Tribute to Sir Ken

I have possibly one of the first copies (if not the first) of “You, Your Child & School” here in Hong Kong.  I was fortuitous not only to learn of its March 11 release just a few days later, but I also had a copy brought over from Canada.

I’m a BIG fan of Sir Ken Robinson.  To begin with, where can you find an educator who is also a visionary?  Add writer and stand-up comedian, and you have – in one package – Sir Ken.

It’s almost impossible to talk about creativity in the context of education without referring to him.  With his latest book, he is bringing his insights to the grass-root, parenting level.

Sir Ken delivered the most watched TED talk, “Do schools kill creativity?“, so wittily and eloquently almost 12 years ago.  I’d like to share with you a few excerpts from that talk.

” …. all kids have tremendous talents.  And we squander them, pretty  ruthlessly.  …. creativity now is as important in education as literacy, and we should treat it with the same status.”

” …. kids will take a chance.  If they don’t know, they’ll have a go.  …. They’re not frightened of being wrong. …. And by the time they get to be adults, most kids have lost that capacity.  They have become frightened of being wrong.  And we run our companies like this.  We stigmatize mistakes.  And we’re now running national education systems where mistakes are the worst thing you can make.  And the result is that we are educating people out of their creative capacities.”

” …. Our education system has mined our minds in the way that we strip-mine the earth – for a particular commodity.  And for the future, it won’t serve us. We have to rethink the fundamental principles on which we’re educating our children. …. by seeing our creative capacities for the richness they are and seeing our children for the hope that they are.  And our task is to educate their whole being, so they can face this future.  By the way, we may not see this future, but they will.  And our job is to help them make something of it.”

Sadly, though not surprisingly, we’re well short of the changes that need to have taken place since his talk.  I’m talking about at the national / state / provincial level, not individual schools.

Most state education systems have, decade after decade, been employing senior educators who in reality were, or turned into, bureaucrats too afraid to put through the hard but necessary changes and upgrades.  To be fair, the societies they served were not open to any “failure” from “high-stake” experiments.

There lies the problem.  A risk-averse mindset at the highest levels, after prevailing and filtering down for an extended period of time, became systemic complacency.  Those who were supposed to spot the big trends failed to do so.  Even as major shifts were taking place, they were slow to react (if they reacted at all).  As a result, the education systems they headed up became increasingly ill-equipped to prepare their students for the future.

What state education systems around the world desperately need to do is to learn from the tech world by thinking big, re-imagining and challenging ingrained operating models, experimenting, collaborating, constantly upgrading ….

That’ll require a different mindset, fresh thinking AND, almost certainly, new blood.  That won’t happen in a scale broad enough, soon enough.

It’s one of the reasons behind the rapid growth of the International Baccalaureate (IB).  Since Sir Ken’s talk 12 years ago, the number of IB Diploma schools has grown by 126%.  Over half of them are “state schools”, representing two-thirds of IB Diploma graduates globally each year (Source: IB  Diploma Programme Statistical Bulletins).  These are schools which chose to leave the state education systems they belonged to for a new one or to offer their students an alternative to state programs in parallel.  In either case, what does it tell us?

The thought I wish to leave with you is that with rare exceptions, you can’t rely on a state education system to equip your children for a post Fourth Industrial Revolution world.  That’s why I’m so excited to learn that Sir Ken is bringing his insights further down the chain, from “Creative Schools: The Grassroots Revolution That’s Transforming Education” to “You, Your Child & School“.

Can’t wait to read both.

Fred Chann (fred@parentwithvision.com), Hong Kong

[P.S.  I need to declare my (strong) bias towards the IB.  I’m an (early) IB Diploma graduate myself.  My children are undergoing the Middle Years and Diploma Programs.  This is a topic worth a blog post in itself and I may well make it one in the future.] 

“Away for the Day”

Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age was fantastic and now, schools and parents have “Away for the Day” (AFTD) to provide them with action ideas and more research on the negative impact of excessive mobile device usage.

This is precisely the type of grass-root movement (and community and societal support I wrote about in “Vive la France!) our children need.  For any school-based mindfulness / emotional well-being program, AFTD should be a fairly easy-to-incorporate component.

Bravo, Dr. Ruston, Ms. Tabb and your team!

Fred Chann (fred@parentwithvision.com), Hong Kong

[Michelle, always so generous with sharing resources!  AFTD is another great idea we should introduce to our children’s school.]

What is Creativity?

Being more of a linear, logical thinker, I haven’t considered myself particularly creative.  So to write about creativity is, to say the least, stepping out of my comfort zone.  Daunting and humbling!

Even so, I must still write about creativity because it’s hugely important for our children growing up in the “Fourth Industrial Revolution”.  They will need more, way more, creativity to tackle the many challenges and opportunities.

I must write about creativity because education systems around the world do not equip our children with (enough) of it, even though it’s one of the most essential “real world” skills which, as we will discuss, can be learned.

I must also write about creativity because artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, etc. will become even more prevalent.  Our children must as a result not only embrace, but continually raise the bar on, creativity.

Finally, I must write about creativity because it will define what it takes to be human …. not only for our children, but our grandchildren, great grandchildren, etc.

Instead of starting with my own thoughts, I’m deferring to those who are in the “business” of being creative.

“I think of creativity as a SYSTEM of cycling through ideas until one of them ‘moves’ me, literally. If an idea doesn’t create some sort of physical change in my body, I rapidly reject it and move to the next thought.” Scott Adams, creator of the “Dilbert” comics

“Creativity is always a leap of FAITH. You’re faced with a blank page, blank easel, or an empty stage.” – Julia Cameron, writer and author of “The Creative Life: True Tales of Inspiration”

“Creativity involves BREAKING OUT of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way.” – Dr. Edward de Bono, brain training and lateral thinking pioneer

PASSION is one great force that unleashes creativity, because if you’re passionate about something, then you’re more willing to take RISKS.” – Yo-Yo Ma, Cellist

“No mistakes in the tango, darling.  …. That’s what makes the tango so great.  If you make a mistake, get tangled up, JUST TANGO ON!  Why don’t you TRY?” – Al Pacino (as retired Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade) responding to Donna being afraid of trying the tango and making a mistake in the movie “Scent of a Woman” (1992)

“Creativity is a HABIT, and the best creativity is the result of good work habits.” Twyla Tharp, dancer and author of “The Creative Habit: Learn it and Use it for Life”

Creativity is neither a “black box” nor random.  It’s a PROCESS of trying to break out of the norm by taking risks, exploring and doing it over and over again …. believing that there’s a different, hopefully better, way.  It’s not trial and “error”, but trial to experiment and trial to experience.  It’s curiosity – to try new things, explore new ways, with new people, in a new environment.

If creativity is indeed a process, then it can be learned and should be taught.  Given its even more critical role going forward, I ask:

Why are schools and universities not building “creativity modules” within otherwise rigid curricula driven by outdated content …. for every subject?

Twyla Tharp puts it in perspective:

“Creativity is not just for artists. It’s for business people looking for a new way to close a sale; it’s for engineers trying to solve a problem; it’s for PARENTS who want their children to see the world in more than one way.”

Creativity is also for architects, chefs, consultants, doctors, environmentalists, financiers, teachers … !  The “Fourth Industrial Revolution” and the resulting pace of change will force upon our children and theirs the need to re-invent themselves many times over (watch for a discussion on “Cognitive Flexibility” in a blog post to come).

We must encourage them to develop the habit of creativity, so they will have the inner (true) belief, confidence, courage and imagination to explore and find their passions and purposes in life.  That’s how they will define and redefine themselves!

Fred Chann (fred@parentwithvision.com), Hong Kong

“The Future of Jobs” – “Tsunami” Siren!

I alluded to a (potential) education crisis in my last post “Higher (Mis)Education?“.  Let me start to explain with this forecast:

“Five years from now [end of 2015], over one-third of skills (35%) that are considered important in today’s workforce will have changed.” – World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum (WEF) released a report in January 2016 entitled “The Future of Jobs“.  The sea change had already been well underway.  It was WEF sounding a global “tsunami” siren! 

This ARTICLE discusses the top ten skills one would need to thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution .  Below, I’ve recast the table in the article to highlight the points I’ll be making in blog posts to come.  Notice how highly “CRITICAL THINKING” and “CREATIVITY” would rank by 2020, particularly the latter which is expected to jump seven spots within the top ten!!

Ranking

2020

2015

Change

COMPLEX PROBLEM SOLVING

1

1

0

CRITICAL THINKING

2

4

↑ 2

CREATIVITY

3

10

↑ 7

People Management

4

3

↓ 1

Coordinating with Others

5

2

↓ 3

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

6

New

Judgement & Decision Making

7

8

 1

Service Orientation

8

7

↓ 1

Negotiation

9

5

↓ 4

COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY

10

New

Quality Control

6

X

Active Listening

9

X

If there’s any truth to what William Deresiewicz says about the state of higher education (please read my last post “Higher (Mis)Education?”) – i.e. “His students …. were adrift when it came to the big questions: How to think  CRITICALLY and CREATIVELY and how to find a sense of purpose.  …..  elite colleges are turning out conformists without a compass.”

WE’RE IN CRISIS MODE!

 

Fred Chann (fred@parentwithvision.com), Hong Kong

[Vernée, can’t thank you enough for pointing me to the WEF report.]  

 

Higher (Mis)Education?

I’ve just bought a copy of William Deresiewicz‘s (controversial) book “Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life” (Free Press, August 2014).  I look forward to reading it and passing it onto my children.

What piqued my interest was this synopsis:

“As a professor at Yale [and himself a Columbia graduate], William Deresiewicz saw something that troubled him deeply. His students, some of the nation’s brightest minds, were ADRIFT when it came to the big questions: How to THINK  CRITICALLY and CREATIVELY and how to find a sense of PURPOSE. Now he argues that elite colleges are turning out CONFORMISTS without a compass.

Excellent Sheep takes a sharp look at the high-pressure CONVEYOR BELT that begins with parents and counselors who demand perfect grades and culminates in the skewed applications Deresiewicz saw firsthand as a member of Yale’s admissions committee. As schools shift focus from the humanities to “practical” subjects like economics, students are losing the ability to think independently. ….. “

I’m aware of the criticisms this book and its author have received.  I’m also aware of the accolades.  With two teenagers applying to universities soon (enough), I’m more concerned about “where there’s smoke, there’s fire”.

The alternative perspective(s) offered by an informed (though perhaps biased) ex-insider like Deresiewicz is therefore worth taking into account, because if there’s any truth in what he says about the most sought-after higher education institutions anywhere in the world ….

“Houston, we’ve had a problem!”

I’ll explain in my next blog post.

Meanwhile, living in a city where brand-conscious, status-seeking and / or formulaic parents (themselves conformists!) abound, I see first-hand plenty feeding the “conveyor-belt” frenzy.

As the “Fourth Industrial Revolution” progresses, we’re going to see changes happening at a much faster pace than what we’re experiencing .  We can ill-afford to just blindly follow the herd and aspire for our children to attend an education institution based on history, brand or status.

Instead, we must go back to fundamentals and ask ourselves:

What must higher education deliver for our children to be adequately prepared for a world beyond the “Fourth Industrial Revolution”?

Then dispassionately and critically question and verify an institution’s  value proposition(s) to seek alignment with our own answers to the question above.  Otherwise, as parents who are supposed to offer our teenagers guidance, advice and hopefully insights, we’re negligent!

Fred Chann (fred@parentwithvision.com), Hong Kong

Vive la France!

Two weeks before Christmas 2017, France announced the expansion of a mobile phone ban in primary and middle schools, covering students up to the age of 15 (read full ARTICLE in The Local).   Phones are already banned from classrooms in that country, but starting in September 2018, students will not be allowed to take them out even at breaks, during lunch times and between lessons.

Such a ban had been contemplated in the election manifesto of Emmanuel Macron, French president since May 2017.  In his announcement, the French education minister called it a matter of public health.

STUDY by Twenge, Martin and Campbell (published in January 2018) certainly supports that.  It found that:

“Adolescents who spent more time on electronic communication and screens (e.g., social media, the Internet, texting, gaming) and less time on nonscreen activities (e.g., in-person social interaction, sports/exercise, homework, attending religious services) had lower psychological well-being.”

“The happiest adolescents in the survey were those who used digital media for less than one hour a day. After that point, unhappiness levels steadily increased in line with screen use.”

Incidentally, France has had a national law in place since January 2015, banning  WiFi and wireless devices in nursery schools and requiring WiFi routers to be turned off when not used for teaching in schools for children up to the age of 11.  That law also aims to better inform its citizens of, and protect them from, exposures to wireless radiation electromagnetic fields.

The “public health” issue is in fact a multi-faceted concern beyond just physiological, but also mental, emotional and not the least, sociological.  It is not limited to France, but one of a truly global scale.

China was the first country to declare internet addiction a clinical disorder.  That was back in 2008 when smartphones were not nearly as prevalent as today, especially among our teenagers …. and children of a (much) younger age.  China’s rehabilitation-camp approach to dealing with the issue was documented in Web Junkie (premiered in July 2013; SHORT CLIP) by two Israeli film directors, Hilla Medalia and Shosh Shlamin.

A few years later in the US, Dr. Delaney Ruston explored struggles over social media, video games, academics and internet addiction in her documentary Screenagers.  With insights from psychologists and brain scientists, it reveals how tech time impacts kids’ development.  Importantly, it promotes a community approach to educating our children and empowering them to best navigate the digital world and find balance.

UK based illustrator, Steve Cutts, made this very sad cartoon called “Are you lost in this world like me?“.  It depicts a rather grey world (which already exists!) and one we should not wish for our children and grandchildren.  It’s a desperate call for action!

No wonder “Silicon Valley parents are raising their kids tech-free — and it should be a red flag” (Business Insider article by Chris Weller).  Unfortunately, nothing in the article surprises me given what I already discussed in “Simon Says …. “.

” …. ‘ The tech companies do know that the sooner you get kids, adolescents, or teenagers used to your platform, the easier it is to become a lifelong habit,’ ….

…. screen-time research, which, despite suffering a lack of long-term data, has nevertheless found a host of short-term consequences among teens and adolescents who are heavy users of tech. These include heightened risks for depression, anxiety, and, in extreme cases, suicide.

…. After just five days at the [tech-free retreat for pre-teens], researchers saw huge gains in empathy levels among the participating kids. Those in the experimental group started scoring higher in their nonverbal emotional cues, more often smiling at another child’s success or looking distressed if they witnessed a nasty fall.

The researchers concluded: “The results of this study should introduce a much-needed societal conversation about the costs and benefits of the enormous amount of time children spend with screens, both inside and outside the classroom.”

I can’t tell you how the quotes in Weller’s article of Amy Pressman, co-founder and president of Medallia, resonated with me:

” ….. it’s often hard to strike a balance in limiting tech use, since kids quickly begin to feel left out of their peer group. The longer parents try to impose their restrictions, the more they fear they’re essentially raising a well-adjusted outcast.

I’ve got no role model for how to deal with this world. This world didn’t exist when I was growing up, and the restrictions my parents put on TV use don’t make sense in the world of technology when the computer is both your entertainment and your homework and your encyclopedia.”

Can’t describe any better the internal struggles I’ve had raising my two tech-age teenagers.  That’s why the community and societal support I referred to at the end of “Simon Says …. ” is so critical.

Back to France.   A few months ago, I came across this The Local ARTICLE .  In a village in southern France, the restaurant Le Petit Jardin started to ban the use of mobile phones at the table.  Waiters will blow a whistle and show a yellow card to a customer caught using his phone. If he is caught again, he will be shown the red card and asked to leave.

“ ‘It’s a tradition in France to talk during meals. ….  As soon as we blow the whistle and show a card it gets the whole restaurant involved and even encourages dialogue between different tables.’ ….

….  some parents chose his restaurant specifically so they could have a meal without their children getting their mobile phones out.”

That’s an illustration of the positive impact of community and societal support.

And let’s not forget about etiquette.  It matters!!  It’s simply rude and disrespectful if you are on your mobile device while being physically with another person.  As Rob Asghar points out in his Forbes article “27 Etiquette Rules For Our Times“:

“Remember that if you feel a need to respond immediately to every incoming text, you’ll lose more in the eyes of the person who’s in front of you than you’ll gain from the unseen people who are benefiting from your efficiency.”

Let’s hope the actions taken in France will not only expand across that country, but also inspire more people, restaurants, towns, cities and governments around the world to follow suit – for the benefit of our children, if not our own as well!

Vive la France!

Fred Chann (fred@parentwithvision.com), Hong Kong

[Vernée, appreciate your sharing with me Twenge et al’s findings.  Gloria, thanks for introducing me to the Steve Cutts’ illustration.] 

Simon Says ….

I’m about to invite you on a (hopefully vision-setting) journey looking into the future.  Before doing so, I’d like to share with you the thoughts of Simon Sinek , who gave an Inside Quest interview with Tom Bilyeu a year ago and spoke about “The Millennial Question“.

Simon spoke about the unhappiness of millennials and blames it on four factors – parenting, technology, impatience and environment.  The first two are immediately relevant to this blog and I happen to agree substantively with his analyses because I witness the phenomena almost daily.

On failed parenting strategies ….

“…. [the children] were told that they’re special – all the time.  They were told that they can have anything in life just ’cause they want it. ….

…. So you take this group of people.  They graduate [from] school.  They get a job.  They’re thrust into the real world and in an instant, they find out that they’re not special.

Their moms can’t get them a promotion. You get nothing for coming in last. And by the way, you can’t have it just because you want it.  In an instant, their self image is shattered. 

So you have an entire generation that’s growing up with lower self-esteem than previous generations.  ….”

On technology ….

“…. Dopamine is the exact same chemical that makes us feel good when we smoke, when we drink and when we gamble.  In other words, it’s highly, highly addictive. 

We have age restrictions on smoking, gambling and alcohol.  And we’ve no age restrictions on social media and cell phones, which is the equivalent of opening up the liquor cabinet and saying to our teenagers, “Hey, by the way, if this adolescent thing gets you down ….

…. And like all addictions, in time it will destroy relationships, it will cost time, it will cost money and it will make your life worse.  So you have a generation growing up with lower self-esteem that doesn’t have the coping mechanisms to deal with stress.”

Yet, this vulnerability is precisely what’s been exploited (” ‘We’re designing minds’: Industry insider reveals secrets of addictive app trade“).

” …. To make a profit, companies ‘need your eyeballs locked in that app as long as humanly possible,’ he says. ‘And they’re all in a technological arms race to keep you there the longest.  …. ‘

…. The numbers really hit home when Emily learned how much of her life is spent on her phone: 30 per cent of her day.  At that rate, she’s on track to spend 9 ½ years of her life staring at a screen. …. “

Simon Sinek also spoke to London Real on “Self esteem, gratification and addiction“, calling the millennials’ addiction to technology a “big time bomb ticking” which “will get really worse”.  In that interview, he said something that really struck me …

“…. you have an addicted generation that does not have the skill set to ask for help.  Combined with the fact that they’re so good at Facebook and Instagram that they’re good at putting filters on everything. ….

…. These kids who commit suicide, you look at their Instagrams, you’d have no clue that they were depressed  ’cause they’re happy and they’re star athletes.  ….

…… So we say silly things like ‘My door’s always open.’  You assume they have the courage to come in. …. “

The Pandora’s box has been opened.  Our children need help to protect themselves from the temptations of technology and the potentially severe effects of excessive use.

Early education (of both parents and children) and strong parenting are more critical than ever.  However, without broad community and indeed societal support, this cannot take place fast enough and effectively enough.

Fred Chann (fred@parentwithvision.com), Hong Kong

[Beth, thanks for sending me the ” ‘We’re designing minds’: Industry insider reveals secrets of addictive app trade” article.]

The Ultimate Reference

Check This Box if You’re a Good Person  …..

is one of the most memorable articles I’ve read.  It’s written by a former admissions director at Dartmouth College about the most memorable letter of recommendation she’s ever read.

” …. He was clearly bright, as evidenced by his class rank and teachers’ praise. He had a supportive recommendation from his college counselor and an impressive list of extracurriculars. Even with these qualifications, he might not have stood out. But one letter of recommendation caught my eye. It was from a school custodian.  ….

…. It gave us a window onto a student’s life in the moments when nothing “counted.” That student was admitted by unanimous vote of the admissions committee. …. “

What’s the “formula” in cultivating GENUINE kindness, respect and character?  What’s the “formula” in raising a child to become a teenager like the one in the article?

Parent by example!

Fred Chann (fred@parentwithvision.com), Hong Kong

[Special thanks to Bernie and Vernée for sharing this “lovely reminder of what really matters”.]

Formulaic Parents: Advice from Ben Jones

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has a great Admissions Blog.  It was developed by Ben Jones (Profile), nicknamed the Blogfather.

From 2004 to 2008, he was Director of Communications for the Office of Admissions.  Among his many duties, Ben read student applications and participated in the selection of four freshman classes.

Over the years, Ben contributed a number of “Best of Blogs”.  In my view, they are must-reads for any aspiring university applicant (MIT bound or not) and any parent who aspires for her / his child to study at MIT or a similarly “prestigious” university.

For the formulaic parent I wrote about in my last posting, you need to know that There Is No Formula:

“ .… It’s who you are that really matters. It’s how you embrace life. It’s how you treat other people. It’s passion. And yes, that stuff really does drip off the page in the best of our applications. It’s not anything I can explain – you just know when you read an application and a [not the] “perfect match” is there. …”

Yes, there are indeed Many Ways To Define “The Best” :

” … So when a parent says to me, “Why does HYPSM (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, MIT, etc.) put so much emphasis on AP’s [Advanced Placement courses]?” I reply “Why do you put so much emphasis on HYPSM?” When a parent says, “My kid’s value as a person/student shouldn’t be measured by how many AP’s he/she has taken”, I say, “…and your kid’s value as a person/student shouldn’t be measured by whether or not he/she goes to HYPSM.” …. “

” … Make sure your kids are choosing their schools for the right reasons. Name, status, “brand” – these are not the right reasons. Let your kids be kids. Let them follow their hearts. Encourage them to have a present, not just a future. Don’t let them define themselves by which colleges accept them – and don’t let them define themselves by doing things only to get into certain colleges. …”

Let’s parent with vision so our children can benefit from our conviction, clarity and focus.  No More Races to Nowhere!

Fred Chann (fred@parentwithvision.com), Hong Kong

No More Races to Nowhere!

“Comparison is the thief of joy.” – Theodore Roosevelt, 26th US president

To get a good job, one needs to attend a “prestigious” university.

To get into a “prestigious” university, one needs to attend a “prestigious” secondary school with a strong track record.

To get into a “prestigious” secondary school with a strong track record, one needs to attend a ….. you guessed it, a “prestigious” primary school with a strong track record.

And so on …..

That’s why expecting parents need (!) to register their soon-to-be born for ….. you guessed it again, a “prestigious” nursery with a strong track record.

These are common (mis)beliefs and in case you’re wondering, NOT what I’d consider parenting with vision.  Instead, it’s what I’d call “formulaic parenting”!

There are many successful people who did not attend “prestigious” universities, secondary and primary schools …. and certainly not “prestigious” nurseries.  To the contrary, many of their alma maters became “prestigious”, I suspect, because of them!

Formulaic parenting has a second manifestation.  In this instance, parents understand (correctly) that most top universities look for “well-rounded” students.  Unfortunately, they somehow (mis)interpret it to mean that their children need to not only excel academically, but they must also be accomplished athletes, artists AND (not or!) whatever else.

So from a young age, they put their children in regular sports (plural!) camps, lessons in music instruments (plural!) and, why not, art and public speaking classes too.  In case their children don’t do well enough in one sport, they have another one as backup.  Likewise for music.  Likewise for art.  Need to cover all the bases, right?

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m all for providing children, especially young ones, the opportunities to explore and along the way, helping them discover their interests and hopefully, passions.  But you see the problem?

How can they jam all these into a week in addition to school, homework and (of course!) tutorials without sacrificing on more important things like SLEEP?

How are our poor children going to have the time and space to develop their CREATIVITY or to THINK?

Beware that we are not sending them on a “Race to Nowhere“.  Here’s an excerpt from the synopsis of a 2010 documentary of this name (please watch the TRAILER ):

“….. students across the country … have been pushed to the brink by over-scheduling, over-testing and the relentless pressure to achieve, ….

….. an education system in which cheating has become commonplace; students have become disengaged; stress-related illness, depression and burnout are rampant; and young people arrive at college and the workplace unprepared and uninspired.”

While the documentary was based on the education system in the US, the situation is no different here in Hong Kong and, I’m rather sure, in the UK and elsewhere.

We MUST protect our children from this “epidemic” by setting few but clear priorities, letting them make choices for themselves early on and helping them maintain manageable schedules with free time each day, especially during weekends and holidays.

Instead of trying to cover all the bases, let’s teach our children to make trade-offs, difficult as they may be …. for the sake of their physical and mental well-being!

Fred Chann (fred@parentwithvision.com), Hong Kong