Education in Europe and Japan : very different problems

[Tsuyoiko]

quite a few will also have gained the desire to learn, for the sake of learning itself.

In my experience people like that are a small minority, but that could be because I live in a 'working class' area.

Hmm. I thought that Belgium was already lax in this regard, as a teacher of French (or instance) can also teach history (but not geography, arts, science or mathematics). In France, even that is not allowed. If I am not mistaken, in France, a chemistry teacher cannot even teach physics or vice versa, while in Belgium a science teacher can teach any science subject (but not maths).

AFAIK there are no regulations here about who can teach what, although the Art teacher taking Science classes is the most extreme example I have seen. He also taught IT and Maths for a couple of terms! While I was there we also had a PE teacher teaching English and Science, a Maths teacher taking IT and a French teacher who took her GCSE Spanish with the students, so that she could teach next year's GCSE Spanish classes.

[Maciamo]

In my experience people like that are a small minority, but that could be because I live in a 'working class' area.

Maybe a socio-economic difference, or a cultural one. (?) I know many people who would gladly stay at university all their life, as they prefer learning to working (so they clearly don't learn to get a job ). I discussed this with a few dozens Japanese people, but most of them just think that one must be crazy to study just for knowledge's sake, without thinking about one's job. Maybe that's because university is so expensive in Japan.

AFAIK there are no regulations here about who can teach what, although the Art teacher taking Science classes is the most extreme example I have seen. He also taught IT and Maths for a couple of terms! While I was there we also had a PE teacher teaching English and Science, a Maths teacher taking IT and a French teacher who took her GCSE Spanish with the students, so that she could teach next year's GCSE Spanish classes.

That surprises me. But how can they teach subjects for which they are not qualified ? Is a GCSE level enough to teach a subject ? Don't they need a university degree ? Have you had (or heard of) any foreign language teacher that visibly couldn't speak the language ?

[Tsuyoiko]

But how can they teach subjects for which they are not qualified ? Is a GCSE level enough to teach a subject ? Don't they need a university degree ? Have you had (or heard of) any foreign language teacher that visibly couldn't speak the language ?

They would need a university degree in a national curriculum subject and a teaching qualification. Then they would most likely teach that subject, but there is nothing stopping them teaching another. I think most schools would expect them to have at least an A level in any subject they are teaching at GCSE. The school I worked in was probably unusual.