My thoughts on the Dutch school system

So, I don’t know about you, but my lessons have started and I have a lot of stress. Four weeks have just been passed and I’m totally stressed out. That means there is something wrong with the school system, right?

On average, I’m spending like 6 hours at school (only the lessons, though! Without breaks). Then when I come home, I rest for, about, half an hour and after that I do homework ’till dinner.

Okay, you have a busy week, but in the weekends you can rest, right? NO, In the weekends I wake up at, approximately, 9am and I start working at 10. I work until 5 pm (but I definitely have a lunch break and small breaks in between). This applies mostly for Sunday, because I have a volleyball match on Saturdays.

Now I’m working all the time. I think the school system should focus on long-term memory instead of only learning for a test. With this system, I will learn for the test, but not for myself.

The way we learn languages is not the best way to learn them. Actually, it is stupid. Right now, I have to learn English words. Fine, I want to get better and a big vocabulary will definitely help. Although the intention is good, the way is not. I have to learn the words English – Dutch. Then I can understand a long text, but I can’t have a normal conversation. The only reason we do it like this, is I can graduate. I mean I really want to graduate, but not like this. Then I have my degree, but I actually am not able to do anything…

So improvement is certainly possible. I can’t do anything about it, unfortunately. I hope, in the future, the school system will be improved for all those students after me. What is your opinion about the (Dutch) school system? Let me know!

Sorry I haven’t posted in a while, but as you read I am very very busy with school!

Xx Hanna