The Struggles Of Our Education System

I am not like you.
And you are not like me.

I'm the kind who needs freedom, privacy, positivity and creative methods. New ones, you know the ones that haven't been around since the 50's? Yes, those.

I am intelligent, but I am also different. Why is it then that I have to be the one left feeling stupid just because I don't learn the same way you did?

I went to school, got very good grades, continued to high school and wrote four Laudaturs. My best
skills were in languages, math and arts.

But I learnt those skills intuitively, using different kinds of methods. A lot of it was done on my free time reading, writing, creating and finding the tools that worked best for me. I hated to be told what to do, and I still do. In fact, if you tell me what to do, I'm most likely to do the opposite.

And yet, even in Finland where the education system is supposed to be one of the best, university or college level schools can be very hard to get into, the subjects remain old and traditional, and the main focus still lies on memorising, as opposed to understanding. Where is all the innovation we talk so much about? It seems like we are still relying so much on "things have always been done this way, and this is why they must stay that way."

If you want to study something more modern or unconventional, you usually have to go to a private institution and pay around 3000€ or more for one year of studying. And for this you obviously don't get any student benefits, because of reasons unknown. It is almost as if you wouldn't be qualified as a real student, if you don't study in a traditional school, learning traditional subjects in a traditional way. Everything else is just crazy new age nonsense. You either get a common and respected Bachelor's or Master's degree, that is earned with hard work over three to six years, or else you're punished for wanting something different. Or at least don't expect to get any help while doing it.

And what happens if you do want to have a Bachelor's or Master's degree? Then you also have to study at least 50-80 credits worth of other studies, which can basically be whatever you want. You just have to do it. That is if you ever get into the school in the first place. This means you are spending more or less 1-3 years studying things you may never use. Just because. God forbid you could have a Master's degree in just three years.

But this is what is called education in our society. In 50 years people will look back and wonder how in the world were we so close minded still today.

What is it that I would want then?

What I really want is completely new subjects, new learning tactics, freedom to choose how to do those studies and teachers who don't make me feel like a primary school student who has to be reminded about homework. I want more holistic studies, more creativity in studying, and I don't want to waste my time sitting through classes that don't serve me in the future.

I want schools to start teaching about values, compassion, human behaviour, cultural differences,
life skills, meditation, introspection, emotional intelligence, communication skills, equality and kindness. These should be a norm in modern world schools, something we would ALL benefit from. I am more than surprised that Finland of all countries still isn't doing this.

Until then, the rest of us just have to conform.