My view on education
History
When I was writing a bit about myself, I got to the topic of education. Thinking back about my time in school and at the university inspired me to write sort of a rant against the Dutch education system . A re-write the day after that turned it into a more nuanced analysis. It could be that I am the only one who experienced it this way, it could be that I have things all wrong. These are just my observations.
My view on education
When a student has trouble keeping up with the average level of education, there are usually a number of different ways for them to improve themselves. Since usually they have trouble understanding the material, the teacher will take extra time to explain the material to them. Whether ‘because they have to’ or because someone helps them, they develop good study habits. They learn to take notes, make summaries and probably dozens of other techniques to help them study better. Due to them having to work hard to pass tests, they develop good study habits. They learn how to learn.
Despite them being well prepared for a test, the time between making the test and receiving their test scores is murder. They worry if they have passed or failed, and when they do pass a test with a 60% score, they are happy. They are proud of their score, as they spent a lot of time and effort achieving it. When they get a high score, 80% or up, they are ecstatic.
Contrast this with the student to whom passing tests is as natural as breathing. They attend class, pay attention and do their homework when it is required of them, not because otherwise they do not understand the material. They require no extra tutoring, no notes or summaries, no good study habits. In fact, their development goes the opposite way of the below average student. They start putting in less and less effort, because a passed test is a passed test, no matter the score.
At tests they do not worry about failing or passing. They are surprised when they score below 70%, though they shrug failed tests off as them being not important. When they get a high score, say 90% or up, it is a nice thing – but nothing to get all excited about.
A teacher will probably look at a class and see the students with failing grades who need their help, and the smart students who do not require any attention at all. They pass their tests so there is no problem, at least that is what they think.
There is a problem, but it will not be noticed until it is too late.
Above average students who keeps doing less, while the study material becomes harder, can at some point find themselves in a situation where even if they wanted to work they simply do not know how. They have never had a need to develop good study habits, they never had to learn how to take notes or make summaries or actually study for a test.
My education
My personal story luckily does not end with me dropping out because suddenly everything became too hard. It is the opposite. High school (Gymnasium) was easy. In my final year I think I skipped close to half my classes to just hang out with my friends. I did about one hour in total of studying for all my exam subjects, yet passed all of them. My final average test score for science-related subjects was over 80%. Foreign languages and non-science subjects scored ‘only’ an average of 70%.
The first year of University was a big let-down for me, as it was just as easy as high school. I did not need to study hard to pass my subjects, heck I was among the best 3 students of my class of 30. After having looked forward to University for years, after having dreamed of it as being something where only the best and brightest would be able to make it, after all of this it was a real disappointment to discover otherwise. It really hit me halfway during the second semester of the first year. Two days later I signed the form that would sign me out as student of the University of Amsterdam.
Three years later I still do not regret my decision.