FIXING OUR SCHOOLS: Learning From China
by Jessica Carrera ‘12
With headlines like “Is China already the world’s No. 1 economy?” and “China a U.S. rival? Many Chinese think not- or not yet,” it is hard not to think that the United States, the world’s current “super power,” will one day (soon) lose its status. The problem? Education. With the United States’ economy not doing so well, China has risen up, taking the title of the world’s number one economy and the world’s most prosperous educational system.
Last year, a test called the Program for International Student Assessment was administered to 15-year-olds in the 30 countries that make up the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). American students ranked 17th of 30 in the science section of the test and 23rd in the math section, while students in Finland, Hong Kong, and Canada ran away with the highest scores.
Last month in the State of the Union Address, Barack Obama stressed that a new education program must be put in place so that this generation is able to keep up with other countries, like China, in the future. Obama referred to education as the “new currency of the Information Age,” one that will help the United States remain a powerhouse in the world.
In our educational system, expectations are too low, and too many students drop out. Statistics show that 68 percent of eighth-grade students cannot read at grade level and most likely will never catch up. Also, more than 1.2 million students drop out of school every year, which can, in turn, affect the economy. Some students who drop out will eventually end up contributing $60,000 less in taxes than others who completed high school.
Although this is not really hurting our economy right now, it can end up really hurting us in the long run with a competitor like China threatening to take over as the world’s strongest nation. In fact, because China has an educational system that focuses strongly on math, science and technology, their children are being better prepared for a technology-oriented world.
Our educational system is completely different from that of China, from the way tests are given to students’ study habits. In Shanghai particularly, multiple choice questions no longer appear on the exams because educators there have implemented exams that test real-life skills, so it incorporates more written responses. Many Chinese students even attend “cram schools” to get ahead, and though this adds some work, the results undeniably prove the supremacy of the educational system.
Not only are the students crucial to China’s well-functioning school system, but the teachers as well are only of the highest caliber. Shanghai teachers have high standards to meet. New certification processes for teachers were put into practice, and teacher professional development requirements increased by way of a new model of in teacher education called Keli. Now, rather than simply relying on presentations like power points, teachers are encouraged to make time for students to learn through “hands on” activities.
It is in the United States’ best interest to adopt the Chinese Commissioned Education Program. This program ensures that higher-ranking schools administer and team up with schools that aren’t as good. The better school sends some of its staff and administrators to the other school so that they can bring its status up and also promote their people.
China is already a dominant country in the world and they look to further their success by preparing their youth to accomplish more. Through their flourishing educational system, China is on the way to beating out other top countries, including the United States. It’s time to step up our game in terms of education and with Obama’s reform plans, we are definitely on the right track.
Carrera is currently a student in the Journalism class. The Warrior Online will begin to feature stories from Sherwood High School’s Journalism class as a reward for hard work and to foster a stronger connection to the world of journalism amongst younger writers.