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Starting life in Australia as high school migrant, I have had a unique perspective of how different education and pedagogy are between the cultures. There are benefits and disadvantages on both areas. Furthering the idea, my personal Educational Manifesto is comprised of the following points:
1. Education must shape the lives of
its students
2. Education must equip the students to
create jobs for people
3. There is no such thing as scarcity,
only a lack of technology
4. Teachers and parents need to work as
a team
5. Graduates are to subsidise their
successors
Education must
shape the lives of its students:
It
has been said that primary teaches you how to follow instructions, high school
teaches you to read the instructions, tertiary education teaches you to
question the instructions and real life asks you for instructions. Aside for
the previous statement attempting to be humorous, there are aspects of truth in
a sarcastic statement (Freud, as quoted by William Berry). Socrates is recorded
to have said, “Education is the kindling
of a flame, not the filling of a vessel”. Education must shape the lives of
those it teaches. Secondary education is an opportunity for young minds to
expand into maturity by stimulating curiosity and interest. This leads to the
need for education to be relevant and communicated successfully to each student
as they are intellectually able to understand.
Gardner
theorised that there are multiple intelligences. Classically there are
celebrations for those who are academically inclined. In an address recognising
him for receiving the 2011 Prince of Asturias Prize in Social Science, Gardner
said, “What I was confident of, and
remain confident of, is that, with respect to any individual, one cannot know
the strength of weakness of a particular intelligence, just because one knows
the strength or weakness of another intelligence.” In keeping education as
a life-shaping force in the student, teachers need to realise that the lesson
they may be trying to teach a resistant student may be because of the method of
teaching as well as the lack of interest in the topic itself. This is not an
excuse to misbehave, rather an opportunity to expand creatively presenting the
same topic in a different manner, communicating to the student’s particular
intelligence. Teachers must have flexibility in being able to assess the
child’s ability and gauge if this topic is in harmony with the child’s main
intelligence.
The
instructors who are teaching need to have a passion for the subject such that
their love for the topic shows in their methods of teaching. Socrates has once
said, “I cannot teach anybody anything, I
can only make them think.” Dr. Derek Muller obtained his PhD from the
University of Sydney with the premise of using multimedia to instruct students
about quantum tunneling. He also regularly updates a You-Tube channel called
“Veritasium – the element of truth”. He asks, “What experiences promote the
kind of thinking that inspires learning?” (Muller, 2014) Best Practice of involvement must be observed in teaching. A
student engaged in curiosity will yield greater engagement than in rote
learning. The purpose of secondary education is to equip students as they
mature into adulthood. This prepares them for the decision making and the
eventual repercussion of the decision they have made. Education is meant to
provide the masses a means to improve them and to choose the direction of their
chosen vocation. Allen has also said that education (Vocational Curriculum in
particular) gives the students a chance to “make a contribution to the economic
well being of society”.
Education must
equip the students to create jobs for people:
In
the historical sense, teachers are training students for current jobs that
exists in the market. The relevance of this pedagogy was that areas of
employment stayed constant for decades as was observed during the industrial
(Modernist) age. Changes in technology occur so quickly that now it far
outstrips curriculum. Point in fact, in 1991, B.A.S.I.C. programming language
was first introduced to students and progressed into the coding language of
Pascal. By 1999 Pascal has been outdated by C+ and 2000 graduates fluent in C+
now need to skill-up to other programming languages. This fast pace of change
along with the uncertainty and seeming hopelessness has forged a post-modern
attitude of relativism.
Teachers
need to focus on the future when interacting with their students. The
imagination and ingenuity of the children can be fostered by allowing a social
collaboration, putting into practice a corollary of Vygotsky’s theories on the
Zone of Proximal Development and Erikson’s theories on social interaction.
Essentially
the students are eventually empowered to carry a creative streak to adulthood.
In this manner each student has the potential to be an innovator of technology
with an ability to be the employer, instead of the one seeking work.
There is no such
thing as scarcity, only a lack of technology:
Economic
Alchemy states that technology and innovation creates a near-infinite number of
ways that resources can be conserved and stretched. The theory of Economic
Alchemy was coined by Dr. Paul Pilzer in his book, “Unlimited Wealth: The
Theory and practice of Economic Alchemy”. Pilzer stipulates that, “By enabling us to make productive use of
particular raw materials, technology determines what constitutes a physical
resource.” This attitude that there is no scarcity will encourage the
students to think outside of the normal spectrum and progress their curiosity
to enthusiasm. With enough support, that enthusiasm will turn into innovation.
However, it is important to note that technology is a tool for education; it
must always be treated as a tool, not a be all and end all. The heart of this
movement will always be the willingness of teachers to buy into the idea and to
passionately pass on this to their students.
Teachers and
parents need to work together as a team:
The
typical day allocates almost 8 hours of contact (8:30am – 4pm) for secondary
students and their teachers. A teacher can be a major influence to a student.
Nonetheless, the parent holds sway the student’s direction. There must be a
partnership between the teachers and parents. The parents must act as an
extension of the teacher’s ideas. That being said, Christian education and
influence must be taught with the attitude of stewardship. We are not to force
the children to “be” Christians, but be used by the Holy Spirit to spread the
good news. As secondary students are questioning the validity of the scriptures,
teachers need to be equipped to defend their Faith through apologetics
training. Teachers should never assume that their authority and position as a
teacher can give them the right to ignore the student’s questions about
Christianity and Faith. Incorporating the parents also brings into view any
potential issues caused by cultural backgrounds or any Faith beliefs that may
be a hindrance to learning.
In
the same vein, a sense of pride must be felt with the student’s origin. A
person’s roots are a source of strength and pride regardless of where one came
from. Parental support to the teacher through cultural insight will be
invaluable.
Students
also need to learn how to cope with disappointment. Communication between the
teacher and parents can assist in the student’s ability to gain resilience
despite the setbacks.
In
terms of discipline, students need to know that their actions have a set of
outcomes, both positive and negative. Some outcomes are consequences that
require disciplinary correction. Collaboration in this matter strengthens the
position of the teacher to impose the punishment but has the respect of the
parent.
Graduates are to
subsidise their successors
The
choice of secondary education must be accompanied with the conscious decision
of the student to give effort and do work. This attitude can be encouraged by
the teacher through the lessons. Parents are also integral to the success of
the student. They are reinforcing the ideals presented by the teachers,
inculcating a deep love for learning and self-improvement.
The
final outcome with all the ideals combined would produce graduates who posses
attitudes of entrepreneurship, gratitude and generosity. Students who choose to
matriculate are encouraged to do so, as well as those who would pursue a
vocational tertiary education. The subsidy is purely voluntary but with the
hope of the graduate’s willingness to participate as they, themselves were
given the benefit. Comparing this model of finance with a complete socialistic
method of “Free Education” the Danes have (Billing, S; 2014), the subsidy
provided by graduates will be far more sustainable.
Economically,
the subsidy provides the school with additional resources to invest in
resources. Socially, the subsidy creates a culture of “Paying it Forward” where
an act of kindness is performed without reciprocity. Potentially this gives us
a generation of empowered job generators produced annually which impacts not
only their circle of influence but on a national scale as well.
Bibliography:
Billing,
Soeren; Agence France Presse (18 Jun 2014) “ Free Universities and No Student
Loan Deb is Hurting Denmark’s Economy” http://www.businessinsider.com/free-universities-and-no-student-loan-debt-is-hurting-denmarks-economy-2014-6?IR=T
Berry,
William; “The Joke’s on Who?” (2013) http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-second-noble-truth/201302/the-jokes-who
Muller,
D. A. (2008); University of Sydney PhD Thesis “Designing Effective Multimedia
for Physics Education”
Muller,
D.A (2014); “”This Will Revolutionize Education” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEmuEWjHr5c
Pilzer,
P. Z. (1990); “Unlimited Wealth: The Theory and Practice of Economic Alchemy”
Smart,
S. (2007); “A Spectator’s Guide to Worldviews”
Zemelman,
S; Daniels, Hyde, A (2012); Best Practice: Bringing Standards to Life in
American Classrooms (4th Ed)
Kozulin,
A., Gindis, B., Ageyev, V., Miller, S. (2003); “Vygotsky’s educational theory
and practice in cultural context”
Duchesne,
McMaugh, Bochner and Krause 2010; “ Educational Psychology”
Erikson,
E.H. 1977; “The Life Cycle Completed: Extended Verison”
Film:
“Coach Carter” (2005)
