In this sort of scenario is it the student, or is it the teacher, that is really saved by the bell?
It’s a common scenario in our public schools today and many schools all across the world experience the same issue: Motivation. Why work? What’s the point? I don’t enjoy this so why do it? What does a qualification mean anyways? Why get a qualification if everyone else has one? How does a GCSE make me any better off? The answer to these questions is sadly being recognized: a GCSE is almost irrelevant on any CV, unless it’s in specifically Mathematics or English Language and at that point if you’ve got a C grade or above then you’re set. In the modern day, employers won’t care if you have a Maths and an English GCSE at a C grade or if you have ten GCSEs at A* grade. It really makes no difference in the workforce.
It’s no surprise that due to the skyrocketing University fees those students are less inclined to go to University as well. Plus a degree offers little advantage outside of specific practices, in fact the advantage a degree offers is almost negligible unless you’ve got something at a Doctorate Level. This leads us to the next point: Why would anyone want to go to school? The answer: They wouldn’t. But after all, primary and secondary level education is compulsory, so it doesn’t matter right? Wrong.
If a child is forced to learn, especially if it’s a non-practical skill on strict settings and guidelines, very few children will display adeptness with the skill. English, Maths and Languages immediately spring to mind and, even though we know that in the real world these skills are in high demand for Office, Retail and International services alike. These aren’t typically jobs that people are so happy settling with and will see few children picking it up. After a while you end up losing students that could have become masters of a subject, just because the subject matter isn’t particularly engaging or utilized in an exciting format or presentation.
So what is the solution? Educator Charles Leadbeater travelled around the world into some of the planet’s worst areas for children to live to see how they were being educated and he found something amazing. Children thrive on learning when it can be used practically or when it is presented in an engaging fashion. Charles shows in his video some of the biggest examples; A student who drops out of school due to boring presentation and becomes involved in the Drug trade, but goes back into school despite his success in the Drug trade when he’s given computers to learn on, and another student who struggles his whole life to become involved in education, but as soon as carpentry skills are being taught he develops an aptitude for the skill like nobody has ever seen before.
These inspiring examples show just what the school systems should be providing, an engaging education system that teaches skills on a practical level and/or in a well-presented manner. The use of technology is a very prominent and very powerful medium for attracting students into education and engaging deeper with subject matter. And practical ‘shop’ classes teach life skills in cooking, woodwork, wiring, IT and the like which are just as valuable and just as needed in contemporary times as ever.
SeekTeachers has a range of positions all across the world and regularly becomes involved with new groups and projects related to education every day. To see a list of positions then check out SeekTeachers’ Jobs page and be the change to inspire a movement of engaging education today.