Questioning the Questions Grade 11-12 Students Must Tackle, And My Solution

Read more about the article Questioning the Questions Grade 11-12 Students Must Tackle, And My Solution

Even NOW as someone who majored in and taught chemistry, were I to pretend to be a grade 11 or 12 Science student in Nepal and take their Chemistry examination, I will likely not get a good grade. I wouldn't be surprised if I even fail. The reason? The questions are just completely off and what is expected as responses are also ridiculous.

What many in Nepal still struggle to understand is that if we teach students how to think, they can learn, on their own, ways to commit to memory what they must to pass examinations, something I am trying to get across in my teacher education program.

Continue ReadingQuestioning the Questions Grade 11-12 Students Must Tackle, And My Solution

Child Rearing and Education: “Best Discipline” Through No “Disciplining”

Read more about the article Child Rearing and Education: “Best Discipline” Through No “Disciplining”

Contrary to what many Nepalis believe and will tell you, raising a child to be a well disciplined one does NOT require "disciplining." In other words, to raise a well-behaved child, you don't have to scold, scream, shout, beat, or humiliate the child. All you have to do is to raise them by respecting, listening, and engaging with them.

Continue ReadingChild Rearing and Education: “Best Discipline” Through No “Disciplining”

Nepali Teachers’ Association Starkly Lays Bare The Abysmally Poor Quality of Education in The Country

Read more about the article Nepali Teachers’ Association Starkly Lays Bare The Abysmally Poor Quality of Education in The Country

When teachers in Nepal demonstrate a severe lack of understanding of the problems plaguing our education system and their role in the system, and, worse, threatens to take action by punishing the very group (students) they are supposed to be serving...you know the quality of our education system is abysmally poor!

Continue ReadingNepali Teachers’ Association Starkly Lays Bare The Abysmally Poor Quality of Education in The Country

School Enrollment: Not Proficient Enough in English for Grade 1

Read more about the article School Enrollment: Not Proficient Enough in English for Grade 1

One of the ways many private schools in Nepal try to mask the poor quality of education they provide: say that the education their school provide is better than other private schools. So, they require transfer students to take an admissions test and -- lo and behold! -- the child is found lacking in some academic areas and suggested to repeat the year (grade)!

Continue ReadingSchool Enrollment: Not Proficient Enough in English for Grade 1

Nepal Education: Our Textbooks Hinder Learning!

Read more about the article Nepal Education: Our Textbooks Hinder Learning!

Pretty much every Nepali school textbook I have seen and read about, I have decided, actually hinders children's learning, forget promote -- and contribute to -- them! In this blog post, I show how a fifth grade textbook completely misses the mark.

The solution? Do away with the local and national level examinations in grades 8 and 10 and eliminate textbooks.

Continue ReadingNepal Education: Our Textbooks Hinder Learning!