I Have a Question

Why do people insist the Japanese have the best school system? I grew up in the 80s and everybody talked abt how we had it too easy and we should be like the Japanese who went to school at least 8 hrs a day and then went home and did hours and hours of homework every night. It sounds like a very cruel system to me and from what I hear the adults don't even work 40 hrs a wk. So why expect kids to work over 50 hours on schoolwork? It sounds like they are punishing kids just for being kids. I could imagine the American adults who want to have the harsh Japanese system never had to work that hard as children nor would they willing to now. End of rant

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Freeranger · M

My understanding is that, that distinction belongs to the Scandinavian countries.

Neoerectus · M

@Freeranger Norway reintroduced multiple recesses and test scores improved....humanity and common sense.

Freeranger · M

@Neoerectus I don't find the recesses as compelling as what they are allowed to do [i]during[/i] them. They let them walk through puddles and play in the mud, because the mindset is that, they are exploring things with their minds. As in the mud, the kids would make dams and small canals, then sit and watch the way the water flowed, making improvements along the way....
They are allowed to explore the most simplistic of things, where outside playtime, rain or snow is paramount to the sense of concentration fostered by free time inside during class time.....

Interesting stuff

Neoerectus · M

@Freeranger Bottomline is kids AND adults need unstructured time to recover... research indicates it speeds learning as well as decreases stress.

Freeranger · M

@Neoerectus I can only offer good luck with the adult piece. Can you hear it echo? "we're not payin' you to sit around......"