What’s wrong with the education system
The project is carried out by High School students from “Hof HaSharon” regional high school in Israel. This group is called “Shfayim Community” in the WYRED platform
Number of participants: 14. Age: 17
Project and topics discussed: What’s wrong with the education system and how it can be improved.
Summary of discussions:
The problem: What’s wrong with the education system in Israel – “vomiting the learned material”
During several meetings, discussions developed regarding the shortcomings of the education system in Israel as perceived by the participants. The discussion focused specifically on the difficulties that arise from the conduct of the current education system, which, in our opinion, makes our learning very difficult and hampers our ability to reach high level achievements. Highlights are listed below:
In the discussions we have reached the understanding that the current situation is very burdensome and does not allow us to maintain an efficient lifestyle that includes participation in additional frameworks other than the school.
We feel that the education system does not really see us as students, as individuals. Our feeling is that we are wasting our time memorizing material that will not help us in future.
During the exams period, the students are under a heavy pressure. The teachers don’t consider us and our difficulties in this period, and give us a lot of homework. This doesn’t help to alleviate the pressure.
We feel frustrated in particular because every teacher is sure the she is the only teacher, and gives a lot of homework without considering the assignments we get from other teachers.
All these – assignments, homework, exams – cause us to fail; Instead of helping us, the teachers only increase the burden, and they don’t understand that we have life outside of school.
At the end of the day, we feel frustrated from the school system, because the way it works today really makes our life difficult.
We want the school to pay more attention to values and less to grades. We want more meaningful learning, so that we learn necessary life skills, rather than memorizing the material.
Our desire is to change the teaching method, to apply the learned material in a useful way, and that the system find a better way to appreciate the student, besides exams.
Specific expectations from decision-makers:
Listening to young persons and understand them in order to alleviate the burden that students experience. They should come not just to hear us but also to really listen.
Changing the education approach and the curriculum. Reducing the workload and more consideration of students’ private lives.
To open the possibility for students to choose the topics of learning, namely allowing them to choose the subjects of study in a broader manner.
Reduce the number of compulsory subjects.
Changing the reform done in the high school curriculum, returning the start of matriculation exams to 10-th grade, and distributing the exams over the three years in high school.
The implementation of so-called “meaningful learning” in a clearer and broader sense.
To stop causing the students to just “throw up” the learned material, with an emphasis on changing the teacher-student relationship.
Especially to emphasize the significant reduction of pressure on high school students and the expansion of their activity possibilities after the school hours.
Planned artefact: Graffiti
We decided to present our frustration from the education system through a graffiti on the school wall. The aim is to arouse attention and awareness of the stressful situation that we experience as 11-th graders.
Proposed design of the Graffiti:
An image of a “hypnotized” person whose brain explodes due to extensive learning. To this image, we will add a statement that will express our frustration and feelings towards the Israeli education system.
