Y'all Ready for This? (Part 2)
When I graduated with a teaching degree in the early 90s the Dutch techno-dance duo '2 Unlimited' ruled the airwaves and the nightclubs. (D'ya remember 'Get Ready for This' and 'No Limit'?). Coincidentally, it was about this time that the nation of Finland were pressing the reset button on their education system. And with 2Unlimited receiving saturation airplay on Finnish radio at the same time the tiny nation must have been pumped and oh-so-ready for change!
What happened next was that Finland effectively blew up their education system and started again. The educators and teachers wrested the responsibility for designing and implementing policy and curriculum from the politicians. Educators ran education... and the rest is history!
The ongoing benefits of that monumental reset have been repeatedly trumpeted by our Australian media since the first OECD PISA tests results were announced in 2000.
If you need reminding of just how right Finland got it view this 60 Minutes report from last year:
This coming Sunday in a 60 Minutes special investigation the same question that Finland asked three decades ago will be be asked of Australia: 'Is it time time to blow up the system?'
I hope that this report will produce the jolt that will make Australia ready:
- ready to press the reset button on education;
- ready to admit the failings of a flawed system;
- ready to trust the educators to drive education;
- ready to let go and let teachers do what they love - teaching!
Tune in to Channel 9 on Sunday night at 8:30pm to find out if we're ready.
Here's the sneak peek:
James Phelps
