Teacher's Day

Tomorrow (2012-01-16) is Thailand National Teacher's Day...

This morning I caught a very good program on CNN (a rare occasion) on Education by Fareed Zakaria (one of my favorite journalists). It got me thinking about my own profession.

The program started with a stark contrast between the two top countries in education -- South Korea vs. Finland. The students from both countries scores the highest in Math and Science international standardized tests. But they have completely different ways of approaching education. In South Korea, like most Asian countries, high school students spend long hours cramming the subjects, and have to attend tutorial schools in the evenings and on the weekends, to make sure they can get into the best colleges. Where as in Finland, the students there possibly have the least school hours in the world. They are encouraged to be curious and creative. The Finnish government only provide some guideline of teaching, and they don't even have any national standardized tests.

So how can students in both countries score well on the tests? One thing they have in common is they both have GREAT teachers. The governments of both countries have long realized how important it is for kids to have good educators. Since kids are the future of the country (and the world), you need great people to shape the future. The teachers in both of these countries have been selected and trained. They are the top of their graduating classes. They have got the same respect as doctors or lawyers. Unlike in the US (or here in Thailand), where the teachers are normally in the bottom third of their classes.

The CNN program went on about other aspect of education, mainly in the US. But I do agree with Mr.Zakaria that it's a high time that we, the entire world, should rethink about education. How it's taught to our children.. and by whom.

I know I'm not a good teacher YET. Ph.D. does not prepare you to be a teacher. But I know how important it is, and how good it feels to have a great teacher/mentor. Having watched this program was a good reminder of my purpose in life.

Happy Teacher's Day! :)