China’s 10 new and surprising school reform rules

[xcriteria]

China’s 10 new and surprising school reform rules

"Earlier this year China began a major education reform initiative designed to increase student engagement and end student boredom and anxiety. Curbing standardized testing was one aim. Scholar Yong Zhao wrote about it first in this post, and, now, below, gives us the latest developments.

(read more...)

[no]

Aside from 7, China's looking sane.

[xcriteria]

Yeah, 7 and 8 are excessive. Why not allow schools to go beyond the minimum offerings, but let students decide what they want to do?

That's what it should boil down to. But, it's noteworthy that even some of these countries that have adapted the factory model and run wild with it, are beginning to question it.

Addressing teachers in 2012, Heng Swee Keat, Singapore’s Minister for Education, argued for a radical shift in policy:

“The educational paradigm of our parents’ generation, which mphasized the transmission of knowledge, is quickly being overtaken by a very different paradigm. This new concept of educational success focuses on the nurturing of key skills and competencies such as the ability to seek, to curate and to synthesize information; to create and innovate; to work in diverse cross-cultural teams; as well as to appreciate global issues within the local context."

That, too, sounds like step toward sanity.

[154bmag]

It seems rather mixed

[brainiac3397]

When will these reforms come to the "re-education through labor" camps? I'm tired of sewing cheap shoes for Nike to learn material science.

[KFC Nyan Cat]

Agree with everything except 7 and especially 9. PE must be abolished and replaced with Recess.

[James Comey]

Everything makes sense except 7 and 8.

As for number 9, physical activity is definitely something that's important, because it keeps teens from getting fat. Stupid shit like NCLB has cut down on P.E. and recess, and it really shouldn't be surprising that this shit has helped lead to a rise in childhood obesity.

I agree though that making physical activity a chore essentially kills the fun in it, like all education. Instead, make it more loose and fun. Make it that P.E. doesn't have to be just inside school, that PE outside school is just as good. Well, at least China sees the problem of standardized testing and PE, and are thankfully cutting back on it. Seems in 'Merica we can't get enough of testing.