VIEWS & OPINION


Let’s allow our children to make up their own minds


Comment by GEORGE CHARLES, spokesperson for www.VoucherCodesPro.co.uk


Technology is constantly evolving and developing, with children now able to gain access to opportunities their grandparents generations couldn’t even begin to fathom. Previously, computing and I.T. were basic and archaic lessons in which pupils would learn simple coding using DOS and not a lot else. The majority of the lessons were spent waiting for floppy disks to boot up or a connection to be made.


Now however, the computer labs in schools paint a hugely different picture; young children are learning complex codes, becoming whizzes on Excel, and easily outlearning the generations before them.


As I.T. is a necessity for many different sectors now, as most of us work on computers at our jobs, it would make sense for parents to believe that this is the most useful subject for their children to learn. Although maths, modern languages and science are all valuable lessons, I.T. and computing is almost universal, with coding and programmes the same in each and every country, fantastic for youngsters eager to travel and expand their careers internationally. However, the importance of I.T. should not be pushed too heavily onto young individuals. When able to make choices for themselves on which subjects they should be taking, it’s wise to let children make up their own minds. Although it is tempting for parents to intervene, wanting their child to pick the subjects which will prove most beneficial when finding a job, it can result in the


child hating school and losing any love they might have for the aforementioned subject.


Parents want their children to succeed in life which can often manifest itself into being overbearing with their choices, especially when it comes to education. It’s imperative that they remember that their children will be attending school five days a week learning these subjects and that if they do not enjoy them in the slightest, then it’s probable that they will do worse in them than they would a subject that they love but that the parents may deem ‘not useful’.


Subjects that were voted the least useful in our recent study, like drama and art may be a child’s calling; they may have extreme talent in these subjects that will help them achieve their dream job later in life. Subjects like religious education and citizenship can help secondary school students understand other people from different walks of life as well as get them talking about politics and other hard hitting topics.


It would, however, be great to see schools introduce compulsory subjects that will prepare students for life once they have flown the nest, for example how to pay taxes and save money, as these lessons are invaluable and will definitely come into use later in life – maybe even more so than trigonometry or photosynthesis!


Lessons from abroad – what can we learn from foreign practitioners? Comment by DINA KHALAF,


Regional Development and Recognition Manager, International Baccalaureate


Last month, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah encouraged over 900 educators from across the world to redefine their roles as leaders at the third annual Teacher Skills Forum in Jordan. Her Majesty called upon teachers to “instil values of peace and co-existence” in their students in order to face today’s challenges and urged teachers to educate their students about “hard work and resilience”, a trait that many educators say certain curriculums lack to foster.


This year’s Forum focused on restructuring how educators teach in order to enrich their students’ learning experiences, and was based on six objectives: learning new teaching strategies and techniques, discussing goals for enhancing the learning environment, sharing teaching practices, networking, providing innovative ideas for teachers to incorporate technology into lesson plans, and supporting teachers as they work to incorporate and align these methods into their teaching plans. At the event which welcomed participants from a wide range of countries including Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Mexico, the Netherlands, the UK and the United States of America, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah urged teachers to see that they “are the leaders of every hope in the classroom” and described teachers as becoming “the hope that beckons our children forth every day, instilling them with the true values of learning, teaching them the fundamentals of life.” It begs


May 2017


the question, what can other countries take on-board from Her Majesty’s comments?


In times of global conflict, we should focus on future generations, and what can be done to make the world a better place. As Her Majesty said in her speech “the best investment we can make is in our teachers” and is something that we, at the International Baccalaureate, strongly believe in. Educators in the Middle East take a progressive nature towards revolutionising educations to be fit for today’s society, and to ensure that national agendas are met. Abu Dhabi, in particular, is fast transforming into a hub for educational excellence, inspired by Vision 2030. The Abu Dhabi Education Council is driving ambitious long-term strategies through the policy to push a 21st century education system to equip students with rich innovation-based learning experiences, focussing in science and entrepreneurship.


Schools and teachers alike must take the opportunity to learn new pedagogies and develop innovative ways to integrate technology while discussing the means to improve classroom education and overall school communities. With that said, technology along will not revolutionise the education systems. At the Conference, Her Majesty cited the pivotal role of teachers, which she described as sacred. It is perhaps the value placed on teachers in the Middle East that all communities across the world could learn from.


www.education-today.co.uk 19


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