PGCE Process Work Unit 2 Task 2 - Comparing teaching methods in 3 Different Countries
I watched documentaries on the Performing arts in Cuban education, the Swedish Early Years teaching system and Primary Maths teaching in Hungary. I will refer to the UK as my chosen country because I was a dance and drama teacher there for many years and was educated there. It is important to note, however, that, there are many different types of schools in the UK and some are already implementing these approaches so, it is difficult to generalise.
Before writing my comments I will briefly summarise the main methods in the three educational systems shown in the video clips:
CUBA
The Cuban approach places great emphasis on the importance of the performing and visual arts because it wants it’s people to become the most cultured in the world. The government provides funding for the materials and has a mission of equality for all. It uses the arts to preserve it’s cultural traditions and a strong nationalistic feeling is created in this way. I feel that the creation of Arts Instructors who are pupils from the age of 14 who go into the schools and help the teachers and also gain work experience . As well as gaining teaching experience themselves, the younger pupils look up to their older peers and emulate them and respect for the profession is also fostered. It is a programme lasting four years.
SWEDEN
The Swedish Early years programme stresses the importance of learning through play and creating an atmosphere that is as closely linked to the idea of a family environment as possible. There is no formal instruction, no testing and no equivalent of Ofsted. The teachers are well trained and trusted and the emphasis is on creating happy children who learn from their environment and from each other as well as from the teachers in a fun way at their own individual pace. There are no learning goals and they are not taught to read or write. A great deal of importance is placed on playing outside and letting off steam. They don’t believe in forcing a child to learn at this young age. Once they do get to school, at the age of 7, they achieve some of the highest literacy results in the world.
HUNGARY
The Hungarian approach to Primary maths teaching made use of developing kinetic skills through using materials to help the pupils work acquire basic understanding and application of maths. They made use of every day objects such as conkers to help with the concept of addition and subtraction for example. They regularly tested their pupils with mental arithmetic exercises in the class but had no formal tests or inspections.
Write one or two paragraphs about any ways in which the approach in your own chosen country could be improved in light of what you have seen in the three programmes.
Methods the UK could adopt
All three methods were different but all had commonalities. these were:
They placed importance on highly trained teachers
The teachers were trusted by the system
There was no system of school inspection such as Ofsted or constant national testing. This meant the teachers were less pressurised to meet targets and could be more creative in their approach.
The teaching profession is revered
All used peer learning across different age groups. Peer learning is the concept that:
All placed lower learning pressures on their younger pupils
All had a later school starting age
All placed emphasis on Kinesthic and Visual learning- simply put, these are the notions of learning through doing and seeing, respectively.
I feel all the above methods would benefit the UK system. I feel there is far too much pressure on both children and teachers as a result of national testing and inspection reports. In all three countries the teaching profession is revered. In the UK there is a shortage of teachers and government incentives have had to be introduced to try to entice people into the profession. As well as the methods listed above I also think the Cuban Art Instructors model could be adopted so that work experience is lengthened to gain a real understanding of a prospective career and possibly also create links for future employment.
Bibliography
Boud, D. (2001). ‘Introduction: Making the Move to Peer Learning’. In Boud, D., Cohen, Ruth & Sampson, Jane (Ed.). Peer Learning in Higher Education: Learning From & With Each Other. London: Kogan Page Ltd, 1–17.
Facstaff, Kinesthetic Learning in the Classroom, (online). Available at: http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/jvt002/Docs/ASEE-2008b.pdf (accessed Oct 15th 2016)
Grandin, T. (2006) Thinking in Pictures with 2006 Updates from the Expanded Edition, (online). Available at:
Gwee, C.E. Peer Learning: Enhancing Student Learning Outcomes, Successful Learning no 13 CDTL (online). Available at: http://www.cdtl.nus.edu.sg/success/sl13.htm (accessed online Oct 1st 2016)
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