On The Underachieving School Again

-
Each of us should have favourite books written by different favourite authors. I also have some. Currently, I revisit a book by John Holt which is The Underachieving School. It is indeed true that every time in which we revisit books we will find something new. It may not be something new, but maybe that every time when we read it, we interpret it quite differently (our brain grows and changes everyday). Nevertheless, we might find something which we may have overlooked the first time we read!

Favourite quote for the time being:

One of the things that are so wrong with school is that most of the words children hear there carry no nonverbal meaning whatever, and so add nothing to their real understanding. Instead they only confuse them, or worse yet, encourage them to feel that if they can talk glibly about something, it means that they understand it.(p. 18)  

You know who your enemy is. But most of the harm that is done to children in schools they can't and don't resist, because they don't know what is being done to them or who is doing it because they don't know what is being done to them or who is doing it, or because, if they do know, they think it is being done by kindly people for they own good. (p.23)

What this boils down to is, are we trying to raise sheep - timid, docile, easily driven or led - or free men? If what we want is sheep, our schools are perfect as they are. If what we want is free men, we'd better start making some big changes (p.34)

Popular posts from this blog

Parking Lot

-
Image
Parking Lot has been considered as one of the best practices in the 21st century classrooms besides the famous group seating arrangement. In Malaysian public schools especially in Sekolah Amanah, it is a mandatory  to prepare a space or an area in the class to put up a Parking Lot. Per contra , to date, teachers are having a lack of proper guidance on the use of Parking Lot as a consequence of  the non-existence of a blueprint or a printed guide from any Malaysian education departments on this practice . Worst, the knowledge of Parking Lot is succinctly dismantle to teachers while they are having courses on 21st century classroom or learning, during Professional Learning Communities (PLC) sessions or during department meetings. It is through these short sessions or meet-ups that Malaysian teachers are made aware of the benefits of Parking Lot. Even the practice could benefit both teacher and students, the lack of understanding on the practice  results failure in its execu
Read more

Use Malay (L1) instead of English (L2) in English Lessons?

-
Image
The debate on the use of L1 in L2 lessons has been going on since forever. Different scholars come out with different theories and hypotheses yet no one theory or hypothesis has become the most significant. After all, it all depends on the teaching context. The use of L1 has always been a contentious issue. Teachers have choices whether to: ban L1; minimise L1; or maximise L2. Again, it all depends on the context the teachers are in. It is best to also mention that even so, teachers who resort to the L1, despite their best intentions, often feel guilty for straying from L2 path (Cook, 2001). However now, let's not talk about teacher's use of L1.  Let's look at student's use of L1 in L2 lessons.  Should we ban the use of L1 among students in L2 lessons? If not, why are there a lot of suggestions given to cut or limit the use of L1 in L2 lessons? I remember when I once made it a rule that students should only talk to me
Read more

Nadia Anjuman

-
Image
What should I do with a broken wing Which does not let me fly? I have been silent too long, But I never forget the melody. Since every moment I whisper, The song from my heart. Reminding myself of the day, I will break free of this cage. By from this solitude, And sing with abandon. I am not a weak tree, To be shaken by any wind. I am an Afghan woman, It only makes sense to cry. Nadia Anjuman was a talented Afghani poet who was beaten to death by her husband at the age of 25.  Al-Fatihah.
Read more