Personally I failed most of my tests and handed in very few assignments. According to the system I am a bit of a failure, but I think that it is school that fails the majority of children. If we all just tried to find out what our passion or purpose was and simply go after that we would all be successes in our own way. If you feel the same way check out www.nomoretests.com. If you don’t feel the same way check out the site anyway and dare to be convinced otherwise. They have an awesome list of ‘101 Things To Do Instead of Standardised Testing‘.
Update: Please read the second comment to this post. Very inspiring words.
I totally agree, as far as I am concerned all tests tell you are how good you are at tests!
This is an interesting issue you raise. I agree that standardised testing is neither a fair nor accurate means by which student’s learning can be measured. However, I believe that there is a more productive means by which we can raise issues regarding the future of education.
Clearly, students boycotting, protesting and active resistance will draw attention to the issue. What this doesn’t do however is provide a workable alternative that addresses the underlying issues. Instead of focussing exclusively on what is not working, why don’t we focus on practical alternatives? Want peace? Don’t focus on the injustices of war – promote peace! Want a cleaner environment? Don’t dwell on the problem – work on a solution! Firstly, there awareness needs to be raised, but if we want to move on from thist step towards real change then we need to look at positive alternatives. There is plenty wrong with education systems throughout the world, always has been. There are amazing people doing amazing things however, and more attention should be given to them. Schools are a microcosm representative of our greater social world, and they are facing a challenging future. The technological revolution is changing the way in which we interact and communicate, this is slowly affecting the way in which schools engage young people. Unfortunately, classrooms haven’t changed much in the past 100 years. (To over-generalise, stereotype and simplify) – the teacher (knower of knowledge) is out front of a class (receivers of knowledge) with books, black/whiteboards and pencils as tools. Kids sit in rows, do as they are told and learn what they are taught. Knowledge was something passed from teacher to student with the student demonstrating the success of this exchange by sitting tests and telling the teacher what they had taught them. The structure of most classrooms promoted has this style of learning.
In the meantime, times have changed and classrooms are slowly catching up. We need to move faster though, for we are under-preparing our children for the future they face. We need to change the way in which we teach. This is happening, there are fantastic teachers doing a fantastic job everyday, helping young people to be prepared for a dynamic, uncertain and exciting future. These teachers embrace new technology as a means of connecting with the current generation of kids. There are teachers in every school who constantly challenge their students to inquire, question, design, create and analyse. These teachers help students create knowledge rather than regurgitate it. This group of ‘net-gen’, ‘cyber-gen’, ‘click and go’, ‘neo-millenials’ face a completely different reality to the one their parents grew up in, and it takes a passionate, caring, and dynamic teacher to fully prepare young people for this world. Everyone has (at least) one teacher who inspired them, challenged them and gave them hope. Let us focus on these people, rather than the other teachers who short-changed us. There are plenty of these and always will be. The more we raise the profile of the teaching profession the more likely we are to attract positive exposure to this most important of vocations. There is plenty to complain about in this world, lets look on the bright side and promote best practice, encourage teachers to be excellent, support and reward them. Be nice to a teacher today, thank that person who made a difference in your life, because they don’t hear it too often. It is a job with its own intrinsic rewards, however in a climate where teachers are constantly under attack and morale is low, a pat on the back goes a long way! I hope the national pastime of blaming teachers for all ills of society doesn’t destroy public education. It is sad to see the hoops new enthusiastic teachers have to jump through for mediocre pay, long hours, threats of legal action and too often the disrespect they receive.
For more positive information about great people who are doing great things in education, see links below.
http://www.educationfutures.com.au
http://www.thinkerskeys.com
http://www.schoolaid.org.au
Michael,
I cannot add to what you have written. To my eyes it was like poetry. Highlighting the solutions and not the problems is a point I have been trying to make for years. We are very lucky to have you as a teacher, and I say that knowing that I have a 15 month old son. I believe that the world can change in one generation. I am not saying that it will but it can, and when you hear words like yours from a teacher such as yourself, I know I am right. If you can succeed in teaching that to your students then they will have the tools to bring about the change to create the solutions.
Our generation has to make it’s real contribution, but I also think that a big part of our generations responsibility is in changing those thought patterns so as the next generation is not stifled by the problem thinking that has slowed us down.
Dude, I am so bailing you up nest time I see you sitting down peacefully with the weekend paper and your coffee
Although I am commiting the cardinal sin of highlighting another possible flaw in the education system, I will ask your opinion anyway.
Universities are beginning to take the focus off education in its purest element (academia) and promoting the idea of ‘real world education’ or in essence job training.
Surely the whole point of higher education is exactly that, educating us to a higher level where we can think and act on the knowledge we gain and leave behind the moral bankruptcies of the previous generation.
We train our dogs not to crap on the carpet, are we now condemning our up and coming generations to the same fate?
Perhaps this is just the education system mirroring society as Michael suggested.
Hey Steve,
It is an interesting question, but I never went to uni so I can’t really comment. I did go to a couple of lectures once though and I was a bit shocked at how all you had to do to pass was regurgitate the lecture.