Comments on: Good Education, Made in Taiwan http://makingmindsmatter.com/2009/10/23/good-education-made-in-taiwan/ Bill Costello’s analysis of current events. Tue, 03 Apr 2012 23:28:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Mysterious http://makingmindsmatter.com/2009/10/23/good-education-made-in-taiwan/#comment-5336 Mysterious Tue, 03 Apr 2012 23:28:50 +0000 http://makingmindsmatter.com/?p=141#comment-5336 I have experienced both American and Taiwanese education, and I think Taiwanese is better. I have experienced both American and Taiwanese education, and I think Taiwanese is better.

]]> By: vin http://makingmindsmatter.com/2009/10/23/good-education-made-in-taiwan/#comment-355 vin Sun, 04 Apr 2010 04:52:39 +0000 http://makingmindsmatter.com/?p=141#comment-355 Interesting points; a very worthwhile post. To conclude by looking only at primary-school education, though, that Taiwan's education system is chockful of good practices is, I would argue, a big mistake. Points 4 and 5 above are largely dropped in junior high and high school. And regarding point 6, several (Taiwanese) junior high school teachers have told me that from junior high on, kids here are basically taught by example that personal responsibility is often irrelevant to "success," -- are taught that the only thing that matters is test results. In short, much of the good work done by teachers in primary schools gets undermined once kids reach the secondary-school stage. Interesting points; a very worthwhile post. To conclude by looking only at primary-school education, though, that Taiwan’s education system is chockful of good practices is, I would argue, a big mistake. Points 4 and 5 above are largely dropped in junior high and high school. And regarding point 6, several (Taiwanese) junior high school teachers have told me that from junior high on, kids here are basically taught by example that personal responsibility is often irrelevant to “success,” — are taught that the only thing that matters is test results. In short, much of the good work done by teachers in primary schools gets undermined once kids reach the secondary-school stage.

]]> By: Taipei Travel - Culture and Recreation » Good Education, Made in Taiwan http://makingmindsmatter.com/2009/10/23/good-education-made-in-taiwan/#comment-17 Taipei Travel - Culture and Recreation » Good Education, Made in Taiwan Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:18:09 +0000 http://makingmindsmatter.com/?p=141#comment-17 [...] You find the original post here makingmindsmatter.co … | Bill Costello [...] [...] You find the original post here makingmindsmatter.co … | Bill Costello [...]

]]> By: Anonymous http://makingmindsmatter.com/2009/10/23/good-education-made-in-taiwan/#comment-14 Anonymous Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:15:21 +0000 http://makingmindsmatter.com/?p=141#comment-14 I did receive education from both Taiwan and abroad. I didn't go to any cram school while I was in Taiwan, but all sorts of reference books written as study aids on many different subjects were just enough and in many instances too much for me to swallow. In stead of finding them helpful, I actually hated these repetitions of exercises and practices, etc. But while I was not happy with these extra practices, when I went abroad, I found myself very strong in math compared to the other students. So in math, more practices did help in building up speed. Generally speaking, I think the Taiwanese education is quite successful in producing good students in math and physical sciences. But in social sciences, Taiwanese education does not train a student to be an independent thinker, researcher, and debater. The main reasons I think is lack of good textbooks and teachers. While Taiwanese students make headlines on winning math and science competition, and while many countries participate in English-language debate competitions, I don't see any debating teams from Taiwan. So I think the methods used in social science education need some review. On a side note, Taiwan really needs to train some quality English-speaking reporters, journalists to speak for its people on the mainstream media. I did receive education from both Taiwan and abroad. I didn’t go to any cram school while I was in Taiwan, but all sorts of reference books written as study aids on many different subjects were just enough and in many instances too much for me to swallow. In stead of finding them helpful, I actually hated these repetitions of exercises and practices, etc.

But while I was not happy with these extra practices, when I went abroad, I found myself very strong in math compared to the other students. So in math, more practices did help in building up speed.

Generally speaking, I think the Taiwanese education is quite successful in producing good students in math and physical sciences.

But in social sciences, Taiwanese education does not train a student to be an independent thinker, researcher, and debater. The main reasons I think is lack of good textbooks and teachers.

While Taiwanese students make headlines on winning math and science competition, and while many countries participate in English-language debate competitions, I don’t see any debating teams from Taiwan. So I think the methods used in social science education need some review.

On a side note, Taiwan really needs to train some quality English-speaking reporters, journalists to speak for its people on the mainstream media.

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