Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
It's time for a positive revolution,
that we start to rethink how we regard youngsters in today's society.
Consider what their skills are and go on from there.
That's the challenge facing education today.
If you can sit in a class, make legible notes,
if can you analyse, give structure and memorize well,
and reproduce all that in exams,
then your talent fits into today's education.
Many of the approaches and methods are relative to traditional talents.
Fine, if you fit into that mould,
but thousands in Flanders don't, and they're the unlucky ones.
They're in school and wonder what they're doing in a system
where everyone's cleverer than themselves.
And with that self-image they go out into the world.
Every child is different.
We're heading for tests and evaluation systems
based on every child being equally talented.
We have to search for diversity.
That each child creates their own objectives,
to reach a certain result.
The road the students choose for their education,
should allow us to put their talents to good use.
At the same time, students have to be evaluated,
and education has to set standards to serve its purpose.
I dream of schools following their students throughout their education,
and during those scholastic years, trying to grasp and identify
the essence and the talents of each child.
How can we use that experience of getting to know a child in school,
the make-up of that youngster and what their talents are?
It's vital to differentiate between a talent and a competence.
Competence is the expected behaviour of a student
within a framework.
Being competent in something doesn't mean you're a talent.
To be a talent, competence has to answer two extra criteria:
Can I do it without any trouble and does it give me satisfaction?
Only then is it also a talent.
Far too many of us are sent out in a certain direction
because of high competences, but in fact without the talent.
We have to watch that.
Youngsters ask what their talent is?
There are simple ways to clarify that.
Look back on the past week at everything you've done,
at all the hours where time flew.
And at all the moments when time passed quickly,
is where you'll find evidence of your talent.
What made the time fly, what gave me the most satisfaction?
If you can answer those questions,
then you're very close to what what your talent is.