Falling behind foreign peers KAMARIA WALTON staff writer
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ducation is a topic that affects everybody, whether it is knowing somebody who attended school to being the student. Now a less spoken about topic is how the United States’ educational system compares to the rest of the world’s. The PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment)is a test administered every three years given to 15 year old students. According to oecd.org this test is an ‘effort to assess student performance and to collect data on student, family, and institional factors that can help to explain difference in performance.’ Now it is no secret that how Americans educate their students is totally different from how China or Finland does. But is that a good or a bad thing? Studies show that Americans are falling behind their foreign peers.
There are two main reasons why the American educational system is failing compared to the rest of the world. The gap between those with affluent backgrounds and those with low income is the first. The large amount of standardized testing is the second reason. But what can America do to improve? “I think we should start school too young. In a couple years a 15-year old will be in college. That’s too young,” teacher, James Smanik, said. Remember ERHL when improving American education. E is for Equal Oppurtinity for education. Which mostly means closing the gap between those with affluent and poor backgrounds. R is for Resources. “But on the other side, if college is free then how hard are you going to try?” Smanik, said. Give resources to those who need them the most such as school in low-income communities. H is for Higher standards and support for those with special needs. L is
for Lessen. Lessening the amount of standardized testing is one of the main reasons why Finland is so sucessful. But why is education so important? Education is something that teaches and informs the public and gives skills that couldn’t be taught otherwise. If every American school taught the way and had the resources that Finnish schools had then it would lead to a more educated population. Which leads to more people learning about the things that they vote about. More people would be able get jobs and create jobs, which also leads to more income, in turn would have a better standard of living for the population. Addressing a previous issue of giving resources to low income communities would finally help with everybody having a equal opportunity to accel in life. That isn’t only the American dream but that is the dream educational system that Americans need.
Sample PISA Question: Did you know that in 1996 we spent almost the same amount on chocolate as our Government spent on overseas aid to help the poor? Could there be something wrong with our priorities? What are you going to do about it? Yes, you. Arnold Jago, Mildura 1. Arnold Jago’s aim in the letter is to provoke: A. guilt. B. amusement. C. fear. D. satisfaction. SCORING: Question 1 Full credit: A. Guilt. No credit: Other responses or missing reply. Source: http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pisa/
Creating educational powerhouses Finland along with South Korea is ranked as one of the top educational systems in the world. Korea ranked number one for math and reading with Finland a close second on both subjects. Many nations use their model to try to improve their own educational systems. But what makes Finland and South Korea so great? These two countries could not be anymore different. Whether it’s from how many hours a student attends school to the average amount a teacher makes per year. A different approach is also taken in each of these nations. But somehow these polar opposites are both at the top of the rankings when it comes to the PISA. South Korea takes the long and highly agressive route when it comes to this. Going to school eight hours a day, pressure not
only comes from their teachers and peers but also their parents. Many of the South Korean parents are labeled at Tiger moms. According to the MacMillan dictionary a tiger mom is a ‘very strict mother who makes her children work particularly hard and restricts their free time so that they continually achieve the highest grades.’ The high school graduation rate is 93% compared to the US’ 77%. Not only do they graduate but 47% of the 8th grade students are considered advanced to the 7% of American students that are. But all this success comes at a cost the number one cause of death for a person under their 40s is suicide due to the copious amounts of pressure put on the men and women to suceed. However, Finland is a totally different story. A student normally attended school for four hours a day which is half of South Korea’s
school day. In comparison Finnish educational systems only require students to take one standardized test when they’re sixteen years of age whereas in South Korea students will study from 8am to 11pm for the extreme amounts of testing that they must not only complete but exceed at. Finland’s cool and tranquil approach to learning compared to South Korea’s tiger mom fulled families may seem better but which is better of the two? Finland
South Korea Graduation Rate Literacy Rate Students attending college Time for recess 0 Average teacher salary
93% 98% 65% minutes $23,000
93% 100% 66% 75 minutes $29,000
Fun Finnish Fundemental Facts • College is free in Finland. • Grades are not given until high school. • Almost an absence of poverty allows students access to equal education. •
Students are separated into an academic and vocational tracks which has about 50% of the student population in each track. • Finland uses very little standardized testing. • The Finnish school system uses the same curriclum for all students.
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Diagnostic testing of students is used very early and frequently. If a student extra needs help intensive intervention is provided. Teachers must have a master’s degrees.
• One standardized test when a student is 16 is used. • Finnish students spend four hours a day in school. • Teachers are respected like doctors & lawyers. • Students have light homework loads. Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/finland-education-school-2011-12?op=1