Education System.

Last Thursday, we continue to read out our research papers on the issues around education, and I was so excited into listening about those papers, especially the one talks about different education system in Asian and Canada, since a very meaningful topic. Because the teaching and learning style in Asian is more traditional and conservative; therefore, students are lack of creativity. Also, since teachers are more emphasize on academic grade, the Asian students are not good at participating. Basically, there are two factors contribute to these problems: big population and great disparity between rich and poor. Since big population means less working opportunity, students need to work harder than usual to get to the top, and gain their "bright future".  Also, it leads to more problems such as: too much course loading, stress and less entertainment time. On the other hand, widening rich-poor gap adds the extra pressure to the whole social system, plus the fast-paced living style, the whole environment is in a "vicious cycle" condition.

Tech-knowledge

Every morning when I wake up, I have to turn on the TV to see the news, so I will not fall behind the mainstream. Then I go to class, I have to get the new knowledge from professor, so I will be more competitive than anybody else. When I have a break, I have to check my email, so I know some updates from my friends and school.  This is a normal day in my life, and they make my life much colourful and easier. 

Some of us wrote the research paper on the issues around techknowledge, and it seems like techknoledge all sort of linked to everything in our life.  However, in some degree, the born of techknowledge also brings some negative effects on our life such as: people sit in front of computer for a long time, and it increases the risk of diabetes; students addicted to computer and it induce the bad behaviour such as skip the class, can not focus on studying and drug addiction; and consuming more and more electricity is actually harm to our environment too.

On one hand, connecting to everything around us has bad effects on health, ecology and human behaviour; one the other hand, disconnecting from it all will make us loss more.

All in all, human therefore should control the self behaviour, and set the limit line, so that everything will be used moderately.

Nov. 4th, 2010

Today, we read out our research paper, also, we discussed several issues exist in the society. The most interesting topic is the financial support for students from government. Some people pointed out that school funding has been cut form the government due to the global economic crisis; and the interest for the student loan is too high. On one hand, I believe that every child has equal right to receive education, and our government should be able to sponsor those children. On the other hand, I understand that our government is in a very difficult circumstance; therefore, they need to cut the funding to fill up other big holes. However, this should not lasts long; our government should offer other helps to the students, so the students will have more resources.

Furthermore, it is not the first time that I hear about our government student loan has this terrible shortage: the interest is too high and most of us can not pay them back even when we graduate from University. The purpose for this loan is to help us go through the difficult financial situation, instead of government gets benefit from interests. Thus, our government really needs to think about more before they cut the funding.

Techknoledge in the Classroom

Today, we shared some opinions on electronic devices, discussed some issues on networking such as Facebook, Twitter and Ratemyprofessor. On one hand, as a teacher, I will encourage and agree that students use those electronic devices as a “tool” to help them learning faster and efficiently. On the other hand, I feel like there should be a rule in the classroom that restricts students use these applications during the lecture time; otherwise, students won’t be benefit from using those tools. Besides, for Facebook, if we spend limited time on it, and make sure if will not affects our study, it will be a great way to communicate with our friends. For Twitter, you can use it to follow some news from CBC, share some of your opinions to others, so you know more opinions from others. For Ratemyprofessor, personally, I don’t recommend students choose class referring to the information from this website; however, I do agree that it helps us to see the outlet of this course, and the style of this teacher. In sum, it’s a double sword; the key point is how to use them properly.

Stand & Deliver

Today, we finished watching the second half of the movie, and I learned second teaching technique from this movie: the art of encouragement. In the movie, the way that professor gave encouragement to students is like this:

- Confirm the student's good job, 

- Comment on his/her shortage;

- Confirm his/her good work again, giving him/her a high expectation for next time.

Firstly, confirming the students' good work will give students a sense of safety, so they will not be afraid of facing instructors' comment. Secondly, hiding the comment on their shortages in the middle of the encouragement will be less hurt for a student. Lastly, telling he/she a high expectation from us will give she/he confidence, so she/he will not has fear to make mistakes again. All in all, it is a movie that will gives us a lot of ideas on teaching, and it is definitely recommend to watch again and again.

Stand and Deliver

Today, we watched a movie in the class, the name of the movie is called “Stand and Deliver.” From this movie, I learned a teaching technique so far: the art of punishment. Everybody will more or less make some mistakes in their lives; however, the proper way to guide them into the right way seems like a big issue in nowadays. In the movie, the professor tried to use a humours way to avoid humiliate students in the public, and modify students’ bad behaviour at the same time. Also, in the class, a rebellious student insisted to answer his questions, what he did is watching at the student, repeated the question several times; and in the end, the student can not say anything back but answered his question. This is an amazing movie, and I can’t wait to see the rest of them tomorrow.

Culture Background, Education System, Language Issues, What Matters Most?

On Thursday’s class, we discussed various types of issues around culture, language and education issues; therefore, I was thinking, what matters most?

            As an immigrant, I left my homelands, step on this unfamiliar land, and begin my new live. Culture differences and language barrier definitely bring me numerous inconveniences and troubles; sometimes I think come to Canada is a wrong decision.  However, I realize that what makes difference is that the degree you see the object. If you always complain about your new life, unfair destiny, you will never feel satisfy, and you get no chance to see the bright future. An object is nothing special unless you use a special vision to see it. Happiness is everywhere; nevertheless, the heart to find the happiness is not.

On my way home, one of my friends told me his story happened in the elementary school: “When I was a kid at school, they asked what I wanted to be when I grow up. I wrote down, "happy". They told me I didn't understand the assignment, and I told them they didn't understand life.”

Thus, what matters most?

(Missing Journal, due to technical problem.) - Class 6.

For the past two classes, we shared about the narrative stories, and some of them were about illness, such as cancer. I was very touched by the stories, and also it reminds me earlier this week, SFU hold a memorial event for Terry Fox, and it is obvious that his spirit is inspiring us until today. Life is short and life is unfair; however, how to use the limited life to do some unlimited or significant thing is always a goal that people always want to achieve. Maybe as an educator, we can not teach all the knowledge to them, but we can guide them a right way, lit a light for them on the path to the success. Teaching them how to be a good person, the moral values, proper personal behaviour…etc. isn’t that more meaningful and useful for their future? The fact is, we need this kind of knowledge; however, in our current curriculum, there is no such class exists. Maybe we all should have a doubt to our current education system?

IQ, EQ!

Everybody has IQ and EQ; however, not everyone knows how to manage them. In the Thursday’s class, we were talking about the death from our pets and friends; it reminds me about EQ in education. Nowadays, kids in school are all has higher IQ, but lower EQ than before. EQ and IQ are related to each other; however, instead of focusing on the EQ education, teachers in the classroom are paying more attention on the IQ education. Part of EQ is about emotion management, it is a system requires time to build up gradually; also it is something that a child needs to think about deeply. Traditional teaching system is more emphasizes on comforting sorrow, guiding students out of circumstance. Nonetheless, students were not benefited from their or others’ experience, in other words, next time when the similar situation happens, they are going to be at a loss as to how to meet the situation.

The only way we can do to reduce the risk of death is to wake up the awareness. Learning to get lessons from our or others’ experience, converting sorrow to encouragement is an important task and a long journey for all educator.

-           learning lessons from our or others’ experience (observe, record, analysis)

-           knowing how to relax, calm down and avoiding the excessive stress

-           realizing to care about people (compassion)

Reflective & Doubt on Aristotle’s Ideal Education Model

            Oscar Wilde says, "I don't want to earn my living; I want to live."  Indeed, we do everything for a better life, same as the goal of education. The ideal education model from Aristotle including three aspects:  intelligent, physical and morality education. However, the whole statement is considered to be true and those three elements are based on a prior condition – well living condition. Thus, what kind of the education results fits the society? On my opinion, receiving a higher education does not necessary mean his/her can gain a bright future; therefore, education should aim at markets’ needs in nowadays. 

               It is true that without material support, education is “speaking war on the paper;” however, without education, nothing can be done. Some people say knowledge can not be taught by teachers, but it can be developed. Nevertheless, developing human-being’s potential also costs money.  It is a contradiction situation indeed. Anyways, Aristotle saw “happiness” as the end goal of education; also it is the way to build a productive society. Thus, maybe we need to believe that everybody is a potential genius, and all can be developed, so we all can have a “happy” ending.

An Ideal Teacher / A Bad Teacher

On Tuesday’s class, we discussed about the traits of an idea teacher, and characteristics of a bad teacher. However, on my opinion, there is no such bad or good teacher exists; also, people can not judge a teacher’s teaching ability via students’ learning ability.

Students and teachers are two roles can be exchanged. On one hand, as a student, he/she learns knowledge from teachers. On the other hand, as a teacher, he/she gives knowledge and information to students; at the same time, students provide the newest information and ideas to the instructors. Thus, a teacher is also a learner. That is why people always says, “if you are not a good learner, probably you will not be a good teacher.”

In fact, we can learn philosophy from all the objects exist in this universe. In other words, anything, and anybody can be our teacher. In Buddhism, the founder Siddhartha Gautama stated that the way to achieve Zen philosophy requires self practice and self-realization; which means learning is a journey, and only the participator can tastes its bitter and sweet. Thus, it is the other way to prove that students' learning ability does not depend on teachers and school, but students themselves.

On the way to the education, the instructor is more likely playing a role of “guider” instead of a “teacher”. We lead our students to find the key to open the door of supreme knowledge, help them to discover their inner courage and build self confidence, and be their friends when they need a company. As students, we should try to turn the challenges we meet into opportunities, and enjoy the journey of studying instead of focusing on achieving successes.