http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_MAIN_ID=436&f_SUB_ID=4491&f_ART_ID=249689
【聯合報╱周祝瑛／政大教育系教授（台北市）】 2010/05/24
昨天聯合報頭版刊出一名美國十三歲少年登上珠穆朗瑪峰的消息。照片中少年開朗的笑容，對照同時間國內卅萬名國三考生在基測中的緊張情景，分外令人印象深刻。
My comments: Want to see the beaming youngster? Here's the news story in the BBC. Go check it out.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia_pacific/10141547.stm
I'll copy and paste the BBC news story after this UDN article in case one day it is removed from the website.
在國內現階段升學考試與缺乏彈性的入學制度下，有那些家長與學校能夠帶著孩子接受這一連串嚴酷的體能訓練？不必登聖母峰，連登東北亞第一高峰玉山主峰的國內學生都不多見。還有環繞台灣四周那一千兩百多公里的海岸線與海洋，有多少學生曾經去親近過？相較於課後補習的經驗，則答案恰恰相反！畢竟「親山近水」與考試無關，而補習家教可以考取好高中、好大學！
My comments: I believe that not all parents deprive their children of other aspects of life.
結果全民付出的代價：中小學生睡眠不足、體能欠佳、近視率攀升、體重增加、普遍缺乏閱讀課外讀物及生活體驗的機會，學習流於抽象、背誦，學生缺乏對知識的熱情與探究的興趣，在課堂上不會發問，單向接受老師的講授幾乎是常態。
My comments: The first six problems do not necessarily stem from preparation for the entrance exams. They might be the result of students' obsession with video games or TV. However, quite a few students do suffer from the pressure of taking tests.
沉重的課業壓力是剝奪國內青少年睡眠的主要原因。另外，雖然國內學生在國際競賽成績優良，但生活常識與國際視野不足，甚至對科學、數學的學習興趣普遍不高，自信指數也下降，且出現愈來愈多的學習雙峰現象。換言之，台灣的教育可以培養出考試很厲害的學生，但年級愈高，學習興趣愈低，在各行各業的傑出人才不多、專業人才也有不足的隱憂。
因此，從此次攀登世界第一高峰的美國少年，因為小時候在學校看見一幅七大洲油畫，就能立下宏願要征服七大洲最高山峰，以未來能站在世界頂端為人生最大目標來看，我們的教育能否培養與支持這樣的孩子實現願望？
My comments: Think big.
如果有一天，國中基測可以跳脫出選擇題型、作文可以是登山或出遊的企劃案、數學能夠增加演算與證明、自然科可以有需動手的實驗題、社會科鼓勵關心時事與國際要聞、英文能夠考聽力與小說閱讀，甚至登山下海、志工服務、照顧流浪動物等經驗也可以是升學的重要參考資料，那麼或許可以重新喚回中學生的品格力、想像力與創造力！提升人才競爭力！
My comments: As an English teacher, I often encourage my students to read English novels, but many of them tell me they can't afford the time.
BBC News 22 May, 2010
Jordan Romero, 13, 'becomes youngest to scale Everest'
A 13-year-old American boy has become the youngest person to reach the summit of Mount Everest, his family says.
Jordan Romero, from California, telephoned his mother from the peak of the world's highest mountain, she said.
"Mom, I'm calling you from the top of the world," Leigh Anne Drake quoted her son as saying.
He was climbing with his father and three Sherpa guides. The previous record was held by a Nepalese boy of 16.
The 13-year-old has now conquered the highest mountains on six of the world's seven continents. He climbed Africa's Mount Kilimanjaro aged 10. He just needs to scale the Vinson Massif in Antarctica.
He has also scaled Mount Kosciuszko in Australia.
The team set off from Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, last month, heading for the base camp on the Chinese side of the mountain.
While Nepal insists that anyone planning to climb Mount Everest must be 16, China does not impose any age restrictions.
Some mountaineers have criticised the Romero family for letting him attempt the feat but his father said the ascent from the Chinese side is less dangerous, the AFP news agency reports.
Last month, his mother told the BBC he would do some school work during the trip.
Also on Saturday, Apa Sherpa, 50, climbed Everest for the 20th time, surpassing his own record.
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