The motivation to succeed is lacking in education at the
moment. Everyone is trying to instill extrinsic motivation in students to get
them to succeed. We establish curriculum, set goals, develop time lines and
teach all to the same end. Most students do not want to learn what we are
teaching them. The key is to establish intrinsic motivation through finding
topics of interest and then applying the curriculum to help them meet their
goals. Building on this internal motivation catches the students in the act of
learning and expands it to follow the interests and needs of the individuals.
They stay motivated because they are interested. One cannot expect to cover the
curriculum as it exists now. One cannot expect that square boxes where everyone
is taught the same thing will work. As adults we all have different interests
and follow those interests to our satisfaction. Why are we restricting students
in their interests?
The following is from an article from the Smithsonian based on why schools in Finland are successful.
The Foundation
Public schools should be organized into one system.
Everyone contributes to the curriculum to provide guidelines
for learning, not set in stone prescriptions. The guidelines would be brief and
to the point.
All resources are given equally to all schools, not just new
or wealthy schools.
Every teacher would have to have a master’s degree in theory
and practice at state expense. State expense would be grandfathered out in 5
years. At that time all teachers should have a Master’s degree or lose their
job.
With a Master’s degree all teachers should be referred to as
professionals in the truest sense since their education would be more in line with
other professionals.
All children will be taught in the same classrooms, with lots
of special teacher help available to make sure no child really is left behind.
Hire and keep people who love the work. Encourage creativity
in the workplace. Explore best practices every year.
Equip
all schools with the latest technology and find ways to maintain it without
giving over control of it to corporate entities.
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