Singapore's education and learning system is always reported to be of world-class standards, bringing in the likes of kids everywhere in the globe to carry out their learning here, including individuals in the planet's most powerful economic systems.
Everyone knows the pros relating to the education system. In this blog post, I endeavor to explore the limitations of our education system, or simply formal education generally.
GOING BY THE BOOKS?
Our education system fits us right into a mold, forming all of us to become homogenous with our cognitive patterns. Its simply because each student needs to take the exams, supposedly to distill what we have mastered over the length of the year.
The issue with exams is it makes everyone think in a particular unvarying fashion.
Not very long back, I was attending this particular tutorial class. Just prior to it, I have done up my personal set of solutions for that tutorial we had been instructed to complete.
As the instructor was presenting the "correct" tutorial solutions to all of us, I found that one of his answers contradicts mine.
I lifted my hand and challenged the validity of his answers. He took the time to explain to me the rationale behind his solutions and I definitely value his dedication.
Nonetheless, even though I absolutely grasp where he's coming from, I'm nevertheless convinced that mine is the correct solution based on my understanding of the question.
He then told me that my answer will not be taken in the exams as being correct.
Not wanting to give up my scores, I gave in. Progressively, I realized that I've to "adapt" in order to perform extremely well in the examinations.
The adaptation calls for following whatever the teachers proclaim as the right response and keep on providing the "correct" solutions in examinations, even when it implies quelling my personal thinkings.
Therefore, we can somehow infer that someone who frequently scores excellently in examinations as having the ability to adapt very well and quickly.
I used to commit to memory "right solutions" from textbooks and deliver them verbatim in examinations. That technique has made me a high scorer but concurrently brought about me to be unconfident in voicing my personal opinion as I considered it inferior to the standard solutions provided in the textbook by professionals.
Later on, I recognized that what I'm doing is actually adverse to my psychological well-being. I usually do not dare to bring up my creative ideas in group meetings, seminars or networking events as i was so terrified of being wrong.
As a result of that, i saw numerous opportunities passed me through and getting in the hands of individuals who are a lot more expressive. I came to learn this destructive behavior of mine and I immediately curtailed it.
Gradually but definitely, I am learning to create my own strong voice by challenging conventional wisdom on a regular basis. I felt like our curriculum must genuinely prepare individuals to be people who are comfortable with their own views, as opposed to going by the books.
Everyone knows the pros relating to the education system. In this blog post, I endeavor to explore the limitations of our education system, or simply formal education generally.
GOING BY THE BOOKS?
Our education system fits us right into a mold, forming all of us to become homogenous with our cognitive patterns. Its simply because each student needs to take the exams, supposedly to distill what we have mastered over the length of the year.
The issue with exams is it makes everyone think in a particular unvarying fashion.
Not very long back, I was attending this particular tutorial class. Just prior to it, I have done up my personal set of solutions for that tutorial we had been instructed to complete.
As the instructor was presenting the "correct" tutorial solutions to all of us, I found that one of his answers contradicts mine.
I lifted my hand and challenged the validity of his answers. He took the time to explain to me the rationale behind his solutions and I definitely value his dedication.
Nonetheless, even though I absolutely grasp where he's coming from, I'm nevertheless convinced that mine is the correct solution based on my understanding of the question.
He then told me that my answer will not be taken in the exams as being correct.
Not wanting to give up my scores, I gave in. Progressively, I realized that I've to "adapt" in order to perform extremely well in the examinations.
The adaptation calls for following whatever the teachers proclaim as the right response and keep on providing the "correct" solutions in examinations, even when it implies quelling my personal thinkings.
Therefore, we can somehow infer that someone who frequently scores excellently in examinations as having the ability to adapt very well and quickly.
I used to commit to memory "right solutions" from textbooks and deliver them verbatim in examinations. That technique has made me a high scorer but concurrently brought about me to be unconfident in voicing my personal opinion as I considered it inferior to the standard solutions provided in the textbook by professionals.
Later on, I recognized that what I'm doing is actually adverse to my psychological well-being. I usually do not dare to bring up my creative ideas in group meetings, seminars or networking events as i was so terrified of being wrong.
As a result of that, i saw numerous opportunities passed me through and getting in the hands of individuals who are a lot more expressive. I came to learn this destructive behavior of mine and I immediately curtailed it.
Gradually but definitely, I am learning to create my own strong voice by challenging conventional wisdom on a regular basis. I felt like our curriculum must genuinely prepare individuals to be people who are comfortable with their own views, as opposed to going by the books.
About the Author:
The author is a scholar from a university in Singapore and frequently jots down his insights about studying in Singapore in blog on singapore education. On a part time basis, he has been teaching private tuition to secondary school kids.
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