New Zealand was not alone, with overall average scores for maths, reading and science dropping in the 81 countries and economies participating in the tests.
Perhaps what we need first is a goal. Is our goal for kids to be able to get jobs? To get jobs they like? To make lots of money? Or is our goal for people to be happy? Feel in control? Have many opportunities? Live an ethical life?
Without a goal it’s hard to know whether school is failing kids.
I know many would say a school is there to teach reading and writing and maths. I don’t think schools are (or should be) there for that purpose, but rather to improve society by educating everyone. That may need to happen through teaching reading, writing, and maths, but if we don’t know our goal we don’t know if that’s the way to achieve it.
That podcast I mentioned earlier actually said that’s why kids in NZ generally start school at 5. It used to be 6, and in the war (first world war, maybe?) they changed it to 5 so more women to work while the men were at war. So the first year of school was literally to babysit.
Perhaps what we need first is a goal. Is our goal for kids to be able to get jobs? To get jobs they like? To make lots of money? Or is our goal for people to be happy? Feel in control? Have many opportunities? Live an ethical life?
Without a goal it’s hard to know whether school is failing kids.
I know many would say a school is there to teach reading and writing and maths. I don’t think schools are (or should be) there for that purpose, but rather to improve society by educating everyone. That may need to happen through teaching reading, writing, and maths, but if we don’t know our goal we don’t know if that’s the way to achieve it.
I agree with everything you’ve just said.
All too often I think people can’t see beyond it’s there to babysit kids for 8h so parents can work.
That podcast I mentioned earlier actually said that’s why kids in NZ generally start school at 5. It used to be 6, and in the war (first world war, maybe?) they changed it to 5 so more women to work while the men were at war. So the first year of school was literally to babysit.
That’s interesting. Social changes so often happen for slightly weird reasons. Giving women the vote was partly about who they would likely vote for.