Where to Find the Free and Creative Education System

                 Talking about country which has the best education system in the world would lead us to one name: United States of America. Based on Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange data, there are 819,644 international students were enrolled in U.S. universities and colleges. From this data, we can consider that people still trust America as their favorite place for studying. But in the other hand, some people are still doubtful about the education system in America and try to compare with other country such as in Asia (e.g. Indonesia). In their opinion, students in America do not learn well about theoretical and subjects which need the students capacity of memorizing compared to Asian. The students are bad at subjects such as geography, social studies, and other kind of subjects. Then, comes up a questionable problem for them who have already trusted America has the best education system in the world. People start to think again on what educational programs that differs America with other country and become the good points to make people sure that the education system here is the best in the world.

                The number of courses  variety in America are much larger than in Asia or Europe.  Since America is a liberal country, they give freedom to their students to choose the courses they are going to study. Some of students in Asia (e.g. Indonesia) still have to study courses that they are not really interested in just to complete their credits. Students in America do not have to do it since there are more choices which they can choose what they are really interested in specifically. For example, student who take liberal arts classes in language and mathematics can choose which language will s/he take, or which area of mathematics appeals most to his/her skills and interests. The specific course requirements must be met, but students can choose it up to them.

                Education in America support their students to apply what things they have been studied all the time. The students are preferred to communicate and discuss problems with their lecturers or friends. This kind of live discussion has an important role in the education system. The new, fresh, and creative ideas will be emerged from the discussion. Later on, these ideas can be used to apply the things which have been studied instead of just being a theory. Of course, the applied theory will be more important and useful.

                Like what has been said in Kie Ho's article, other countries, for example: Indonesian, are much better than American related to rote learning (e.g. Geography, periodic table, etc) and theories. They are extremely good at memorizing and solving problems of calculation such as mathematics or physics. This is a good point, indeed. However, they will lose their creativity if they only focus on theoretical things. American students maybe be not as good as Asian students in solving problems based on theoretical things. They are more open-minded, seeing the problems from many aspects. They use their imaginative ideas for solving problems. Thus, their thoughts are free and creative.

      Each countries has education system in their own way. America do not make students who are very good at memorizing or theories, they prefer the creative ideas and freedom of the students while applying the theories for real. Indeed, the creative and imaginative ideas of the students are more needed than only knowing the theories. Because even Albert Einstein ever said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”

A Double-Agent Villain

                People usually think that black is identical with  wickedness, either bad things, bad luck, crimes, or even villains. Those who watch or read Harry Potter will definitely think of someone that related to black color. If you're thinking of Severus Snape, then you have the same thinking with me. Severus Snape, who always wears a black clothes, is a Potions Teacher at Hogwarts, a Death Eater, and a secret agent. Since the first Harry Potter movie, Snape has been a mysterious character and hated by a lot of viewers. Yet, he has a very important role in Harry Potter series.

                Snape is known as a very cold, arrogant, sarcastic, cunning, and unfair, especially to Harry Potter and friends. Snape strongly dislikes Harry and likes to insult him by insulting his father named James Potter. When Snape was young, James Potter and his friends used to bully him. Because Snape is a kind of sensitive person,  he became insecure, vulnerable, and wanted to search something who had a big power to protect him. This is the reason why he joined Death Eater, an organization which he thought is the strongest and the safest place to stay. Start from this, Snape became one of Lord Voldemort's most loyal servant .

                The climax of his wickedness is when he killed Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts and Harry's mentor. All of Harry Potter's fans are shocked by this thing and definitely judge Snape as the bad guy. However, like an idiom which says, "Don't judge a book by its cover" , the truth about Snape isn't like what's seen. He did all of these for a reason. Killed Dumbledore is not his own urge, but it's Dumbledore who asked him to do that. This is why Snape has a very important role in Harry Potter series.  Snape is not only the agent of Death Eater, but also Dumbledore's agent. He's gravely wounded by Voldemort because he thinks that Snape is the master of the Elder Wand, which is the best and most powerful wand. But still, he gives reports about what happened in Death Eater to Dumbledore so they can take actions to protect Harry.

                Snape did all of these things because of his love to Harry's mother, Lily Evans, and he needs to protect Harry. You may say he's a villain, doing bad things and wickedness, but actually he did those things because of his  love. So, can we say that there's just a very little differences between a villain and a good guy?