends, and I asked my 10 year old niece if she knew anything about it, and she basically said she's only been taught about heterosexuality. It's stupid... I don't know what I'd feel like if realised I was gay when I was younger.

 

[Mandalore_15]

This lack of individual focus followed me all the way through secondary school, however it took a bad turn for myself in the latter years of secondary school, where I was forever being told to simply 'jump through the hoops', which can be translated as: Don't try to stand out, just go through the sheep pens'. I look back on those school years with a mixture of regret and resentment, for I was never particularly good at my examinations, a couple of teachers in secondary school did recognise I had talent, yet they too were forced to spout the same conformist rubbish by the system.

I hate to break it to you but it doesn't get any easier from there, either. I'm on the 4th year of my degree and not doing nearly as well as I could simply because I don't have the personality/study type to do well in an examination environment. I've never got higher than a 7%2 in an exam (most were around 55-65), but in my last few courseworks I got 85%... the degree just isn't tailored to my learning style, but then, go-figure, the education system never has been.

 

[Da_Vane]

Hello there fellow escapists, today I've come here from my usual haunts in the gaming board to address something I consider an important matter.

The matter being the education system within the U.K., where I currently reside.

Since being a young boy throughout my education (now currently in Sixth form college,) I have always felt constricted by the system, in my primary school years and secondary school years to an extent and without meaning to boast, I felt held back by the syllabus. I doubt I am alone in this feeling, as I am sure there are many fellow escapists who are highly intelligent and have felt the same thing. For years in primary school I was forced to undergo the grinding experience of sheer dullness. I understand now that schools have to cater for a wide range of pupils and a variety of intelligences, but at the time felt there was a significant lack of focus on individual pupils.

This lack of individual focus followed me all the way through secondary school, however it took a bad turn for myself in the latter years of secondary school, where I was forever being told to simply 'jump through the hoops', which can be translated as: Don't try to stand out, just go through the sheep pens'. I look back on those school years with a mixture of regret and resentment, for I was never particularly good at my examinations, a couple of teachers in secondary school did recognise I had talent, yet they too were forced to spout the same conformist rubbish by the system.

I have a couple of friends in a similar situation, unable to cope with examinations and coursework, but if they had been able to do things in their way, their grades would have been top notch. One of my friends for example, given time and his own space, can weave words on the paper like a master poet, however in his english exams, where he was forced to analyse and drone on about selected texts, he was unable to work in his comfort zone, as a result, his grades showed him in the eyes of the state to not be good enough to get into many colleges.

Now I am sure that the current system works for many whom it suits or are able to adapt to it, to some individuals, it is simply a grey machine churning out the same matter and does not work for them, including myself. The system in my eyes has a huge lack of meritocracy, as a result, I feel many intelligent and talented people are being left out simply because they can't prove it in just one certain manner that befits a conformist, institutionalist system.

Take my younger brother for example, I am proud to say that he has a business streak in him, he was the child in the family who always had money stashed somewhere and would never be without money. At his secondary school, he got into the practice of buying multipacks of different foods and drinks and selling them at a reasonable price to his fellow students, cheaper than the extortionate prices the school charged for refreshments, yet enough to turn over a hefty profit for my brother, however he wasn't the only one doing this, a few other students did too. Now, rather than encouraging this business potential and recognising these students' aptitude for business, the school began suspending students caught selling refreshments, even going so far as to turning out students bags as if they were airport security looking for bags of cocaine. Obviously this was to protect their own profits, something I found disgusting, especially for a school that prided itself as a 'Business and Enterprise College', fortunately my brother managed to avoid getting caught, sold off his last stock quickly and went into a mini-retirement, I suspect he still has some of the proceeds stashed away somewhere.

Of course if he were to take a business studies course, he would be forced to 'jump through the hoops' of pointless essays and exams, which does nothing to cultivate business potential whatsoever as opposed to actually doing it without needing an 'approved course' or 'set syllabus'.

And that is all there is to really say, in short, if you couldn't be bothered reading or feel lost in the myriad of words, I feel that the conformist education system needs to be a meritocracy, instead of forcing talented youths to 'jump through the hoops' and then branding them without actually attempting to look for any intelligence or talents.

Any thoughts fellow escapists?

Um, if you have all these amazing talents you claim to possess, don't ***** about the education, USE THEM. Education is worth shit in today's economy anyway, because experience is where it's at, and that means on the job training and portfolios, not exams. Sooner or later you are going to drop out of the system, and start doing what you want and make the system work for you, doing what you want to - it's the only way.

 

[Your once and future Fanboy]

Well most educational systems are flawed, if not broken.
An example from my life: In Norway we have a "policy", since we have several different languages in school, English, Norwegian (two diffenrent versions mind you) and a language of choice (either French, German or Spanish). If you are dyslexic you only have to be graded in English and Norwegian, the version spoken in your region not the other one.
But I have dyslexia and I didn't have to have the other version of Norwegian (Ny-Norsk as its called in Norway), but they forced me to have Spanish.
And to this day (about 3 years after) I haven't gotten my diploma because i haven't been able to pass Spanish, and here in Norway, you need a complete diploma to be able to continue with higher education.

 

[AugustFall]

Honestly you say you feel held back but you fail exams. You and your friends won't last one quarter at uni if you can't sit down and do the work. Yes it's grind but it's important, no matter what job you have in the future you're going to be forced to do some boring monotonous work with all the cool stuff and you have to do both.

Seriously grades show universities how good you are buckling down even for stuff you don't love. If you can't do that they know you will fail.

Not flaming but I've heard this excuse a million times and always it's "I'm too smart, that's why I fail my exams." If you were getting straight As and complaining about tedium then there would be some weight behind your argument.

 

[IneptInception]

I feel your pain. Thank god I had an English teacher who let me go "coco bannanas ultra creative" in mine and her spare time, tuning how easy I found the course into full marks in every piece of coursework/exam and challenging me by setting whole essays and work projects intended for almost university student standards (in my spare time, of course).

In other courses, I found high school education severely bland. "This is right, you remember this and you'll go far". Education shouldn't produce sheep, but inspirational and vibrant individuals. Sadly, most teachers I had were there for the money, and the only reason we weren't force fed most things was because our school happened to be in the top hundred schools list and therefore our learning had to be "cutting edge and engaging". They can't afford paper anymore since I departed, nor ink for printers or stationary, for that matter. It's depressing.

I can't bear to think what schools are like in deprived, inner city areas.