- The preschool teaching profession has many dimensions, one is play, another is teaching and a third is care. It is important that none of them is left behind. Decisive for success is to understand that teaching does not have to be about standing and conveying information, says Niklas Pramling, professor of pedagogy at the University of Gothenburg.
Oh, how I wish the school - which has such potential - could do more with this idea! (What Niklas is describing is the preschool, but my thoughts here mainly concern the school and the italics above).
Because we live in a world where industrialization and what it required of people's career choices and way of life are a thing of the past. Where professions and life choices (in our part of the world) can come with endless possibilities while the digitization of society takes over many of our functions. Doesn't it feel a little outdated that all children should learn the same thing at the same age when information about everything the children want to learn is just a click away? Or outside the window? Or in a game? A discussion group? (One....) When we actually talk about an inclusive school that should work for everyone and depart from the "everyone is cast in the same mold" mindset..? A little contradictory to say that everyone has their unique abilities while the plan of what and when to learn looks the same for everyone? (And one's ability to absorb that particular knowledge should also be valued...) When there is a lot of research that we learn better when we are interested in something?
These are dreams but is it utopia?
We have teachers - so many who want the school to be something else - cater for all individuals and interests. Get teaching kids who listen (because they want to!) We have the places - fine schools that could easily have taught in other ways. Certainly such a big change in the school system would have required a lot in many ways, but the alternative of continuing with (almost) the same view of children and teaching as in the 50s is a bigger risk - when the world looks like it does.
These are (a small part of) my thoughts on the subject. What do you think?
*Albert Einstein
