“I call school to the stand and accuse him of killing creativity, individuality and being intellectually abusive.” (Spoken Word Artist "Sues School Systems in Viral Video", 2016).
I was blown away with this Teens React video about Prince EA's "I Just Sued The School System" video. And I was blown away again when I watched the original. It was definitely an eye opener.
The school system hasn't changed. This is true. Kids are forced to learn the same subjects through hard-copy textbooks and the traditional exam concept (e.g. multiple choice and essays). And the teachers would just follow the format of using the textbooks. Even for students like me who hate subjects like math, science, history and so forth, are forced to insert information into their brains from a typical classroom setting. And in the end, those knowledge will either wither away or remain. This is just boring. Teachers need to come up with different ideas. They need to come up with their ideas.
Our brains are linked with our hearts. Every human wants to fill their minds with the things they're passionate about and they want to learn more from the things they're interested in to improve their skills and to prepare for their ambitions. They need unique ways to remember and apply what they've learnt for their ideal plans for their future. If you're a nursing student but you need an English literature prerequisite, that just makes no sense!
In fact, teachers are encouraged to explore creativity for students. They should try not to use textbooks (even though college textbooks are upgraded every year or two) and focus on new ways to make students understand about a topic or anything else. For example, my former Japanese teacher, Yoriko Sensei, ditches the Genki textbook (Japanese textbooks used in most colleges here in Canada) and encourages her students to learn new Japanese words and grammar just by asking her or be involved in conversation practices. Whenever a student asked Yoriko sensei on how to say a particular question such as "how to get there?" or "how much is a piece of candy?", she would immediately give the answer to the whole class and allow them to practice asking the question and answering it. Students in her class are inspired by the way anime characters speak, but in real life, Japanese people don't really speak like anime characters do. So instead, Yoriko Sensei is happy to teach her students the correct way of speaking specific lines.
Genki textbooks include different ways of speaking to people. For example, the second Genki textbook teaches us certain words or phrases to speak in front of people with high status or speak about people with high status. It's like another set of etiquette to talk with Japanese people. I mean, I get that Japanese speech is categorized into formal and informal speeches, but with these extras rules of speech...is just so frustrating! The Genki textbooks also include characters and we are forced to learn about the lives of the characters in the printed text. It's like the writers of the textbooks want their words to be inscribed into our minds. What are we? Zombies?
Yoriko Sensei, to my relief, changed the old teaching method. She assigned her students to draw their own manga so that they can use Japanese words and grammar to describe or tell stories about their own lives instead of using the characters' stories from the textbooks. I love that she uses art to help students to memorize and apply new Japanese words.
That is why Yoriko Sensei inspires me to create my own teaching methods when I get to teach English after I graduate. I'm thinking of using Youtube videos like vlogs from Simon And Martina's channel.
Simon and Martina
This lovely Canadian couple has lived in Seoul for 7 years, and they have recently moved to Tokyo, Japan earlier this year. They have posted amazing videos on food, travel, K-pop, anime, games, cooking tutorials, and a whole lot more. They even got to experiment a long list of weird Asian products! In their "Eat Your Sushi" segment, they shared their stories on their days in Japan and tested their Japanese knowledge through little challenges/games. So their videos give me an idea for Yoriko's class. I wonder if she'll let me to use my idea of showing Simon and Martina's videos in her class...because I'm volunteering to help out with her class starting this Wednesday and I want to at least contribute something.
Oh! And I just remember this video posted by my favourite Malaysian Youtuber 'Jinnyboytv". It's called "The Class Clown" and this is a great example of what an unforgettable teacher is supposed to be.
What the students won't forget the most is how the teacher shows them about something instead of how he tells them. Show instead of tell!
Anyway, I can see why teachers are valuable in this world. It's not fair that teaching is one of the world's low-paying jobs. Prince Ea said in his video that "a great teacher can reach the heart of a kid". A student's job is to be built and inspired by a teacher to be inquisitive and inventive. They need to learn things that will help prepare them for the next step of their life, i.e., college, career, intimate relationships, and family. "Students may be only 20% of the population, they are 100% for our future", and I totally agree ("I Just Sued The School System, 2016).
Schools don't teach everything so students have to learn a lot of stuff on their own. I remember my sisters talked about my grandfather telling them that you won't be applying the stuff you've learnt from school in real life because schools only teach certain things but there's still a galaxy of knowledge you have to know.
And even until now, students would still study Spartan style, especially in Asia. Cho Kyuhyun, who is my favourite member from a K-pop group called Super Junior, reflected on how much he had suffered from studying too much and being a genius in his school. Since his dad is an education representative and founder of institutions in Korea and Taiwan, Kyuhyun felt that he had to score straight A's including math. Even when he gradually struggle in math back in high school, he still tried his best to score the best mark he could obtain. And even he has become a celebrity (singer, MC, idol judge, musical performer, etc.), he still applied for a Masters degree program back in the year 2014. That was just impressive.
But what I'm saying is that every student has "different strengths [and] dreams" (Prince Ea, 2016). You can't just squeeze as many lemons as you can in one jar, because it eventually will overflow. "One size [doesn't fit] all" after all (2016). "Common core" should be abandoned and debates on whether "art or dance" is important should be forgotten (2016). It doesn't matter what interest a person has. Art or dance? They're both important! People need to express themselves through creativity to inspire others! Every field of interest is important in order for each individual to make a change.
Like he said, "if we can customize health care, cars, and Facebook pages, then it is our duty to do the same for education to upgrade and change" (2016).
Prince Ea's view on education, in my opinion, should be known by teachers today. "Every child has a gift", and we should allow them to use their talents to create something that will shape the future of this world ("Prince EA React to Teens React to The School System", 2016). We, in fact, are teachers ourselves. Teachers don't have to be from schools. Teachers can be parents and friends. We have to teach kids to have fun learning as a way for them to understand the world better and to allow them to have visions in order to craft solutions for the next generation. We wouldn't want to see them as "fish being judged by how well they can climb a tree", but as fish that can use their own abilities to survive and inspire others.
I hope you would be inspired by this post as well. I'll see you in the next post! :)
References
Chow, Andy. "Spoken Word Artist "Sues" School Systems in Viral Video." Wksu.org. N.p., 8 Oct.
2016. Web. 31 Oct. 2016.
I JUST SUED THE SCHOOL SYSTEM!!! Perf. Prince EA. N.p., 26 Sep 2016. Web. 31 Oct. 2016.
Japanese House Tour! Perf. Simon and Martina. Simon and Martina, 6 May 2016. Web. 31 Oct.
2016.
Prince EA Reacts to TEENS REACT TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. Perf. Prince EA. N.p., 31 Oct.
2016. Web. 31 Oct. 2016.
TEENS REACT TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. Perf. Anahita, Darius, Makena, Sydney, Alicia,
Bryson, Brooklin, Luis, Nora, and Eric. Fine Brothers Entertainment, 30 Oct. 2016. Web. 31
Oct. 2016.
The Class Clown. Perf. Prakash Daniel. Jinnyboytv, 13 May 2012. Web. 31 Oct. 2016.
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