This title question has little (nothing) to do with my post but after seeing how hard those kids in China and India are studying, it dawned on me that they might be the most qualified to answer this question that has always perplexed me. =)
My real thought from this reading is an analogy that stayed in my brain throughout all of chapter 6. When hearing about the educational models of Finland, Korea, and Singapore, and then comparing those to our American education system, I kept visualizing a large corporation versus a small business. (With the US playing the role of the big corporation and the other three being small businesses….. of course.)
Just like a big corporation, our education system seems cumbersome, slow changing yet powerful and capable of overcoming frequent and large obstacles. Because we have a large, diverse group of customers (students), we must attempt to offer a wide range services yet leave our overarching goals broad. As a consequence, the specific needs of many are often neglected or ignored. Our system also has an accountability system similar to that of big business. We have our own versions of shareholders and boards of directors (American citizens and politicians) who demand swift, short term reform that often reflects outside motivators instead of the best interest of our end product ( genuine student learning).
The other three countries seem much more like little companies. Their client bases are much smaller and highly homogenous. As a result they can offer services that are customized and highly responsive to the needs of their consumers. They also seem to enjoy much more autonomy and are able to invest in long term growth plans to insure their product is of the highest quality.
For me, the true value of this analogy is how the common teacher fits into the picture. We work for one small branch of a big corporation. Within our own branches, we can enjoy certain degrees of autonomy but the general structures of our system are difficult to change because they have been established by corporate headquarters. This was sort of an “ah ha” moment for me because it made me realize that my main goal is to simply help my small part of the company be as successful as possible. That is all I can really do. Most likely my actions will not have a major impact on the company as a whole , but I can have a large influence on the end product of my small branch. We, as small branches, can also learn from the certain actions of small companies (Finland, Singapore, etc.) about how we can better customize our product to meet the needs of our specific clients without concerning ourselves with overhauling the entire corporation.
Therefore, while I realize this analogy is full of holes, I think it helps me to better understand why the US cannot simply adopt all of Finland education practices. It’s for similar reasons why McDonald’s doesn’t steal the business plan of a successful mom and pop neighborhood burger joint. They are just too different.
Interesting analogy….never thought about education that way.
ReplyDeleteFrankly, I just loved the title, so I had to respond. I totally agree with what you wrote. We aren’t really comparing the same things when we look at the scores of the other countries. We may rank much lower, but we are including our whole student population in our sample, not just some of our students, or students from a certain town. Our countries don’t even look the same as in socio-economics or homogeneity. It’s like comparing apples to oranges. They are both fruit, but just not the same thing.
ReplyDeleteVery clever...this makes sense to me and think it is applicable.
ReplyDeleteTonya, it does appear to be more of an apples to oranges comparison, which makes me wonder who benefits from the continual "education crisis" in our country? Is it really as bad as media, politicians, and "experts" portray it? Maybe if the emphasis was more on local control then we'd have "smaller businesses" to manage instead of a conglomerate?
So my comment has nothing to do with your real thoughts on this, only the teflon part. If you are really curious one of the main inventors of teflon lives right here in Moscow, Idaho!!!! He is around 95 years old but you might be able to track him down and ask him. Heck I have a personal connection to him maybe I will do it for you! :)
ReplyDeleteoops that last post and this one is really Breanna Im just on Ryan's computer at the time, he may be arrogant but doesn't talk in the third person. :)
ReplyDeleteRyan,
ReplyDeleteThe man you are looking for is Malcom Renfew. What a great man he is! I believe he lives at Good Samaritan Village. (He did a year or so ago. He is an old family friend. My still drives him places when he needs to get out!) He is 102 years old. I have always enjoyed visiting with him! Anyway, your post is thought provoking and one we are probably all losing sleep over. After watching the videos today, I am glad that I am not living in India or China. I think our kids have other stressors besides being the top scholars and being pushed to excel. (They have typical kid stressors. I think I like that better!)I have taught kids in driver ed that were of asian assent(is that the right word?) and they told me they had to excel and achieve, achieve achieve because they were expected to take care of their parents when they were older. It is very much a cultural apect. Is that why they are working so hard to get ahead? My mom is always telling people she is nice to me because I will pick her nursing home!(Right! My mom is a saint!) Asian cultures expect the kids to have their parents live with them in old age. Kind of a difference and one heck of a tangent! Just like teflon!
China and India's population is so much larger than ours the competiton for spots into the universitites has to be a part of it also, compettion to succeed into the limited spaces available into the unversities in order to be successful and take care of their families
ReplyDelete