Critical thinking, creative thinking and progressive actions matched with strong values can save our country
Gerry Lanuza's observation on the Filipinos' obsession on grades is true.
Also from my own personal experience, I did hate the fierce competition in academics in my younger years. Instead of creating teamwork and more on creativity, academic competition harboured walls not only in school but many have not outgrown it as they carried it in their adult life.
In Switzerland (CH), I like how my daughters grew up without the jungle of competition in the class because they were taught to be curious, to investigate, to create, to produce, to question (not simply follow like a sheep or a puppy). In CH, there's no such stuff as honour rolls or special titles like valedictorian or salutatorian in primary or secondary school, but only in the university to reward the efforts of very hard working, diligent students. Majority of Filipinos should remember that the grades in school will not decide how successful you'll be in life.
Grades and achievements are icing of the cake only. What matters most is what we do for the others and for the positive growth of the society we live in. Being "grades conscious/fanatics, achievers with flying ego & title fetish" are not everything in life & one cannot only measure success from awards/titles/status because true success varies for everyone.
It is wise to remember what Charles Darwin said, "It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change."
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http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2015/07/critical-thinking-can-save-the-philippines/#comment-1218763
Well grades are not all. But it is still nice to have good grades. I for one had to repeat one or two courses in college. But then I really studied hard upon taking the two twice I did not regret studying them the second time. I must say I was an under achiever because I could have garnered higher grades. Most of us were. But then, given the circumstances that time we had no choice....many times we just got tired of the academe and all the vigorous mental exercise.... too much thinking and analyses too is tiresome. In retrospect it was good, balanced training. We learned so much from the academe but also what was happening around,.... of the arts, music, and sports too..... and then we got to decide which was crucial towards our successful vocations/careers...to stay in the country and serve our people (my choice).
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