Very interesting Bonus Points are : - Compare it to both english-speaking and non- english-speaking countries, and tie it to the notion of spaces and exchanges. - link your thoughts with ideas of progress (and, maybe, do an opening on other social issues ?) - you can also try and link it to places and forms of power, but this may depend a lot on how your argumentation will go.
Just found this : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xe6nLVXEC0 (I can't paste links in comments so you'll just have to put it in the adress bar yourself or look for "Don't stay in school" on youtube). Give it a look !
Hey guys, Here is my view on the educational system in Jamaica. You may comment if you wish. Are there any similar problems faced by the French educational system?
The Jamaican educational system is known for producing top-notch students, budding with innovative and creative skills. However, despite this achievement, there are real issues which stymie our strides in training many young people effectively equipped to tackle the challenges of the 21 century.
One major problem is the quality of teaching that some students encounter, those particularly in the rural areas. Unlike traditional high schools, which are pampered with the best teachers and learning tools, the weaker students of these rural schools lack many basic tools and highly skilled teachers for learning. How can they then be expected to produce the anticipated high results in literacy and other important subject areas?
Secondly, some teachers are still incompetent in effectively using Information Technology in order to deliver instruction to the new generation of students who yearn for a more energized method of learning.
Thirdly, students need a support system beyond the school gates to ultimately succeed. Therefore, they need a strong family support system. The onus should not solely be on the education system to impart the basic mores and values of the society. Parents should play a greater role in the socialization and education of their children.
Jamaica boasts of having a free education system up to the secondary level, however, if the country is serious about developing its citizenry into an educated force, there are aspects of learning that must be addressed.
In fact, I don't think we have much geographical inequalities in France (well, sure, if you go to Paris, you'll have the best, but that's about it). However there are great inequalities due to the social class of your parents : the best best students are the children of either rich people, who themselves were probabl good students in their days, and prepare them very early to be successful at school, or children of teachers, who encourage them to work, and give them working methods. In addition, if you are rich, you can afford private teachers, which gives a somewhat unfair advantage.
Are those social inequalities less present in Jamaica ?
The minister of education, Najat Vallaud-Belkacen decided to establish a reform for secundary schools in 2016. This fact shows that failures still exist in the educational system. What are these flaws ?
To begin with, our system is an elitist system, as Lucas said, which there are many inegualities. In recent years, the governement search to promote the individualisation of successful ways. This event grows this inequality.
Statically, students who are in dificulty in primary school will keep these difficulties all their life. By that, many school failures exist in France and are based generally on the social origin. We can say that our system is not appropriate for any people. Governement must to think on that and they are thinking by the new reform.
One of the measures which can be interesting is a stronger formation for teachers. Indeed, teachers are essential for the eduaction and the personality of the chilien. To be a teacher you have to learn some rules and manners to teach by different pedagogical manners. Teachers have to adapt their lessons in terms of students.
To conclude, our system has failures like other systems in the world. However, the governement is working on this question especially inegualities. That's why, this reform is quite important.
Ask any French adult if he looks back on his schooldays with warmth and affection, 9 times out of 10 the answer will be puzzled perplexity. The French educational system have the reputation of being one of the most thorough systems in the world. But is it perfect? To begin with, 2 systems exist: public schools which are staunchly republic, and private schools, many of which are run by the Catholic church and actively encourage Christian values. Marks now assume unrivaled importance in the child's life. Tests become commonplace and an average, a word with very powerful undertones, is calculated. The marking of these exercises is almost mechanically oppressive. The way French pupils are marked needs to be looked at. For a country which prides itself on its revolutionary nature, pupils are very accepting of these rules. Perhaps because diplomas are everything in French society and as one specialist (Patrick Fauconnier) pointed out, these days you need the baccalaureate to be a supermarket cashier! Success in the baccalaureate exam gives an automatic entry into university. For example, anyone with the baccalaureate can begin studying medicine but 90% do not manage to continue past the second year exam. French parents pin their hopes on their child not attending university but gaining a place at one of France's 500 "grandes écoles", considered far more prestigious than university with the possible exception of the Sorbonne. These schools train France's elite and have the best resources. Moreover, French state schools provide a lower level of extracurricular activities than that normally enjoyed by children from other European countries. Then, studies that compare different countries' education systems show our schools have weaknesses. For example, they put a lot of students under stress. One study revealed that 15-year-olds are the least likely to answer questions because they are too scared to get the answer wrong. Then, more French pupils smoke than in any other country and there are high levels of violence in French schools. One reason why children are struggling, is because the school day is too long and stressful. Solution: change the school year better balance out the hours, and ban homework for elementary school children. And as Lucas said previously, the statistics show that the more affluent your family, the better your chances of academic success. To conclude, the French educational system isn't perfect but the challenge for the government will be to maintain high standards for the smartest kids at the same time as rescuing the failing ones.
I would like to compare the American school system and the French school system. In high school, Americans have the right to choose their school subjects to take what they believe correspond them best. While in France, the students are imposed their school subjects that do not like necessarily where their lack of investment in them. I think that from an educational point of view the American system is more rewarding for the student because he can choose what he wants to do and especially what he pleases. You could say that thanks to this choice school failures are less frequent than in France. But what is negative in the United States is that the school is very expensive and therefore not accessible to all. It's the same for universities that they are reserved for the elite while in France the school is free and compulsory, the university also is free scholarships and France are easily granted. To conclude I would say that the French education system has positive points such as the fact that the school is accessible and therefore gives a chance to everyone to succeed, but also negative because students are required to have materials that do not match their real and therefore causes a lack of investment.
Of course our educational system has some flaws, but firsly, i think it's a huge chance to have this system, lots of countrys are private of this, in the world. Secondly, to speak about the flaws of the educational system, in my opinion too often more students are in class, so we can't have a real exchange with the teacher and as some pupils are here, you can't work as if you are less. You find this just in the public school, if you want a "correct" school you must go in a private school, i think it's too bad to need to pay for a correct learning. For me, yes something is broken, you haven't relations between the student and teachers. I don't know how we could be fix it but, it's a problem that is not always mentionned. In addition i don't generalize this condition of work you have some excelent conditions elsewhere.
The school is mandatory in France ( if you want a work you have to go to school ). but is the educational system perfect ? on the one hand to have access to the school is a big luck, in some countries children have to work ! but on the other hand there are flaws. Firstly : The conditions of the teachers , national education does not listen the claiming of the teachers ,I read the testimony of a teacher who said " school is a ship which takes the water of everywhere , because the professors and the pupils are abandoned by the ministry of education" secondly : It is necessary to make more against the school harassment, because there is some more of pupils who suffer from it
To conlude : yes our educational system have flawys but I believe in the education.
Very interesting Bonus Points are :
ReplyDelete- Compare it to both english-speaking and non- english-speaking countries, and tie it to the notion of spaces and exchanges.
- link your thoughts with ideas of progress (and, maybe, do an opening on other social issues ?)
- you can also try and link it to places and forms of power, but this may depend a lot on how your argumentation will go.
Just found this : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xe6nLVXEC0
ReplyDelete(I can't paste links in comments so you'll just have to put it in the adress bar yourself or look for "Don't stay in school" on youtube).
Give it a look !
Hey guys,
ReplyDeleteHere is my view on the educational system in Jamaica. You may comment if you wish. Are there any similar problems faced by the French educational system?
The Jamaican educational system is known for producing top-notch students, budding with innovative and creative skills. However, despite this achievement, there are real issues which stymie our strides in training many young people effectively equipped to tackle the challenges of the 21 century.
One major problem is the quality of teaching that some students encounter, those particularly in the rural areas. Unlike traditional high schools, which are pampered with the best teachers and learning tools, the weaker students of these rural schools lack many basic tools and highly skilled teachers for learning. How can they then be expected to produce the anticipated high results in literacy and other important subject areas?
Secondly, some teachers are still incompetent in effectively using Information Technology in order to deliver instruction to the new generation of students who yearn for a more energized method of learning.
Thirdly, students need a support system beyond the school gates to ultimately succeed. Therefore, they need a strong family support system. The onus should not solely be on the education system to impart the basic mores and values of the society. Parents should play a greater role in the socialization and education of their children.
Jamaica boasts of having a free education system up to the secondary level, however, if the country is serious about developing its citizenry into an educated force, there are aspects of learning that must be addressed.
Thanks, that's very interesting !
DeleteIn fact, I don't think we have much geographical inequalities in France (well, sure, if you go to Paris, you'll have the best, but that's about it).
However there are great inequalities due to the social class of your parents : the best best students are the children of either rich people, who themselves were probabl good students in their days, and prepare them very early to be successful at school, or children of teachers, who encourage them to work, and give them working methods.
In addition, if you are rich, you can afford private teachers, which gives a somewhat unfair advantage.
Are those social inequalities less present in Jamaica ?
The minister of education, Najat Vallaud-Belkacen decided to establish a reform for secundary schools in 2016. This fact shows that failures still exist in the educational system. What are these flaws ?
ReplyDeleteTo begin with, our system is an elitist system, as Lucas said, which there are many inegualities. In recent years, the governement search to promote the individualisation of successful ways. This event grows this inequality.
Statically, students who are in dificulty in primary school will keep these difficulties all their life. By that, many school failures exist in France and are based generally on the social origin. We can say that our system is not appropriate for any people. Governement must to think on that and they are thinking by the new reform.
One of the measures which can be interesting is a stronger formation for teachers. Indeed, teachers are essential for the eduaction and the personality of the chilien. To be a teacher you have to learn some rules and manners to teach by different pedagogical manners. Teachers have to adapt their lessons in terms of students.
To conclude, our system has failures like other systems in the world. However, the governement is working on this question especially inegualities. That's why, this reform is quite important.
Ask any French adult if he looks back on his schooldays with warmth and affection, 9 times out of 10 the answer will be puzzled perplexity. The French educational system have the reputation of being one of the most thorough systems in the world. But is it perfect?
ReplyDeleteTo begin with, 2 systems exist: public schools which are staunchly republic, and private schools, many of which are run by the Catholic church and actively encourage Christian values.
Marks now assume unrivaled importance in the child's life. Tests become commonplace and an average, a word with very powerful undertones, is calculated. The marking of these exercises is almost mechanically oppressive. The way French pupils are marked needs to be looked at.
For a country which prides itself on its revolutionary nature, pupils are very accepting of these rules. Perhaps because diplomas are everything in French society and as one specialist (Patrick Fauconnier) pointed out, these days you need the baccalaureate to be a supermarket cashier!
Success in the baccalaureate exam gives an automatic entry into university. For example, anyone with the baccalaureate can begin studying medicine but 90% do not manage to continue past the second year exam. French parents pin their hopes on their child not attending university but gaining a place at one of France's 500 "grandes écoles", considered far more prestigious than university with the possible exception of the Sorbonne. These schools train France's elite and have the best resources.
Moreover, French state schools provide a lower level of extracurricular activities than that normally enjoyed by children from other European countries.
Then, studies that compare different countries' education systems show our schools have weaknesses. For example, they put a lot of students under stress. One study revealed that 15-year-olds are the least likely to answer questions because they are too scared to get the answer wrong.
Then, more French pupils smoke than in any other country and there are high levels of violence in French schools. One reason why children are struggling, is because the school day is too long and stressful. Solution: change the school year better balance out the hours, and ban homework for elementary school children.
And as Lucas said previously, the statistics show that the more affluent your family, the better your chances of academic success.
To conclude, the French educational system isn't perfect but the challenge for the government will be to maintain high standards for the smartest kids at the same time as rescuing the failing ones.
I would like to compare the American school system and the French school system.
ReplyDeleteIn high school, Americans have the right to choose their school subjects to take what they believe correspond them best. While in France, the students are imposed their school subjects that do not like necessarily where their lack of investment in them. I think that from an educational point of view the American system is more rewarding for the student because he can choose what he wants to do and especially what he pleases. You could say that thanks to this choice school failures are less frequent than in France. But what is negative in the United States is that the school is very expensive and therefore not accessible to all. It's the same for universities that they are reserved for the elite while in France the school is free and compulsory, the university also is free scholarships and France are easily granted.
To conclude I would say that the French education system has positive points such as the fact that the school is accessible and therefore gives a chance to everyone to succeed, but also negative because students are required to have materials that do not match their real and therefore causes a lack of investment.
Of course our educational system has some flaws, but firsly, i think it's a huge chance to have this system, lots of countrys are private of this, in the world.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, to speak about the flaws of the educational system, in my opinion too often more students are in class, so we can't have a real exchange with the teacher and as some pupils are here, you can't work as if you are less. You find this just in the public school, if you want a "correct" school you must go in a private school, i think it's too bad to need to pay for a correct learning.
For me, yes something is broken, you haven't relations between the student and teachers. I don't know how we could be fix it but, it's a problem that is not always mentionned. In addition i don't generalize this condition of work you have some excelent conditions elsewhere.
The school is mandatory in France ( if you want a work you have to go to school ). but is the educational system perfect ?
ReplyDeleteon the one hand to have access to the school is a big luck, in some countries children have to work ! but on the other hand there are flaws.
Firstly : The conditions of the teachers , national education does not listen the claiming of the teachers ,I read the testimony of a teacher who said " school is a ship which takes the water of everywhere , because the professors and the pupils are abandoned by the ministry of education"
secondly : It is necessary to make more against the school harassment, because there is some more of pupils who suffer from it
To conlude : yes our educational system have flawys but I believe in the education.