旷日废时的补习文化2010.11.18
吉兰(kiran_bir_sethi)女士：妳好！
我是妳的头号粉丝，我的背景是新竹高中退休教师；非常兴奋能在政治大学聆听妳精彩的演讲；以前妳在TED的演讲，我陆续地重复聆听了十多次，却一次比一次更加赞赏妳卓越的见解，以及「说到做到、努力不懈」的实践精神。
名主持人沈春华女士在她的电视节目＜Life Show＞中探讨台湾的教育问题，曾经提出一项数据，台湾几乎所有的精英（明星）高中每年都有80%以上的学生在补习班补习…让我们来简单地描述一下台湾的「补习文化」。
学生在学校上课到下午5点钟，随便吃两个面包再去补习班上课，上完课回到家多半已经8、9点了，吃完正餐、沐浴后感觉十分疲惫，想睡觉却又不敢就寝，因为明天学校中还有3到5张测验卷（随堂测验）要考，于是他把闹钟拨到凌晨两点，打算起床看书准备随堂测验；结果闹钟响了以后，学生按掉闹钟，继续睡觉，直到天亮（不知东方之既白），他，实在是太疲累了。一星期五天，天天如此，有些私立学校甚至星期六、星期天还要求学生去学校上课…有一位妈妈打电话给国立教育广播电台说：生活在台湾并没有别的奢求，让学生能有充分的睡眠就满足了。
台湾的教育在国际上也有值得称赞的地方，我们很认真地指陈台湾行之多年的现况，并不是要自暴其短，在此只是想向妳请教：学生每天从早到晚花那么多的时间上非常多的课（不断地只听许多老师上课），而没有足够的时间自己去消化课业，如此一来，对启发或提升学生的「创造力」是否有所帮助？
最后特别感谢妳长途跋涉来到台湾带给我们珍贵的教育资产（讯息），也谢谢所有政大教育学院以及各单位的工作伙伴玉成此事，非常感谢！ 末学 刘正幸(幸哥) 敬上
The time wasting cram school culture of Taiwan(保中版)
Dear Mrs. Kiran Sethi:
I’m a big fan of you. I am a retired teacher of Hsin-Chu senior high school, and I’m very excited to listen to your speech here in National Chengchi University. I’ve listened to the speech you deliver in TED for many times, over and over again,and admired your brilliant view on the phrase “suit the action to the sword”.
A famous talk show host, 沈春华once talked about the education problems in her show that, over 80% of the students in the top senior high schools in Taiwan go to cram schools, for your notice, I will simply describe the “Cram school culture” in Taiwan.
Students in senior high schools get out of class at 5 o’clock in the afternoon, eat a few snacks and then go straight to their cram school for classes. After cram school classes, it’s already 8 or 9 o’clock in the evening, and after their meal and bath time, they feel very tired, but are afraid to go to sleep, because of 3 to 5 pop quizzes tomorrow at school, therefore, he or she will set their alarm clock to 2 o’clock in the morning, to prepare for the quizzes. But when the alarm clock went off, he or she will switch the alarm clock off, and keep on sleeping until dawn. He or she simply is too tired. This kind of situation almost happens every day, five days a week, and for some private schools even on Saturday and Sundays. Once a parent said that, living in Taiwan doesn’t have much to pray for, just give the students enough sleep time they need.
The education in Taiwan also has some excellent things to praise about, we very conscientious on pointing out the greatness we’ve done for many years, not just saying the failing of the system. I’m here only to ask for your advice on this subject: a student spend so much time on so many classes every day, but don’t have the time for them to digest what they learned, then, is it helpful for students to enlighten or promote their “Creativity”?
And last, especially thankful for your long and difficult journey here to Taiwan, bringing us these precious education assets, and also giving thanks to National Chengchi University College of Education workers to let this unique experience happen, thank you all.
Yours truly, Liu Cheng Hsing November 18th, 2010
The exhausting and money wasting cram school culture(保恩版)
Dear Mrs. Sethi:
My name is Alan. I’m your number one fan. I’m a retired teacher from National Hsinchu Senior High School. I’m very excited to have this opportunity to listen to your wonderful speech at National Chengchi University (here). I have listened to the speech that you gave at TED for more than 10 times, and each time your brilliant thoughts made me admire you even more. I especially like the idea of “Living up to one’s words” and “try your best effort/put in the most effort.”
The famous Taiwanese host Mrs. 沈春华discussed the problems of Taiwan’s education during her TV show “沈春华LifeShow”. She brought up a number, stating that every year 80% of most of the tophigh school students go to cram school. So now let me briefly describe the cramschool culture here at Taiwan.
Students get off school at 5 PM in the afternoon,they grab two bread or some snacks and rush to cram school. They came home from cram school around 8 or 9 PM and then they finish their supper. After they take a shower, they feel really tired. They want to go straight to bed but they couldn’t, because they have maybe 3 to 5 in class quiz tomorrow. So the student set his or her alarm to 2 AM in the morning and plans to wake up at that time to study for his/her quiz. But when the alarm went off, the student turned off the alarm and went back to sleep. He is way too tired. This is a routine for students during the weekdays. Some private schools even have class duringweekends. A parent once called the National Education Radio and said, “ Students in Taiwan have no other things to ask, just enough sleep.”
However, there are still things praiseworthy of the education in Taiwan. We point out the current situation in earnest is not to expose our shortcomings. Instead, I just want to consult you: The students in Taiwan spend so much time in class just to listen to the lecturer and not having enough time to think through the materials. Does this kind of education have any positive effect on inspiring or enhancing students’ creativity?
Finally, I would like to thank you for travelling such a long distance to share this precious message with us. I would also like to thank all the staff and departments from National Chengchi University that made this event happen. Thanks for your contribution towards Taiwan’s education!
Yours truly, Alan Liu November 18th, 2010