“虎媽”、“狼爸”曾經引發不少熱議，大家都在討論到底該用什么方式教育孩子。這不，又一種新的教育模式出爐了。你愿意做個“羊媽”嗎？

While “Tiger Mom” touched off a huge wave of debate around the world, the opposite method from Finland's education system is also drawing widespread attention. This kind of educational mode is called “Sheep Mom”.

“虎媽”熱潮席卷全球，在全世界引發熱烈討論。與此同時與“虎媽”采取截然相反方法的芬蘭教育系統也引起了關注。與“虎媽”對應，這種教育方法被稱為“羊媽”。

“Sheep Mom” refers to an extensive way of education that sets only basic objectives but no core syllabus. Teachers can feel free to use any teaching method as long as most children can reach the goals. Finland firmly believes that education is a “service” and children are “customers”. Since the education mode in Finland basically amounts to “sheep-herding”, it is also called “Sheep Mom”.

羊媽，是種粗放式的教育方式，對一定年齡的孩子設有核心教學大綱，只提出基本教育目標，老師只要能讓多數孩子達到目標，具體采用什么方式教學完全自便。在芬蘭堅信教育是個“服務”過程，孩子們就是“顧客”，芬蘭的教育方式基本上等于“放羊”，所以又稱這種教育方式為“羊媽”。

The result of “sheep-herding” cannot be underestimated. In the last four international Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests, students from Finland all ranked in the top three in math, reading and science. This report not only surprised the world but also shocked people in Finland. In other words, Finland’s education system, which least encourages competition, cultivates the most competitive children.

放羊的結果卻不可小覷。至今芬蘭學生參加了4次國際性的PISA測評，每次在數學、閱讀和科學方面都入圍三甲。這個成績單不僅令世界出乎意料，連芬蘭人都感到意外。也就是說最不鼓勵競爭的芬蘭教育體系，卻培養出了最具有競爭力的孩子。

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（中國日報網英語點津 實習生 徐凌晨，編輯 Helen）

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