Again the government of President Piñera surprises us with its policies that, while nothing new, taking into account policies Coalition-another surprise for her honesty: "We are introducing changes to the content, incorporating more effective methods, much more productive." And of course, between the productive obviously not find the hours devoted to the study of history and the Cs. Social. That is why education in schools, even the quietest gave a cry to heaven against this measure, as threatened, labor supply, since the solution raised by the Minister (and the bill is urgently , to be approved soon) proposes the reduction of 1 hour in the minimum weekly number of hours the course of history, from 5 º to 1 º Medio.
Thus, the discussions quickly began the mails of the courses of the careers of History and, shortly afterwards, most of the arguments that surfaced had to do with defending the professional interests, and nothing else than that: even many said that was inconsistent which raised the minister of education, as it was certain that this would improve education.
In short, the following is a score that was written to begin the debate in the Faculty of History PUCV, and seeks to regulate the ideas and demonstrate that the real conflict is not about special interest to teachers history, but something much more profound and complex, and concerns the teachers and citizens of Chile and the world.
International Context
First, there must be clear that these reforms are global events, not isolated: Consider further that Chile formally joined - in February this year - OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, known as "The Rich Country Club"), which implies meet economic and social policies being developed by the governments of the consultation.
addition, several countries are undertaking reforms to education, and always at the back of educators: remember that for the mobilizations of 2006 simultaneously in Brazil and Mexico had problems similar themes. Just as the protests today in Italy, Bulgaria and England have the attention of mass media.
Nor should we raise this as a minister Lavin occurrence or less like the anti-fashion stance pineapple. This is a conflict that has been carrying for several years and where the coalition and its policies do not make a difference, but on the contrary: the only difference is that the new right-wing government have the comfort of saying things by name without fear of reproach, they comply with the image they project and what is expected of the policy stance.
Reform Features in Chile
These reforms are added - at the current government - a series of measures that have arisen post the ruling on the quality of education , a questionable concept, since no one know precisely what we mean by this, but all the demand.
Among the measures that had already been carried out is that of "traffic lights in education", which was labeled to each school in the country with a color (red, yellow and green) according to their "quality", ie according to scores on tests SIMCE. As well as Grant Vocation Teacher, which seeks to encourage the study of pedagogy by paying $ 80,000 monthly to students, paying careers and internships abroad; clear that to qualify for this you need a score on 700 points (for full benefits), which shows that this stimulus will in most private schools for students of higher and resources, as are most in reaching these scores, and poor students, however , which will be least meet these scores, thus increasing the gap of inequality in our country (which is growing). What is projected with the new reform, which will be presented on November 22 and should be implemented from 2011 is among several measures such as bonuses and wage increases to some teachers, as well as creation of "schools of excellence." Measures that ultimately do not go beyond the rhetoric in many cases, because as the president: "(these measures) will improve the prestige and dignity of the teacher" or "proxies given clear and accurate results their children and their neighborhood stores, so they can make free and informed decisions " thus trying to solve a conflict that has spent years in education, and has to do with the commitment of parents to educate their children and the educational establishment. In short, a series of contradictions and inaccuracies that achieve nothing more than providing beautiful words ... but these are carried by the wind.
In fact, just ask any education text (written by teachers) to realize that one of the biggest hurdles for an educational project to be successful has to do with the commitment of parents with the educational establishment is say, a learning community strong, cohesive around a common goal regarding education.
This decline, moreover, does not pass another measure to end the Transversal Fundamental Objectives subjects with more processors and aimed to develop empathy, respect for diversity, solidarity. and questioning the reality and raise alternative futures. The battle lost civics classes in history, who lost the battle music, art and even philosophy - the mother of all sciences, is a clear example of this: today is history, by a simple discard, but the problem is of all education, not only for teachers of history.
In regard to the regards, this time about the decline in minimum hours in History and Cs. Social, the idea is simple: The Ministry of Education seeks to implement the New Curriculum readjust the minimum hours of instruction per week for each subject, for courses 5 º-1 Middle . The subjects would receive more hours Mathematics, Language and Communication and English, at the expense of hours of History, Geo. And Cs. Social.
In numbers, Mathematical increase (from 5 ° to 1 Middle) 320 hrs., 480 hrs and English Language 80 hours. The
arguments for these changes are posted on the website of the Ministry of Education:
"The increased time available to give teachers an opportunity to address their students to greater exercise in math and help them develop skills own thinking in this discipline. Having more time will also address the diversity of its students, providing specific activities for different levels and learning styles.
Regarding language this increase will give them greater opportunities to focus on reading, spend an hour on a visit to the library (CRA), practice oral language skills in presentation and discussion activities and develop pupils abundant activities related to the production of written texts.
The increase in 5 th and 6 th grade English hours of initiation affectionate foster the acquisition of communication skills in this language. "
These arguments generate a series of questions, which have to do with the real interest behind this speech. It is first necessary to assume that it is certainly true that 95.7% of Chileans who can read and write, a large percentage is what today is called "illiterate functional ", namely that although literate, unable to spin the ideas that these texts will provide, nor has the ability to criticize, deepen or understand what is transmitted through the texts. This is definitely a problem that concerns both the subject of Language and the History (two of which involve critical reading and reflective). But this is not solved with more hours devoted to young people visit the LRC (Learning Resource Center), but coping with the enormous amount of stimuli that people receive on a daily basis (Internet, television, movies, etc.) and Returning unattractive reading. However much you spend hours at the subject language and communication, they will not be effective unless it attacks the root of the problem: a little company committed to education, with very few skills to autocultivarse developed to be self-taught.
Similarly, overtime Mathematics is just a screen to improve the numbers of tests do not measure the most important thing in education, which has to do with the quality of people in it are developed and their creative capacity, as expected, should be encouraged by schools. These changes are just looking to get "better results" in evidence, as has been shown, are just data, they have no real problems to do with the few hours of classes, but what they become unattractive and school mathematics for children and for society.
Finally, one wonders how much real interest in the quality of education posed by politicians, it seems that more interest is to end instances to develop critical and reflective skills in schools, in this way obtained as a result people who meet certain functions and orders of their superiors (who interestingly studied in other schools where they taught "to be the bosses") and the political, economic and cultural dominant (if culturally as well, as for something also increase the hours of English).
addition, one wonders if at some point raised in these reforms so that educators know as very crucial when teaching, and that goes beyond mere review of content: Transversal Fundamental Objectives and Skills. These two concepts have been neglected in these reforms so from a first reading and is sensed that does not seek a better education but clearly an improvement in test results .
Proposals
In conclusion, and as stated in one of the World Social Forum: "We must move from protest to proposal, it is necessary that the country's teachers are not left alone to face the extent of Lavin minister, but to propose new ways of conducting education in Chile.
country's education must be guaranteed and funded by the state, but this should not influence its policies or guidelines, as this depends on what you determine education specialists, not politicians, not useless educational policies that change its course every 4 years as the pace of policy Government, education is a process on a large scale, long term, not a stimulus-response situation.
critical junctures and promote debate on education departing from the interest of the teachers themselves, and that they are fully committed to transforming education, critical and reflective.
If we believe that these reforms are not necessary, it's probably because we have not realized the reality in which we are immersed, which suffocates us daily and restrict our freedom, otherwise things would not happen as
- expulsion of immigrants and Gypsies in Europe (a few decades to complete the fateful War 2 World)
-Rape and lowering of Workers' Rights, where wages are obtained as a result very poor, hours of strenuous work and tragic accidents (the 33 miners, road accidents due to excessive working hours for drivers, large unemployment rates).
-militarization of territories against indigenous movements for their rights and their land.
decision-making by politicians and businessmen, where citizenship is not consulted, and must abide the consequences.
-strong police repression against students and workers, which demand causes.
-Privatization of public enterprises and profit through education.
All these things certainly that would be challenged with any degree of historical consciousness and identity, things that are driven by learning the history and development of critical skills, analytical and processing.
Finally leave a video, which helps supplement what has already been argued,
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