Creating Star Students

What does it take to transform your child into a star student? Surprisingly, it's less homework.

Amazingly, an environment of less than thirty minutes of homework each day, non-standardized tests, and starting school at the age of 7 have somehow contributed to making Finnish kids so smart.

You know what that sounds like? That sounds like the Philippines in the 50s and 60s. That was a time when parents were not so gung-ho on grades and homework. That was a time when children were more responsible (perhaps from the numerous chores at home?), and teachers were better-trained.

At that time, children were allowed to play hard. They were also required to work hard. They were also trusted more, because parents believed that their children will survive all the directly experienced hurts and pains that are sometimes a necessary part of growing up.

Today, our children are saddled with even more homework, more protection, and less risk.

And you'll often hear about the "partnership" between teachers and parents. In other words, since teachers cannot teach the tons of information that has to be crammed into the minds of our children, parents have to come in as "partners" and help their children during those nightly homework marathon sessions.

Want to improve the state of education in the Philippines? We need better teachers. And less "stuff" to learn in school. And parents who can trust their children to make it in life.

(Some folks have simply grown too soft, it seems.)

[ First posted on 03/02/2008 by Manuel Viloria ]