In Education
CHINESE model
Chinese school ranks are some of those that rank highest in the world and for good reasons; China does not cut corners. Chinese students practice and study rigorously and it earns them high test scores. Unfortunately, when there are thousands studying just as hard in the same school, it is still easy to be at the bottom. The problem is why their school system is so excellent at making children learn, it is poor at doing what is right for the children. Sleep deprivation is at a whopping eighty percent among Chinese students as their time is better used learning and memorizing than sleeping. They also have no extracurricular activities which leads to a killing of creativity. China is a poor example to follow but unfortunately it is China that America chooses to battle against.
JAPANESE MODEL
Japan is usually represented as a highly brilliant country and it should be by all means. Japan is the mother of sci-fi and fantasy. They are literally teeming with beautiful inventions from work with artificial intelligence to more functional robotics. Japanese students are unfortunately low ranking compared to America. Their students lack self-confidence and curiosity which are important for a student to develop leadership qualities. They do succeed in mathematics and reading and wonderfully so but they lack in most other fields. Their foreign language skills are nearly nonexistent, their IT knowledge is low, essay writing is not seen as necessary before college, and their presentations are severely lacking. Even Japan sees its failings as it constantly points it out in their media through television, video games and literature with lazy students who are failing their English classes and cannot get high marks on their essays.
FINNISH MODEL
Finland’s schools are an entirely different story. There is no race to get your child in a “better” school because the goal is to provide more than adequate education at every single school. The Finnish love for improvement for the child’s sake instead or rank’s sake is what has gotten them so far and will only propel them father. Finland’s educators are overly qualified to do what they want and it really pays off. For one, the government trusts the school administrators and they trust the educators to do what they are qualified to do. There is one teacher per seven kids allowing adequate one on one time with each of them. They also push for children to be as forward thinking as possible and work their way outside of the box to find new solutions to their problems whether that is by themselves or with their peers. It is no mystery as to why the Finnish school system is so revered; it is a work of art and is so without the pressure of standardized testing.
Finding a rolemodel
With the help of groups such as Next Generation Learning Challenges, the brave educators and administrators find funding that can help them find ways to change the formula for education in the hopes of finding something better. Unfortunately, the change is mostly with the community of charter schools which makes up a tiny percentage of the American school systems. Either way it is a start and a hundred and fifty schools is still better than none. It was enough to help spark curiosity amongst some state of education boards leading to the creation of districts of innovation where the state boards pick schools to accept NGLC’s funding. The schools that are taking on the change try to gear their children towards project based learning as well as a mix of independent study (online) and interactive study (in the class room.)
The differing schools can really excel. They often do lottery systems to allow children from all standings of wealthy to poor into their school because they want everyone to exceed despite their backgrounds. Some only take children from their district while others will allow room and board so that the children can get an education they could not have at home. The schools try to do good and try to do what is best for the student above all else but they do have their failings. Before any good they do they still stand as experimental schools and any experiment can fail. A large problem with charter schools that do not receive funding like NGLC is that the teachers get paid less than traditional public schools. This is where the real risk is in starting one. The race to do their best and get more funding can sometimes break the point of the school; to be able to educate without the stress of funding and state testing. Luckily, there are many brave educators out there who would still try after failing and thanks to them, systems are being made that make sense and the world of education is starting to get back on its feet again.
A good way to help boost their finding a system that works might just be finding a system to base it off of. Artist and engineers alike need reference to make great works and education should be no less worthy of reference. There are many school systems around the world that are doing productively. To name a few; Finland, Japan, and China.
It is truly curious that America puts such an emphasis on making better scores than China and the rest of the world when Finland is a shining gem and is given praise for its system. Then again, the government of the United States has not put strong attention on the education system for a long time. Still, Finland would be good inspiration for any experimental school trying to break from the rift of public schools and testing. A strong step in that direction every year and the praise of the surrounding community could do some good and spark courage in the hearts of the many educators who have given up or are standing quivering with uncertainty.
American school systems are lacking and that is no secret, but at least we are not alone in our short comings. Japan and other countries can also admit that they have a problem. Perhaps we do have a lot to learn from China; not to be too proud of ourselves and our numbers and look at what we are doing to our children and our future. Maybe we can aim to be like Finland and to find trust in one another while currently we blame and form rifts. There is improvement coming about and people really are trying to do well. No Child Left Behind and Michele’s Obama Let’s Move campaign were both very good ideas at their base and with work, ideas like that can be prune of their bad giving’s and be given the means to flourish into new and better ideas built upon the twigs of the old. To quote a famous story teller and businessman, “We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” (Walt Disney) There really is nothing more important than to keep moving forward and trying new things. We never know what is beyond the next open door or if the new tried path will be the right one. We just have to keep moving and trying. Giving up hope will only lead to a plate with five cooled tater tots and half of a banana. Before us is an open world where we can grow gardens on school walls and if we try, we can succeed.