The problem with the school system.

Ordinarily, say if someone were putting together a piece of furniture, their logic would be much more astute, if something looks too loose they would say "oops, that's not right", accepting their mistake without a second thought. So why are people so irrational otherwise?

The school system teaches people that reality is the ultimate test and to look for errors in yourself when you make a mistake, it then teaches people to view authority figures in the same way, to them their teachers, and future employers, are as infallible as reality itself. Thus they grow dependent on external validation processes, either reality or authority, and when they need to rely on their own validation processes their logic is far more flawed.

THE BIG IDEA: Stop being the sage on the stage

FROM 15 years of crafting education policies for the British government, including being chancellor of two universities, Lord David Puttnam says that teachers have to change the way they prepare students for life as follows:

• Start the new school year by analysing the strengths and weaknesses of every child in your class. Leave aside for a moment concerns about whether they can read or count as well as you would like them to do.

   Instead, once you have determined what they are best and worst at, encourage them to be great at what they are clearly good. And worry less about making them competent in subjects in which they are clearly not interested.

   Lord Puttnam understands that this is easier said than done because existing education systems are structured in complex ways. But he says the strength-weakness analysis is still valuable for identifying a child's innate abilities that will help him or her remain employable for life.

• Accept that you do not know a lot about everything, so change the way you teach from "I tell you what to do, so do it" to "I can help you do what you want to do and I will support you such that you learn meaningfully".

   At the same time, invite external experts on subjects that your students want to learn more about, to talk to your class occasionally. This will give students a better idea of how their interests play out in the real world.

• Actively encourage your charges to be fearless. Ask them regularly: "What would you do if you had nothing to fear?"