7 replies to this topic

[DjLuki]

hello all,
i want to see what you guys think how education compares to the world.. i have had the opportunity to go to school in two different countries... europe and us... i started elementry school in my country and came here when i was in fifth grade. i had finished 5th grade in my country but when i came here they made me repeat it. in my country in fifth grade, i had like 7 or 8 different subjects and half of those subjects i took there they teach them in high school in us. especially in math, us is way behind, like in india they are way in front of us in education as well, like they are more advanced.. so i want to know what you guys think about this? do you agree that us is behind?

[FolkRockFan]

I can't speak for countries outside of the U.S., but I *can* say that the U.S. can't even get its own educational standards straight.

Two school districts that are right next to each other cannot figure out how to align the curriculum. The kids at School A are learning fractions in the third grade, while the kids at School B don't learn that until the fourth grade. So, if a kid from School B moves to School A at the beginning of his fourth-grade year, he's got some serious makeup learning to do if he wants to be in the "right" grade.

And let's not even talk about trying to standardize education across the board (as in, from one state to the next). It's never going to happen. There are too many schools, too many students and way too many adults who all want to have the final say in what kids learn.

Personally, I'm a big fan of un-schooling. The kid who doesn't give a rip about learning calculus will rarely, if ever, use calculus in his profession of choice. He'll end up being an English teacher or a mechanic...or something else that doesn't require him to use calculus. Why try to shove it up his nose if he won't need it? And if he DOES need calculus later in life, he'll be motivated to pick it up and learn it.

I say: teach kids how to read, write and solve basic math problems. After that, let each kid explore what he or she is interested in learning. You'll end up with kids who grow up to be some of the best in their chosen careers because they had so much time to devote to learning about the things that make up those careers.

[rvalkass]

This is the whole idea behind having a national curriculum here in the UK. Yes, teachers complain it restricts them but it ensures that everyone learns the same stuff at the same pace. When my dad went to school around 40-odd years ago (with no national curriculum) he moved house 3 times and therefore switched school 3 times. He did not complete what would be acceptable as a whole maths course because each school taught different stuff at different times. This is the problem in the US, that there is no standard and therefore if people move house they have an awful lot of work to do catching up, or are left way behind.

India is 'ahead' in education due to the culture. Many students feel that education is incredibly important to them, and that your education is the only thing you cannot have taken away from you. This difference in values means that many Indian students are far more motivated to learn that your British or American student or teenager. It is not that their education system is better, because Indian students that come to the UK attain much higher grades and better qualifications than British students due to their culture and high value placed on education.

Personally I believe that what people get out of education depends on the individual. If someone is interested in their education then they will go and research the topics they are interested in, no matter what education they receive at school.

[DjLuki]

i agree with boht of you, but adding to rvalkass comments, i think that a student should only be required to take specific math classes until 8thgrade, in high school they should start deiciding what they want to do with their life so they can take those type of classes and not take a class they will never use. They even make you take classes in college that have nothing to do with your major, that is ridiculous. Students should be able to explore their major earlier in school, beccause they can still have time to change their major if they want to. In US, its really not possible, well it is but its going to take you an extra year or two.

[midnightvamp]

Yea, I'm not really sure about the other countries, because I've only been to School in Canada, but I can say that things are all different even between our schools in the same districts. I remember going to grade nine (first year of high school for me) and the entire thing was just a repeat of things that I'd already done in grade eight and earlier. Yet there were many students that hadn't learned this stuff yet, so other schools were at a different pace than mine apparently was. In some subjects like math and english, I came out with super inflated marks because all the stuff that we did, I already knew. It was so boring that year. It was almost like I'd failed and had to take it all again in a different school because of some clarical error. Luckily though, they finally started to teach some new things in my second year.

[shigajet]

I happened to notice the comment where England has a national curriculum (everyone one learns the same thing throughout the school year). The same thing applies here in Japan. Working in several public schools in Japan all this time has allowed me to make some observations about the Japanese school system and how it works. Compared to how I was educated in Canada, here are some things I've noticed. Note that I'm not going to say whether this is better or worse than the system I grew up in, just talk about it:

The system is set as a 6-3-3-4 schedule - 6 years of elementary school, 3 years of junior high school, 3 years of senior high school, and four years of university (if the student chooses to attend) Alternatively, there is also the option of junior college, which is about two years.
The school year starts in April and ends in March.
Students are required by law to attend school until he or she finishes junior high school.
All elementary schools and many junior high schools are provided with school lunch. Generally, the cost is around 4000 yen per month.
Students are not allowed to bring snacks to school.
No student repeats a grade.
Students are not taught to form a strong opinion and to think for themselves, however, group work is encouraged.
In junior high school, students are required to join a club and attendance is mandatory (especially in the sports clubs)

I believe there is more, but this is what has come to mind in this post.

[Liquid.Ace]

i believe the younger a child begins learning the better he or she will develop later in life. There are polls that prove that the younger the child begins learning the better he or she will do in later schooling years - mainly high school. I think its important for all children to get a fair education and to make the best of what they have. Some families cant afford to send their children to a school that charges $1000 a term but no matter what school you go to you should try 100% and give it everything you have. Whats 13 years of your 80+ years of life? its nothing! get a GOOD education and your free for the rest of your life. you have the job you wanted, family, kids. you have everything. sure you finish school at 18-19 then you can party all you like. knuckle down and concentrate while your at school. you can only get one education.

[JohnMarsh1234]

I think also that in different areas there are different methods and different ways to educate children.