What's Wrong with Modern Education?

I believe a good tutor needs to have the gift for putting over complicated ideas in terms of the simpler ideas of which they are composed.  Also they are able to put themselves into the mind of their student, whereas a bad tutor has to have their mind read by the unfortunate student - I speak from my own learning experiences from years and decades past.

I empathise so very much with the confused student and am appalled by how very bad trained educators can be.  I am particularly thinking of lecturers in Science in HIGHER EDUCATION i.e. universities.  They are, in my opinion and experience, the cowboys of the world of education and have to conform to few standards.  And sadly, these are the people who educate the secondary teachers in science.  It has been observed by education critics that recent graduates can be asked very basic questions of their subjects and not be able to answer - in fact, when told the correct answer, be in total disbelief.  I am pleased to hear in the news today of increasing complaints by university students, running up huge debts for a poor education - they are asking what their fees are paying for.

However, school and college teachers are far more regulated and much better despite all this.  But, even good students can fall behind for all kinds of reasons.  Also, sometimes quite alien subjects have to be studied in order to get a place at university eg Physics for those wishing to study Medicine.  Two of my tutees in the last 18 months have fitted into this catagory.  Fortunately this is my subject and I was able to help.

I don't believe essay writing should have much to do with Science and Mathematics; in fact, essays are part of the dumbing down of education generally - whatever happened to precis writing?  Anyway this is my 'Article' and I am now finished.

Martyn Taylor