Transcripts
And how about the Green School in the middle of the jungle on the island of Bali? It was described by the former secretary general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, as ‘the most impressive school I have ever visited’. It is made entirely from bamboo, local grass and mud, with perhaps the most impressive feature being a 22-metre bamboo bridge that crosses the Ayung River. The school’s founder pointed out that as well as serving a useful physical function, this bridge acts as a symbol for something important – the bridge from an idea to reality. As you might have guessed from its name, the Green School places a strong emphasis on environmental education, with a particular focus on sustainability. The aim is to produce the ‘green leaders’ of the future – people who will grow up with the knowledge and skills to tackle the environmental problems the world faces. And because the school is immersed in the jungle, the students are able to explore their relationship with the environment every day. This encourages them to consider the effect of all their actions on the future of the planet. The Green School may seem unusual, but it is far from being alone when it comes to teaching what some may call unconventional subjects. In many schools in Japan, for instance, children learn admiration for nature. They are taken into the countryside and taught to appreciate and value the natural world outside the classroom, rather than their computers or smartphones. As with more traditional subjects, they are even graded on their ability to appreciate nature. While the nature classes may sound fun, that’s nothing compared to one of the subjects taught to children in Hawaii. That’s right – these lucky children get to jump into the ocean for surfing lessons! Teenage World champion surfer and Hawaiian, Carissa Moore, believes it’s good preparation for life, saying, ‘Surfing and riding a wave is so much like life. You fall down over and over again, but you keep picking yourself back up until you ride one all the way to the beach.’ Another unusual outdoor class takes place in the Republic of Bashkortostan, and it’s one that must have the children buzzing with excitement. Beekeeping! This might seem a strange choice of subject, but the rationale behind it is interesting. As well as teaching children how to harvest honey, educators argue that beekeeping requires patience, attentiveness and accuracy – all useful skills for later in life. Finally, in the USA, it’s common for children to study scientific discoveries in a very hands-on way. Students often spend a whole year researching and designing their own inventions. And at the end of the year, they present their inventions to the rest of the class. What skills do you think this course helps children to develop? Looking at all of these unconventional subjects, as well as the more traditional ones like maths, English, biology and art, it makes you wonder what the purpose of education is. It’s a question people have been asking for centuries, and not everyone can agree on the answer. In 1982, one expert – Mortimer Adler – suggested that education has three aims. First, there’s development of citizenship – teaching children
about their rights, decisions and responsibilities. Then, there’s personal growth – which could be anything that helps children to develop as people. Non-academic subjects like art, music or drama might fit into this category. And finally, there is occupational preparation – in other words, preparing children for the job market, teaching them the skills they will need to get a job. Which of these things do you think is most important? Let’s finish by looking at another school with a difference. The Brooklyn Free School in New York takes a surprising approach to rules and curriculum … they don’t have any! Instead, the children make the decisions, they choose what they want to study, and they don’t even have to go to any classes if they don’t feel like it! There are no tests, no compulsory homework and no grades. There aren’t even teachers. Instead, there are adults who act as advisors, but it’s the children who manage classes, lead discussions and call meetings. Although the school has been criticized for its lack of structure, it has also been praised for allowing children to find their own way and develop important skills needed in later life. And, unsurprisingly, the kids seem to love it!
Unit 3
3.1 artefact customs etiquette tradition transcend value
3.2 a That’s strange. I can’t access the internet. What’s happened to my internet access?
b How are you going to celebrate your birthday this year? What kind of celebration are you having for your birthday?
c Thanks to new media, shopping habits in different cultures are converging. Shopping habits worldwide are showing a convergence thanks to new media.
d New technology has impacted on cultural values in this area. New technology has had a big impact on cultural values in this area.
e He pioneered the study of cultural differences. He was a pioneer in the field of cultural studies.
f What does this symbol signify? What is the significance of this symbol?
g British people are often stereotyped as being polite, but cold. The stereotype of British people is that they are polite, but cold.
h She surveyed 500 people to get data for her project. She carried out a survey of 500 people to get data for the project.
English for the 21st Century • Transcripts 121
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