The Fun of Learning--評論／讀書的真滋味

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評論／讀書的真滋味

【聯合報╱梁玉芳】2010/10/29

教育部長吳清基說「未來國中生少了基測的考試壓力，孩子如果不讀書，怎麼辦？」此話若是出自望子成龍心切的一般家長，也就罷了；但主掌全國教育大計的主政者，說出這般「讀書之用，是為考試」的簡單連結，未免令人驚駭。

如果教育者認定，人性本不好學，非得靠著考試來鞭策，人才會「不得不」讀書；那麼，教育部社教司推動的「終身學習」、教育部前部長曾志朗伉儷力行的「終身閱讀」，豈不都是白搭？

My comments: I believe a love for learning is in everyone's blood. That's why children pose endless questions to explore the worldand even the universe. When and how does the love fade away?

有幾個觀念待釐清。比如，學習不見得是透過讀書；讀書不見得是讀教科書，這些道理大家都明白。但在「考試／升學」籠罩下的教育體制內，學習就等於讀書，讀書就是讀教科書，搞壞我們閱讀的胃口，也窄化知識的來源。放榜那天，學生焚燒苦讀三年的教科書以誌慶，就是對此種學習惡文化的反叛。

My comments: Some of my former students told me they still kept their high school textbooks.

I always encourage my students to read extensively. I told them once they read English books or magazines as a habit or hobby, English becomes easy, not daunting at all.

再者，「升學掛帥」、「考試引導教學」是台灣教育長久以來的悲哀。當年教改人士喊出「快樂學習」口號，或許過於高調，也算看清學子的苦楚。為了入學考試，學生將教科書、參考書上的知識囫圇吞，放了學，還要到補習班苦練快速答題秘技。塞得滿滿的時程表，吃掉我們的童年與青春。

My comments: We all need time to think!

即將實施的十二年國教，不就是為了矯正這些弊病而提出的嗎？若是擔心沒了「升學考試」這個懸在學子上方、以督促學習的鞭子，教育方式就必須「大變身」，成為引導學生能夠樂於學習的胡蘿蔔。

My comments: Today while I was reading the book The Element, I paused at the sentence in Chapter Eight for a while,

"When mentors serve the function--either turning a light on a new world or fanning the flames of interest into genuine passion--they do exalted work."

Great educators fan, instead of extinguish, students' flames of interest in learning.

這些變身，涉及教育體系的創意。為人師長最重要的責任是：在沒有考試惡靈的陰影下，引導學生認識「讀書的真滋味」。或許，這才是「後基測時代」為人師表者的最大挑戰吧！請教育部長想想。

My comments: However, teachers is not the sole determinant, students themselves, their parents, and the society all play a part.