The Other Side of the Mirror

By Andreaa

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There are those times that you wonder about the world that exists behind the mirror. Like "Oh no! What is just behind that mirror that seems so alike to the world out here? And, how is it that the only difference is just lateral inversion which gives the opposite of everything?" Wooohooo! Now, that's the point… Lateral inversion! The other side of the mirror gives us hope that we can do the same things differently and still do them well. It gives us the courage to believe that a lot of things can be changed and still satisfy the needed necessities. But wait! What do we need to do differently? That's the most important question, to be honest. But, sit down, relax and let me take you to the most important thing that needs just an opposite change to do the same thing. At times, I get this thought and wonder about who taught the world to always start with cups when washing dishes. Can't we just start with pans before the cups? The same applies when we refer to how the education systems have been treating us. We are conditioned to believe that we should begin with learning alphabets before logarithm. But, how about teaching both logarithm and alphabets at the same time? I know this sounds weird but it's not actually in such a way that we can bring change. What I am trying to say is that the existing theories don't really have to be the same theories that can be existing for the next millions of years.

Now, let me narrow it down to the old memories of experience in the education systems that I have been in. Let’s begin with the homeworks, are they really vital enough to be given out every single day to the extent students don't get enough time to actually follow their passion? Does homework help out students pass their examination or just another method to keep students busy for nothing they are passionate about? I remember having 20 questions from three compulsory subjects plus 30 more questions from "each" seven supplementary subjects per day. Just to be precise, they were all compulsory subjects according to teachers and all had to be submitted on the same day. Is this the "exam-helping" technique we use or just a new "stress-addition" tool? How about the old days when our grandparents only gave us a proverb after a story? This was much more of a relief and actually better homework for kids. It was actually a proverb that could perhaps be practical for a whole lifetime and not theory-based or some highly packed pamphlet of non-practical toxic substances. The other side of the mirror right? Mmmh not yet!

But also, we call this the technological era right? Yes! It's the application of robots, AI systems, automation and simplification of things just through STEM. But wait! What are books still doing in libraries? Wasn't I expecting something like a library full of tablets and smartphones as eBooks? Sounds ridiculous eeh? Then why do teachers still use chalks in classes? It's just non-relevant to use chalks in the technological era and far beyond insane to use papers when smartphones are occupying the planet. Securing the data might be an awesome problem but still it's an interesting fact which demands more thinking. But wait! How about interfacing AI systems to be used to secure data and test the accuracy of any information posted on the cloud? This would allow information to be accurate, true and relevant to the audience. See! This is the other side of the mirror…
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Moreover, I remember getting into a Mathematics class and to my amazement, the first thing I got was a 30 questions-long Mathematics test on topics I have less knowledge about. Wasn't I expecting something like a Rubik's cube on the first entry? Or maybe, why not something like Chess to boost my mind before the session starts? It's sometimes unfair to teach a bored mind mathematics even when the topic is interesting. It's just fairly similar to the principle of influencing a vampire to drink blood when you have not given out blood to attract it. Cut your blood vessel, attract it and let it drink blood if that's your goal! Case closed! It's just the same way that students have to be prepared before a lesson through mind games, stories or any other relevant method depending on the subject. We should not just make lessons stress-increasing through early morning tests but rather mind games would do!

All of my life, I mean all my 15 years of life, I have always been passionate about becoming a doctor. Here comes the question, is history necessary for my higher studies when I know its basics already? And how relevant is chemistry to a student passionate about being a soldier? It's sometimes irrelevant to be teaching irrelevant subjects to irrelevant students in irrelevant circumstances. And yes! With irrelevant methods! I remember one of my friends asking a very common question that most students have always asked "Sir, how will I apply logarithm in my life?" And all he got was a solid straight answer "Pass your examinations and you will thank me!" Ha ha is this a proverb or something? Or is it just a better way to rephrase the statement "You study for examinations only"? Or probably, it's a new way to keep students focused for something irrelevant for their dreams. Wait wait wait! Have you ever met a musician who studied law? Or a teacher who pursued awesome clinical courses? How about an entrepreneur who shifted from tourism to engineering courses without realizing what happened next? This is creatively funny for real… It's now evident that probably the education systems sometimes lead us into a drastic confusion while patronizing itself as the key to success. But, how about letting students choose what they are passionate about? Like giving students unlimited alternatives of what they want to study due to their passions from early childhood. At least this would do and would make them at least be happy with what they learn. It will allow them to follow their passion and interests rather than locking them in a cage of theories. See! This is the other side of the mirror…

I remember when I was young, I used to look at the mirror and speak to it like " Hey… I am raising my left hand not my right!" But, I was surprised when the image on the mirror was also telling me the same. I was stupid enough not to realize that some things in the mirror were still the same but in a different direction. And hopefully, who knows, maybe there are things that will always be the same unless we break the mirror. Or perhaps teleport to get inside the mirror and change it. If all that is impossible, then Doctor Strange, the man who controls the mirror dimension, might be the right person for the job. To be precise, we can not change the system if we do not change the fixed mindset that exists among many people. The world needs to have a growth mindset that will apply any single method just to make sure that positive changes will be made in the education system. And if destroying the existing system is the only option then the world has to employ all the necessary steps to destroy it. Ooops! Where was the last conversation at?

Yes! "Where was the last conversation at?" Isn't this the common statement that most students think of at the end of every class session? It sounds insane but the reality lies in the fact that every 6 out of 10 students really don't understand everything they learnt in class. These students only recall a few things and end up asking themselves "Where was the last conversation at?" It's fairly just true that probably the session was not in their interests, they were not attentive or they are just locked up in a cage full of dilemmas and confusions. Case closed! But, how about giving regular breaks in the curriculum and letting students have more time to rest? Finland has the best education system where students even outsmart other students from other systems but what's the magic method? Students start lessons at 9 a.m. and the system emphasizes collaboration rather than competition. Then why not give more time for students to follow their passion and remove exams which tend to create competition among students? See! This is the other side of the mirror…

So, this is what I have learnt over the past few years. It begins early in the morning where I wake up at school, take a bath, go for a prep, take breakfast, go for my classes, then lunch, then dinner, then the day ends with a click on the switch by our boarding patron. Oops! Probably the first thought you had is that I was doing all this on my own but the reality still remains in the fact that a lot of students are just fully coordinated to go through that cycle everyday with supervision from a custodian. Are we dumb enough to be told and reminded everything we have to do? Something more funny is that, to make the routine interesting a couple of changes are done rarely in the cycle. Ooh no! Why not be like Japan where students have no custodians and are taught to live in a world where they do every task on their own? Why not reinforcing ethics over knowledge and letting students live a life that they will be proud of to lead themselves? This is perhaps the magic trick behind the hardworking spirit that most Japanese have. Sounds ridiculous right? But, it's just a fair truth to be tolerated that we want freedom. Can't we just have it? It will allow us to learn life skills and apply them in our real life. See! This is the other side of the mirror… 

We do spend more time on the mirror when we want to look more attractive to the community. The same applies when we want to make changes. It might demand us time if we want to make a stronger education system that will exist for the future generation. But, using less time might just make us have a weak system with more challenges than the ones we face now. Students, let's be patient! Teachers, let's be optimistic! The world, what shall I say? Let's just see the other side of the mirror! I rest my case!