rivingtonpike

Oink

The main difference is the value each culture places on education specifically and intellectualism in general. One only has to look at respective tv programmes. And while you might debate the quality, how many programmes like Mastermind, Countdown, HIGNFY, QI, blockbusters etc do they put on over here. In the UK, the culture generally celebrates intellectual curiosity and language use, while in Canada they would rather watch an ice hockey fight.

Novocastrian

HIGNFY? QI? (don't you have that backwards?). Don't they still do University Challenge*?

All we've got here is Jeopardy which, although it's American is at least hosted by a Canadian.

*there is something roughly similar on the publicly funded TVOntario channel but it's not a very high standard. And no-one watches it.

Lychee

True. You could also argue that the UK puts more value on TV than Canadians do. I've noticed that cradle intellectuals aren't exactly moaning about the TV - they know it's bad, they don't watch it. They don't expect it to be good.

Oink

They watch the American stuff which, as was noted, apart from Jeopardy, is hardly a testament to intellectual endeavours.

huddm

Oink

These are the type of programme my teenage sons(17/19) watch on TV as they are their favourites- HIGNFY & QI. It maybe that they have been educated in interlectualy challenging Grammar school system and the eldest has gone onto Cambridge. I wonder if we stay in Canada they would ended up watching Hockey on TV?

I was a my eldest Salter's prize in London last Friday for coming joint 1st in his A Level Chemistry papers. One of the speakers noted that the UK has 1% of the worlds population with 20% of the academic/scientific/engineer knowledge

In his view this is why the UK has so many high ranking post secondary education institution in the world.

We found the basic education in Canada excellent such reading/writing. When we returned to the UK ours sons were 10/12 and found that Canada had a more social based education, whereas they were expected to work hard and achieve high grades in the UK.

As for the best system, there is some but not significant differences between Canada/UK . I agree good support from parents in either countries will allow a child to do well.

hudd

Alan2005

And it's still counts as TV if you watch it on your macbook pro in starbucks.

Culturally, this continent worships stupidity. Intellectuals are seen as elitist pricks and clever people are generally portrayed as evil or nerds.

cjones

You could argue that, although you'd probably be wrong. Cradles in general seem to organise their lives based on the TV schedules. (Maybe not the really brainy ones, but then again I'm sure Stephen Hawking and his chums Back in the UK aren't big fans of TOWIE either).

Almost Canadian

Report cards. Copy and paste isn't it? The number of times I have pulled up a teacher at Parent - Teacher interviews because of references to his or him when both of my children currently in school are girls

ExKiwilass

Oh come on. A lot of the UK TV i saw when I was last there was really dire.

Novocastrian

Teachers in Alberta are very poorly educated. Give them a break.

iaink

None of that going on in Ontario this year...

The report card is pre formatted... no need for them to do anything, just add it to the form, the bigger the better

iaink

My kids dont watch any TV, maybe that explains their grades...

bats

I thought that too, but the good stuff is good, if you see what I mean.

Lorry1

Bit touchy!

My children's schools in Nova Scotia are 2 years behind where they would be in their schools in the UK.