Reflect on:
·what are your initial reactions to this week's
question?
Because citizen have given their votes to the
elected government to manage the whole country and future generations are
included in this rubric too.
·Why do you think governments consider educaton to
be such a high priority?
Because the progress of a country depends on how
much the government invests on kids + citizens + education = wealth.
Videos: all done
Read
Policy Paper
Education, justice and democracy:
The struggle over ignorance and opportunity
Prof Stephen J Ball
September 2013
https://d396qusza40orc.cloudfront.net/futureeducation/EDJ.pdf
Exploring the Complex
Interaction Between
Governance and Knowledge in Education
Mihály Fazekas, Tracey Burns
http://www.oecd.org/edu/ceri/49835315.pdf
Got to know about education in Canada & some more info about a private language school in Peru.
Reflective blog
In an ideal world, how do
you think education should be organized?
The ideal world I am about
to describe should be placed in my homeland – Peru. To begin with, I would give
a brief description of this three region
country: the coast facing the Pacific Ocean; the Highlands with its Andean
Mountain Range, and the Amazon area and its huge rainforest. The coast is a multi-race place where mixed customs have been giving
shape to new generations. Here everyone goes to school, university, and
learns at least a foreign language to graduate from university. The
Highlands has a slightly different reality. Although attending school is
obligatory, rural children do not always attend classes – schools are too far
away, the cold weather doesn´t help much when there is an hour walk, or these
children have to look after their parents’ farms or younger siblings. The
Amazon area enjoys hot weather, delicious tropical fruits and locals have
different interests not being school a number one priority. All three
regions are meant to be part of the same Ministry of Education. Unfortunately,
there seems to be a huge problem with State schools: National Unions rule.
As a consequence, students coming from State schools are not prepared as
the ones coming from Private schools.
As a consequence of this
terrible problem a number of private and affordable schools are emerging in the
capital, offering crash courses to level up slow learners, extending school
hours, preparing for entry exams, and a place at a local university. The
government offer, offer and offer many things but the core problem
exists.
Having described the
Education system in my country, I feel the need to re-invent a new one - a more
professional, effective and productive at the same time. Therefore, my ideal
school should be organized as follows: the Ministry of Education at the top, a
board of experienced teachers representing the needs of each region, a board of
psychologists, sociologists, linguists, and retired teachers (working on
voluntary basis) with lots of experience to see what would be the best solution
to today´s problems and local sponsors. Teachers would have to carry out
research as part of their professional development. As a consequence
today´s curriculum could be adapted to the present needs. On the other
hand, taxes should be duly paid and not avoided as it happens today.
Learning centres should provide learners books, laptops, stationary,
laboratories, toilets, showers and up-to date teachers. Inspections
should be done on regular basis to improve teaching and learning quality and
not to be used as a sacking tool.
What priorities do you
think it should reflect?
I would concentrate just in
three: better teaching quality at schools, academies and universities to forget
poor academic results, teachers and educators should never stop professional
development and illiteracy must be abolished. All of these is to aim a
better economic growth. I would like to quote Professor Stephen Ball´s
mantra: “the more educated your population is, then the more prosperous your
country is likely to be.”
Who should be responsible
for ensuring that it is of a good quality?
The new Ministry of Education and the local boards
should be responsible for applying Doctor´s Deming 14 Points on Total Quality
Management.
Is there anything from the
padlet wall that has informed your position?
I love the Abu Dhabi
project by Jeff Evans. I wish my country would be in the same position to
carry out a long term project to prepare our population to face new challenges
in a more productive and knowledgeable way.
