When, “research suggests that both teachers’ effectiveness and their retention in the profession are affected by their initial preparation, but our nonsystem also provides radically different access to such high-quality preparation for individuals entering the profession,” I am left questioning whether we were really present in our college of choice education program (p. 205).

Understandably, not all colleges offer exemplary education programs, only a few tout they do. I recall individuals saying education degrees were easy to obtain, like stealing cookies from grandma’s cookie jar. My experience wasn’t like that at all. Granted, I went to school a lot later in life and held myself to the highest expectation, if I am paying for it, I am going to get my money’s worth out of it. It was a frustration to me and offended my college of education professors when I didn’t deny my feelings comparable to a circus animal; jumping through their bureaucratic hoops and answering to demanding whistles.

Countless hours were spent on theoretical models, latest and greatest techniques, Madeline Hunter style lesson plans aligned to standards, and functions of the developing brain. What was lacking was seeing it in action under a very seasoned teacher for a more extended amount of time. Finland, Korea, and Singapore all have teacher education models that are extensive in the hands-on training time under guided tutelage of mentor teacher of high quality.

I consider myself very fortunate that I could call upon my several years’ experience raising other people’s children, my own children, teaching swimming lessons, vacation bible school, Sunday school, and substituting in grades kindergarten through seniors. As we would call it with our students, their background knowledge, is a vital role in the education we receive and have to offer our cohorts. I think we have all had an English professor tell us at one time or another, less is more and sometimes more is just more. I would have loved to have more application under the guidance under the careful and ever watching eyes of someone who has been there longer.

These three nations that are consistently showing educational superiority are acclaimed by Linda Darling-Hammond as being able to, “demonstrate how it is possible to build a system in which students are routinely taught by well-prepared teachers who work together to create a thoughtful, high-quality curriculum, supported by appropriate materials and assessments that enable ongoing learning for students, teachers and schools alike,” (p. 193). I don’t doubt they are successful in these areas, because ‘big business’ doesn’t seem to have the same reach into their pocket as in ours.

We have stipulated the connection between capitalism and economic constituents leading, pulling, or dragging (however you want to visualize it) education in the ‘best’ direction it needs to go. These countries have an education system, which is socialistic in nature, run as a socialistic program in a predominantly socialistic society. I know I use the word ‘socialist’ very loosely here, but it is quite apparent to me it is for the better good of all parties concerned and has the ring of great equalization to it. Bottom line, I believe we can be great in education, but I am not aware of any of those countries having the non-traditional students in college at the same level as the U.S. and that individuals have the opportunity to retrain into a new occupational field later in life and bring those skill sets from their background knowledge that make them the awesome educators they are.