The Smartest Kids in the World Part 4- The United States

Hello!

     I have taken a brief hiatus from writing but now I am happy to be back!  Before I begin writing about other topics, I need to close out my installations of The Smartest Kids in the World and How They Got That Way by Amanda Ripley.  Now that we have learned about other countries, specifically Finland, South Korea and Poland, we are able to analyze our own country's education system and the pros and cons that lie within.

(http://www.ricardoisd.us/Teachers/middle_school_teachers/moses_mora/united_states_history__8th_grade_/)

The United States

     The United States has never had a bad education system, even when ranked with other countries.  What is happening is that other countries recently are doing better, even though their economy, crime, and poverty rates are worse than ours.  Also, the United States is having difficulty finding skilled workers for factory jobs, since these modern occupations need critical thinking and problem solving skills that are not being taught in all schools in our country.  Even though workers apply for these jobs having a high school diploma, it does not necessarily mean that the person could read or do basic math skills.
      Originally, the United States had the best high school graduation rates of any developed country.  This changed in 2011 when twenty countries had a better graduation rate than the U.S.  Around this time period and earlier, state mandates came into place such as No Child Left Behind. It was found that even though schools faced increasing pressure, test scores remained the same since rigor and teacher training were not modified.  Specifically, on the PISA, the United States did fine at the elementary level, especially in reading.  The problems were seen in the upper grades in math and science.  While the reading scores are positive, math skills tend to predict future earning potential.  Teenagers who master higher level math classes are more likely to graduate college and earn more out of college than those who do not.  Our lack of math skills may be due to our misconceptions about the subject.  Currently, four out of every ten American fourth graders say math is too easy.  Maybe due to this, by eighth grade, most schools do not offer the high level math classes that are found in other countries.  Most American students also feel that math is something they are either good at or not.  Unlike reading, it is felt that it is not something you could improve with hard work.  This is a common misconception but one that most American students believe that students in other countries do not.
     Our education system is also in crisis because the taxpayers in the United States spend dramatically more per pupil than any other country.  Even though we scored 13th overall on the PISA, we scored second in spending (first was Luxembourg).  One of the reasons for this is due to the number of administrators that each school district has in order to run the entire operation.  In Oklahoma alone, there are 530 superintendents; that means that there are more superintendents in one state than there are members of Congress to run our entire country.  In most school districts, there are also assistant superintendents and directors that run other programs as well.  These positions are the top earners in education which is where a lot of taxpayers' money is spent.  Also, unlike other countries, the United States spends a lot of money on technology.  There are no other countries with SmartBoards in every room, iPads, or projectors.  Currently there is very little research showing that technology benefits anyone academically except the technology vendors themselves.  Other countries invest in people, rather than props.

History

     The United States has a very diverse history in education, especially where states are concerned.  New Jersey has completely different policies and requirements than those of other states which may be the reason for our low test scores overall in the country.  When I read the book, I was shocked to learn the criteria and expectations from some states which seemed incredibly easy compared to those of New Jersey.  The major problem of the United States is that a high school diploma from one state is not equivalent to a diploma in another.  This could differ from county to county or city to city.

     In The Smartest Kids in the World, Ripley followed one student from Oklahoma.   Here, she explained about this area's educational history and the changes that have happened in the past few decades.  In the 1980's, the state passed a law that required all students to take a test in order to graduate high school.  Administrators felt this would ensure that a high school diploma would mean something and give a goal for all students to work towards.  Through much discussion, there was a lot of controversy about students who attended four years of high school but then did not pass the test.  What would happen to them?  Also, many parents did not like the idea of the test and lawmakers were afraid of lawsuits from angry parents.   The test was given for a few years, but students who failed were allowed to appeal their results and the local school boards granted them diplomas anyway. Being that there was much opposition and it did not work according to the plan, Oklahoma decided to cancel the final graduation test.

The Blame Game

     Citizens of our country blame different criteria for why our scores are dropping.  One is that we have a lot of immigrants coming into our country.  While this may be the case, if you were to take out the immigrant population's scores on the PISA, the United States would still receive the same overall ranking.  This is obviously not the reason for our low international test scores.  On average, white American teens performed worse than all students in a dozen other countries, including all kids in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, which also have higher ratios of immigrant children.  
     Some also blame child poverty.  Compared to Finland which has one of the lowest at less than 6%, the United States has a much higher child poverty rate.  While this could aid in our low scores, Poland has the same child poverty rate as the United States and, as we learned in a previous blog post (please click HERE to read the post), Poland's scores are steadily increasing each year.

(http://www.1worldglobes.com/1WorldGlobes/explorerfranklinrep.htm)

Comparisons to Other Countries

     Besides technology, spending and child poverty, there are many other comparisons that can be made to the other countries mentioned in The Smartest Kids in the World as to why the United States is falling behind in international tests.  In South Korea and Poland, failure is routine.  It is seen as a way to learn and improve work ethic.  In the United States, failure is demoralizing.  Students experience failure as a trauma and cannot handle it, or at least adults see it that way.  Self-esteem is also very important to American families.  Keeping students away from competition in order for them to succeed is a high priority, one of which is very different from that of other countries.
     The curriculum is also another way that the United States differs from other countries.  Besides the fact that teachers abroad can choose textbooks and materials with very little input from administrators, textbooks in the United States average at 800 pages whereas textbooks overseas are usually less than 225 pages long.  It seems that in the United States, we cover many topics with very little depth compared to other countries that cover fewer topics more in depth.  This should change with our Common Core Standards, which are more aligned to those abroad.
     Additionally, teachers in the United States are much different than those in other countries.  In America, anyone could educate children, no matter how poorly educated themselves.  Currently, the United States is producing two and a half times the number of teachers it needs each year.  Many of the teacher programs are not effective either.  If Rhode Island's teachers-in-training had to follow Finland's teacher requirements, 85% would not pass.  In some colleges, football players have higher requirements than teachers.  Student teaching also only lasts 12 weeks for some instead of the year-long requirement of Finland.  Teachers have to pass standardized tests in order to graduate but they were usually not challenging or relevant to good teaching. Once teachers receive a job, they are forced to continue their professional development but there is no regard for the quality of training, just the amount.  Also, salaries of teachers in other countries are closer to other college educated professionals than in the United States.  Class sizes in these countries are larger which is why salaries can be higher.
     Academics and testing are much different in the United States than in other countries as well.  Most common, every day tests given in the U.S. are multiple choice; in other countries, essays are the common format.  During a math class, an exchange student from South Korea could not believe that a teacher helped a student right in the middle of a test when she asked for assistance; that would never happen in his country.  A student studying from Finland compared American high school to Finland's elementary school.  She felt that classes spent way too much time making posters.  She said "It is like arts and crafts, only more boring."  When this same student was in an English class, she was appalled when most of the students did not complete the assignment of writing ten essays, yet still passed the class. She was the only person to finish 100% of the assignment.  She felt that teachers were way too lenient and expectations were low.  Another student who came to America to study was shocked by his classmates' writing.  He felt that many did not know how to structure an essay, develop an argument, or clearly communicate an idea.  The writing was disorganized and the grammar was inaccurate.  He felt that it was not the students fault, though; they had never learned the proper way to write.
     School in the United States has a lot more experiences than abroad.  Proms, pep rallies and fun events are things that teenagers in other countries do not get to experience since 100% of their focus is on school.  Many students who study abroad in America love this about our schools.  Sports and extracurricular activities are also very important, and are usually central to school culture and many students' lives.  Students studying in the U.S. from other countries felt that the Presidential Fitness Test was taken more seriously than academic tests by both the teachers and the students.  The problem with sports is that it siphons money away from academics.  Parents are also much more involved in American schools than those in other countries too, volunteering in the building and going to every sporting event.  Interestingly enough, however, volunteering and attending events have little effect on how well kids perform in school academically.
     Students from other countries also love the teachers here more than in their own countries.  The bond between teachers and students matter in the United States and making that connection is significant.  One exchange student said "[U.S.] teachers believe in you, in your potential, and never put you down."

(http://cupegraf.com/470034-question-mark.html)

What Can We Do?

     While much of this information seems like doom and gloom, there is hope.  No matter where Ripley went, she noticed that every country and all of the people in it complained about their education system, no matter what ranking they held.  This may seem pessimistic, however, it shows that educating children is a task that everyone takes seriously and always needs improving.  Seeing what works and what does not in other countries can help the United States form a better idea of what we can do to help our own students succeed.  Also, we can start small.  One major difference that could easily be changed in the United States is having a graduation test requirement prior to receiving a high school diploma.  All high performing countries have one significant test rather than multiple throughout their academic years.

     There are many studies from all over the world that show parents can make little changes in their lives which will make a huge impact on a child's educational future.  First, parents who read to their small children every day had kids that performed better in school.  Also, having children attend quality preschool or pre-kindergarten programs will affect how they perform academically later in life.  Parents who discuss movies, books, and current affairs with their children do better in reading.  Just asking about a child's day and showing genuine interest is shown to increase test scores.  Parents who read on their own at home will more likely have children that read and enjoy reading on their own too.  Parents who let their kids make mistakes and then allow them to get right back to work are found to be more successful in school.  Lessons about hard work, persistence, integrity, consequences, and failure that are taught to a child when they are young serve them throughout their lives.  Overall, what parents do at home affects children more than how involved they are in the school building.
     When parents have high expectations for their children at home and teachers do the same for their students in school, it can make a significant in a child's future.  Kids who have high expectations for themselves and who plan to finish school and go to college were more likely to graduate high school.  As long as they held this aspiration, socioeconomic status did not affect their graduation odds.
     Additionally, educating teachers is crucial to this change, if not the first most important aspect that should be modified in our current education system.  One of the educators in Finland explained that teachers should be selected carefully and be motivated.  This can be done through money and respect, but punishment usually does not work.  Interestingly enough, it is difficult to fire Finland's teaching workforce due to their strong union just like the United States, however, all teachers come into the classroom well-educated, rigorously trained and decently paid from the first day on the job.
     Teachers must also watch the praise that they give students in their classrooms.  To work, praise must be specific, sincere and accurate as well as used in moderation.  Excessive, vague or empty praise has negative effects, according to research, and it forces students to take fewer risks as well as give up more easily.  Self-esteem is important but it must come from hard work and accomplishment, not flattery.

What Should Great Schools Look Like?

     If you are looking at a school for your child, there are many things to consider according to The Smartest Kids in the World. One of those things is average class size.  In the United States, we are very concerned about how many students are in each class.  This is actually not that important, especially in the older grades.  Research shows that the quality of the teaching matters more than the size of the class.

     When going into a classroom, watch the students who are in the class.  Watch for signs that they are paying attention, interested in what they are doing, and working hard.  Sometimes learning happens in noisy places where kids are working in groups.  If a classroom seems quiet and orderly, which is how many adults expect classrooms to be, students might not be inputting their ideas and engaged in the topic.  Students should also be reminded of the purpose of the lesson, all day, every day.

     When looking around the classroom, do not focus on the teacher.  In the best classrooms in the world, the teacher might be the most quiet one.  What is most important is what the kids think after watching him or her for an entire year.  
     When speaking to students, asking "Do you like your teacher?" or "Do you like your school?" may not get the appropriate answers that you need. Liking a teacher is not the same as learning from a teacher.  Asking questions such as "Do you learn a lot every day?", "Do students in this class usually behave the way your teacher wants them to?", "Does this class stay busy and not waste time?" and "If you don't understand something, what do you do?" will get you answers that will help you make an informed decision.  Teachers and principals should ask their students these questions often and analyze the answers in order to reflect on their own teaching practices and how to make them better.
     Finally, talk to the leader of the school.  Teachers are important, however, the principal dictates how the school is run and what the teachers should do.  Find out the principal's educational philosophy and ways that he or she is going to improve the school in the future.

(http://www.roadroamer.com/us-geography-quiz/)

     What are your thoughts on our education system?  Which ideas from other countries should we adapt as our own?  Which should be keep?  Schools in the United States are much different from those abroad, but is that necessarily a bad thing?  There is so much controversy surrounding how we educate our children because it is the most important job that we have.  I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below.  Please read The Smartest Kids in the World and How They Got That Way by Amanda Ripley; it was truly a book that everyone in our country should read in order to be more knowledgeable about our education system and those around the world.

Enjoy!