Some of the questions to prod readers were
- Do you think adding time to the school year is a good idea?
- What do you think are the benefits of adding hours to the school calendar?
- Do you think it will lead to better academic performance for some students?
- What do you think are the downsides of adding time to the school calendar?
The accompanying New York Times article “Research on the benefits of adding time to the school day has so far been mixed” by Mokoto Rich adds more background information to the topic.
Michael Gongar on The New York Times Learning blog cites Luis Ubiñas, the president of the Ford Foundation, who says the initiative is not “about adding time and doing more of the same.” Instead, he advocates “a total school makeover.”
What would a total school makeover entail?
Funnily enough in November 2012 we watched a BBC video clip on the Finnish educational system, which is regarded as one of the best, if not the best, educational system in the world.
Before getting together with the members of your conversation group, give a thought to the questions above and, if possible, read Rich's article and watch the BBC video. That will make the discussion more dynamic.
Before getting together with the members of your conversation group, give a thought to the questions above and, if possible, read Rich's article and watch the BBC video. That will make the discussion more dynamic.
Here are the comprehension questions we used to check understanding:
1 Where has the documentary been filmed?
2 How many children does the Rania family have?
3 Where do the three oldest children study?
4 How do they go to school?
5 What’s the first lesson in a Finnish school?
6 What does everybody do when they arrive?
7 How do students call their teachers?
8 Why does Majana know students so well?
9 How important are foreign languages?
10 What is learning compared to?
11 Are good and bad students separated?
12 Is it normal to give pupils extra help?
13 How many teachers are sometimes in the same class?
14 What qualifications do Finnish teachers need?
15 How many teachers go with the students in their PE class when they go cross-country skiing?
16 How many teaching hours do Finnish students get compared to other countries?
17 What’s the secret for the success in Finnish schools, according to the head teacher?
18 How are schools built in countries like the US or the UK?
19 How different are the results among the Finnish schools?
20 How many foreign delegations visited Finland last year to learn about the educational system?
21 What project has the Ministry of Education has just started?
22 What priorities do the businesses in Finland have for the educational system?
23 When does proper school start in Finland?
24 Who teaches children before they go to school?
25 How important are parents in education?
26 How much immigration is there in Finland?
Key:
1 On the outskirts of Helsinki; 2 Four; 3 At the local state school; 4 On foot; 5 Relax; 6 Take off their shoes; 7 By their first name; 8 She has been their teacher for a long time (5 years); 9 Key. French third language for 11-year-olds; some will speak a fourth at thirteen; 10 A game, without winners and losers; 11 No; 12 yes, it’s standard practice; 13 Three; 14 A master’s degree; 15 None; 16 The least, and they get the best results; 17 Nobody tells him what he has to do, not even politicians. Everybody trusts him and the teachers (T-word again); 18 Around the idea of competition; 19 They are all pretty similar; 20 140; 21 a pilot programme to support talented students; 22 Maintain the level in maths, science and technology + mixing talented and not so talented people in the class so that the talented ones teach the less talented, and they learn to work in a group with all kinds of people and accept diversity; 23 At 7; 24 parents; 25 very; 26 Little
