Education
Things I Like About the Education System
I devote most of my time looking at the gaps in education. As someone who was not treated well by it, I often seek to criticise and then provide solutions.
If you have been following, many of my articles have been about education reform. However, I wanted to do something different as I know there are some good things about our current system.
Yes, teachers are overworked and let’s not even talk about their pay. But, despite education being undervalued, there are still some wins we can take away from it. That is not to say that things can not get better, but it is to say that we should appreciate how far we have come.
Education has not always been as it is today. It has journeyed leaps and bounds to get to where it is. And although we can still poke holes in the model, we should take time out to think about what we do like about it. So, before you read on, list down a few things that you like about the current model.
Whether you are a student or teacher, you should carry out this activity. For me, I thought I would only be able to list a couple, but on close consideration, I realised I quite liked it.
So, in this short article, I have summed up all my reasons into three points. Hopefully, you can relate to some of them and see the value they provide to society at large.
As we continue to develop our educational system, these are things we must not turn back on. So without further to do, here are the three things I value most in our education system.
Promotion of Diversity
I remember seeing a teacher speak about a new concept on educating black children. She suggested that their poor performance in school was due to under-representation.
In the area she was teaching in, less than 5% of teachers were ethnic minorities. And in the whole city, under ten teachers were black. These are staggering numbers for any city, and I do believe something needs to be done.
She suggested that the curriculum should teach more about black history and let black children know that they were more than slaves. Now I love the idea, and it would do good for black children in education.
However, I do think tactics like this can end up causing more segregation in the future. It is easy to see that we are all different. Children can tell one skin colour from the other. So pointing it out in the curriculum serves no help in finding a common ground.
Yes, we all have different histories. But the reason why education has progressed is that it has focussed on our commonalities. In the United Kingdom, we promote British values above all else. And that is not done to disregard other people’s cultures or race.
Instead, it is to find a common ground amongst all students in the school. No matter your background, race or skin colour, we teach you are in a British educational institution. And that means the one thing we can share is our Britishness.
I believe the current education system in the UK does a good job of focussing on similarities. My teacher could be white, yellow or purple and it does not concern me as a student. Knowing that the curriculum is based on British values ensures everyone can find a common ground to learn.
In the words of Martin Luther King:
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Our curriculum over time has evolved to no longer suit our differences. Such as class and race, but instead, suit our commonalities. As a result, education shows everyone that different backgrounds can gather for a better society.
Encourages Sustainable Living
Whilst in school, we lived in a way that protects the environment. We used to have a rota every lunchtime to pick up litter from the playground and learned about fairtrade.
Even in primary school, we would sing songs to bring in the harvest and often bring in things for charity. Every school I have been to have done stuff to support the local community and their environment.
By doing so, they promote values of sustainability and accountability for one’s environment. I quickly learned the value of being a steward for the nature around me and how I can make a difference.
The most memorable time for me was when we sent shoeboxes to Lithuania for Christmas. The children in that specific area were not very fortunate and struggled to make ends meet. So, my school made us all put little toys and bits of clothing in a shoebox to send it off to them.
I remember watching the videos of them opening the boxes and saying thankyou. Some of them had tears of joy in their eyes from opening a bouncy ball for Christmas.
From this, I learned that I can make a difference in the world by living with sustainability at the centre. And the current education system should pride itself on promoting this to children.
Freedom of Speech
Unfortunately, this one has been under attack recently. Many are now shaming people for not holding the same view as them or the “correct” view. Even students are now all thinking in such a small box to remain “politically correct”.
As society is moving towards a more progressive view, it appears that our freedom of speech is being stripped from us. However, educational institutions have stood on the freedom of speech throughout history and must not drop it now.
The right for educational institutions to remain unbiased is essential. It helps students form their views and learn how to think critically.
Not only this, but it also allows students to develop the skill of persuasiveness. The ability to share ideas with others and draw them to your way of thinking is an essential skill for life.
I am proud that currently, educational institutions give people the right to be offended. By that, I mean the ability to not feel comfortable hearing someone else’s views because it opposes your own.
The only way we move forward as a society is by having difficult discussions. We do not move forward by silencing a view we do not like to hear.
Closing Remarks
This article aimed to bring about appreciation for the education system. If you are someone who is losing hope in our current system, I hope this article has brought some confidence back.
Nevertheless, education is a pivotal part of our society. So whatever we do, we must continue to protect it for what it is worth.
