It's not what you teach, but how you teach it

This morning on my way to school, I was listening to the radio and on the news the announcers were discussing a very large issue that we have in our educational system here in Quebec. It turns out that Quebec has the highest school drop out rate in the country! Apparently in poorer areas of Montreal, nearly 40% of students don't even finish high school or get their diploma. This is extremely alarming information to hear.

http://www.cjad.com/news/14/872265
This article from CJAD news explains the situation more clearly and includes more alarming statistics.

At some point in the talk show, people were calling in to talk about the topic, and one caller suggested and stressed how important it is that teachers in Quebec schools make the material their teaching more interesting and more relevant to students so that they want to come to school, and actually enjoy what their learning, as opposed to carelessly dropping out. In response to that, I strongly agree and believe that integrating new and fun technology in English class as opposed to lecturing about Shakespeare, would make a significant difference in the way many teenagers and children view and value their education. Teachers who don't believe students will learn effectively through the use of technology and believe that the old fashion way of teaching is the only way, are only going to make the problem worse.


The announcers on the radio mentioned how some educators are considering using the topic of hockey and the Montreal Canadians in their classroom, because it is relevant to students these days, and because they actually like it! Many people called in saying how they think it's nonsense and how kids can't learn 'real' subjects (mostly meaning math..) from it. This type of response is, in my opinion very ignorant. People have to open their minds up, and realize that it's not what you teach, but it's how you teach it.
With regards to elementary schools, you can most definitely teach subjects like math through hockey. From fractions to simple algebra to percentages, the NHL is filled with statistics! Can you believe that students would actually want to learn math? It's possible..we just have to open our minds and open our eyes to the world the younger generation live in.