Since we wrote about grades and the school system in one of our earlier blogs I thought I would share my opinions and point of view in a text I read a couple of weeks ago concerning the question “hidden curriculum” in school. Instead of having the same plan for everyone and giving them the same opportunities I do think that the curriculum is hidden. But it shouldn’t be, at least not if its’ good. Then it should be obvious and it should be the same in every class and school. But I don’t think that’s’ the case.
I think that the hidden curriculum is to let the students loose, but guide them through school. You can’t force someone to do something if you want them to learn it and live it. For example, enforcing grades earlier than we have it today wouldn’t help. Punish students that forgot to do their homework by hitting them, as they did a long time back, doesn’t help either.
Today the curriculum is taught the way the politicians want, with cultural influence and hopefully with a personal touch from the teachers. These aspects and some other compose an effect on the curriculum. The social aspects that are served is that it prepare the kids for the life after school, but only the life the school expects you to live. There is a big split between classes with only Swedish students and classes with foreign student. This is a lively subject on the news and an important one. It shouldn’t make any difference whether you’re from Sweden, Russia or Albania.
When my future children grow up and start school I hope this subject is solved. I want my children to go to a school where the teachers feel free to improvise and act on their thoughts. I also want the curriculum to be bright and shiny so everyone knows is, and hands it to all students, irrespective of nationality.
söndag 24 maj 2009
söndag 17 maj 2009
What is good and bad about restricting the freedom??
I would say that as long as I’m safe I don’t care how the government does it. Of course I couldn’t live with someone watching me in my own home, but in public it would be ok. In Sweden everyone is so negative about surveillance, videocameras or wire-taping. But on the other hand it there is a crime committed they expect the police to find all the evidence and solve the case instantly. According to me those two requests doesn’t match.
The citizens need freedom to be pleased and live a joyful life. We in the west are spoiled with that, thanks to the democracy. Without democracy we won’t be able to preserve our freedom but without surveillance more and more innocent people will be killed. In the state the world is now, we need to be supervised. In fact, we’ve put ourselves in this position. If people had been more accepting, not so suspicious to new things and people there wouldn’t be war in the world, there wouldn’t be any terrorist and we wouldn’t need to discuss this question.
Restrictions like the new internetlaw, which controls what you can download from the internet, reduces the citizens’ freedom. It doesn’t allow you to download illegal files and for example music and movies that you haven’t paid for. The law helps to prevent crimes like childporn, strategies for terrorist acts and so on. But it also put a stop to “normal people that just want to share files with each other. It puts a stop to a piece of freedom but it prevents some crimes, maybe a crime that would have hit you.
The bank system is also one way that controls the citizens’ freedom. The service that offers you a variety of creditcards, internetaccess and around the clock customer service also note everything you pay or do with your card. In a way it monitors you more than you think the same with your cellphone. But these things we don’t criticize these things we appreciate.
So to round this up I think that everything that keeps us safe should be allowed to take place. But I also think that we need to learn how to behave to each other, do more restrictions aren’t necessary to keep us safe. I can’t say that the way the society are now is perfect, but that’s what’s offered and you have to do the best you can out of the situation. And if I have to give up some of my freedom to live I will, but only to a curtain point, after that it’s not worth it.
The citizens need freedom to be pleased and live a joyful life. We in the west are spoiled with that, thanks to the democracy. Without democracy we won’t be able to preserve our freedom but without surveillance more and more innocent people will be killed. In the state the world is now, we need to be supervised. In fact, we’ve put ourselves in this position. If people had been more accepting, not so suspicious to new things and people there wouldn’t be war in the world, there wouldn’t be any terrorist and we wouldn’t need to discuss this question.
Restrictions like the new internetlaw, which controls what you can download from the internet, reduces the citizens’ freedom. It doesn’t allow you to download illegal files and for example music and movies that you haven’t paid for. The law helps to prevent crimes like childporn, strategies for terrorist acts and so on. But it also put a stop to “normal people that just want to share files with each other. It puts a stop to a piece of freedom but it prevents some crimes, maybe a crime that would have hit you.
The bank system is also one way that controls the citizens’ freedom. The service that offers you a variety of creditcards, internetaccess and around the clock customer service also note everything you pay or do with your card. In a way it monitors you more than you think the same with your cellphone. But these things we don’t criticize these things we appreciate.
So to round this up I think that everything that keeps us safe should be allowed to take place. But I also think that we need to learn how to behave to each other, do more restrictions aren’t necessary to keep us safe. I can’t say that the way the society are now is perfect, but that’s what’s offered and you have to do the best you can out of the situation. And if I have to give up some of my freedom to live I will, but only to a curtain point, after that it’s not worth it.
söndag 10 maj 2009
Do grades build you up, or do they break you down?
My first thought when I read the question was NO!! I quote Marie, “Children should be allowed to be children as long as possible.” Why do we want to put more pressure on our children than they already have? What’s wrong with being a normal student, trying to enjoy friends, school and life?
The elder you get the more pressure is put on you. Even if you’re a teenager you think that you need to act like an adult. And that’s because the world around you expects you to act like one. But it doesn’t treat you like one. Some children have to support them self as teenagers. Some children have to take care of their parents as teenagers, or some have to have children on their own. In Sweden you’re allowed to have sex at the age of 16, so consider that why shouldn’t you be able to handle grades then. But I know that there are children that becomes parents when their even younger, like 12 years old. And that is when you’re in the sixth grade in Sweden. This tells us in short that children also should get grades when they’re 12 years old, or not?
When my parents where young they didn’t have to care and think about what to do when they grew up. At least not when they where 12 years old. When you’re a teenager you have to learn how to take responsibility, how to act, how the society works and so forth. That and everything beside should be enough, why do we want to put more weight our children’s shoulders?
I don’t say that it in a few cases it could actually help. The example Marie talked about, to spot children that need some extra help in school. Or an easy way to let the parents know how their children are doing in school. But I also know that if we hire teachers that are educated and give them classes with the number of students that is possible to handle and help we have solved that problem.
With this I say that my last thought is also NO. Even considering the benefits we will be given by letting younger children get grades. I’m still sure that by letting them avoid grades as long as possible we help them develop even more. This because they are, during a longer period, able to be children and enjoy life without trouble and pressure. There is nothing wrong with trying to enjoy friends, school and life as long as possible.
The elder you get the more pressure is put on you. Even if you’re a teenager you think that you need to act like an adult. And that’s because the world around you expects you to act like one. But it doesn’t treat you like one. Some children have to support them self as teenagers. Some children have to take care of their parents as teenagers, or some have to have children on their own. In Sweden you’re allowed to have sex at the age of 16, so consider that why shouldn’t you be able to handle grades then. But I know that there are children that becomes parents when their even younger, like 12 years old. And that is when you’re in the sixth grade in Sweden. This tells us in short that children also should get grades when they’re 12 years old, or not?
When my parents where young they didn’t have to care and think about what to do when they grew up. At least not when they where 12 years old. When you’re a teenager you have to learn how to take responsibility, how to act, how the society works and so forth. That and everything beside should be enough, why do we want to put more weight our children’s shoulders?
I don’t say that it in a few cases it could actually help. The example Marie talked about, to spot children that need some extra help in school. Or an easy way to let the parents know how their children are doing in school. But I also know that if we hire teachers that are educated and give them classes with the number of students that is possible to handle and help we have solved that problem.
With this I say that my last thought is also NO. Even considering the benefits we will be given by letting younger children get grades. I’m still sure that by letting them avoid grades as long as possible we help them develop even more. This because they are, during a longer period, able to be children and enjoy life without trouble and pressure. There is nothing wrong with trying to enjoy friends, school and life as long as possible.
söndag 3 maj 2009
Denial...
Denial… That’s the answer to why people around the world haven’t cared earlier. We’ve been thinking about the environment and climate a long time, but we have denied it’s a problem. The realization hasn’t been slow, we’ve knew it for quite some time, we’ve just denied it.
I spend a semester at an American university studying English and economics. One assignment I had was to interview a teacher regarding the relationship between the environment and the economy. The teacher I interviewed was teaching biology and been teaching in Sweden a couple of times. He’d noticed that the Swedish student had been more positive set to make an effort regarding the climate and pollutions that are taking place in our world. American students were more slowly in understand and act on the subject of. The biggest different between the students were that the Swedish students were willing to make a sacrifice to save the planet. This might be for example taking the bus instead of the car to school, or paying a little bit more for their food and supporting food that’s been locality grown.
Some of these scarifications are more or less forced by the government whit taxes and fees. If the people don’t realize that something has to be done someone have to point them in to the right direction. And when they’re on the right track it’s easier for them to continue.
By this I mean that without someone to help and lead the people towards taking action in the climate question and actually doing something about it, it won’t happen. I love the nature, our planet and I don’t want my future children to grow up in a world where they can’t breathe fresh air. But if I hadn’t been informed about the stat we’re in right now, seen the advertises concerning the environmentfriendly cars, the documentaries and so on, I wouldn’t done anything either. But when you’re forced to know, you act. You stop being slow and speed it up.
I spend a semester at an American university studying English and economics. One assignment I had was to interview a teacher regarding the relationship between the environment and the economy. The teacher I interviewed was teaching biology and been teaching in Sweden a couple of times. He’d noticed that the Swedish student had been more positive set to make an effort regarding the climate and pollutions that are taking place in our world. American students were more slowly in understand and act on the subject of. The biggest different between the students were that the Swedish students were willing to make a sacrifice to save the planet. This might be for example taking the bus instead of the car to school, or paying a little bit more for their food and supporting food that’s been locality grown.
Some of these scarifications are more or less forced by the government whit taxes and fees. If the people don’t realize that something has to be done someone have to point them in to the right direction. And when they’re on the right track it’s easier for them to continue.
By this I mean that without someone to help and lead the people towards taking action in the climate question and actually doing something about it, it won’t happen. I love the nature, our planet and I don’t want my future children to grow up in a world where they can’t breathe fresh air. But if I hadn’t been informed about the stat we’re in right now, seen the advertises concerning the environmentfriendly cars, the documentaries and so on, I wouldn’t done anything either. But when you’re forced to know, you act. You stop being slow and speed it up.
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