Communication

7. Managing change

7.2. A critical approach to today’s school

ACTIVITY

 15 minutes
     

Should I do the activity alone?

If you are in a two-parent family, try to do the activity together. Invite your child as well.

After completing the activity…

I should be able to:

  • understand of issues with school today
  • understand the possibilities of change and the role of different stakeholders in it
  • critically aware of the problems education is facing and formulate an active attitude towards it

Before I start, what will I need to do this activity?      

Nothing special.


What do I have to do?

1. Watch this video of Nikhil Goyal on Why kids hate school and take notes of the problems he mentions about school today 


 


2. Write a short description of the following (you can use the following Q-tips: What objects, tools were used in school and at work when you were 10 and what are used today? What was and what is the most common teaching method? What has changed? What did you like most about school? What does your child like most about school? What did you hate most about school? What does your child hate most about school?)

  • A normal schoolday when you were 10 and a normal working day of your parents when you were 10 
  • A normal schoolday of your child now and a normal working day in your life now 


3. Identify the issues in the current time description mentioned in the video and decide how much you agree with it


4. Think about your answers to the following questions and try to discuss them with other parents or a professional:

  • What has changed since you were a child and what needs to be changed to make school liked more by children?  
  • What do you think you can do about it?  
  • What do you think your community (school board, parents’ association, student union, teachers’ professional association) can do about it in your opinion?  
  • What can the media do about it?  
  • What other stakeholders can be involved and how? (Think of policy, politics, economy, civil society organisations, etc.) 


    

What to do next?

  • Did this activity help you to understand issues around education today?
  • Will you adjust your practices using the tools offered?
  • …?