British lecturer Gumbel attacks French classroom culture which brands kids worthless The Observer

A British teacher at one of the leading universities in Paris has produced an extraordinary indictment of France's admired schools, saying they humiliate pupils and could learn much from other countries, including Britain.

In a book to be published this week, Peter Gumbel, a lecturer at the Institute of Political Science – known as Sciences Po – attacks a classroom culture that brands students "worthless" and that he says is counterproductive and contrary to France's republican ideals. On achève bien les écoliers? (They Shoot Schoolchildren, Don't They?) has already provoked a storm.

"Why is France the only country in the world that discourages children because of what they cannot do, rather than encouraging them to do what they can?" Gumbel writes. "I believe France is missing a key element of what's wrong with the school system, an element that is immediately apparent to any foreigner who comes into contact with it: the harshness of the classroom culture.

"It's a culture you can sum up as T'es nul (You're worthless).

via www.guardian.co.uk

Comments

[Alison]

I will let you know!

[Laurel]

I'd love to hear what you think!

[Alison]

Stomachaches? Check.
Insomnia? Check.

And those are just the things my kids have told me about. Thanks for this, Laurel. I've ordered the book and "liked" it on Facebook.