Our Education System Could Learn A Thing Or Two

The United States is in a very confused era where it cannot decide on how to teach our children. The country is obviously the home to prestigious, and competitive universities well known for their research and alumni, but the compulsory primary and secondary education is much less talked about. The United States consistently ranks too low on tables of international education rankings, such as those done by the National Center for Education Statistics. Tests done by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development show American children coming out of high school with a mathematical literacy that ranks 19th with the rest of the developed world. These average numbers continue on to other subjects like reading and science. This is unbelievable from a country which perceives itself as the greatest in the world. The United States should completely overhaul its educational system.

Consistently well-performing contenders in the international education rankings, such as Finland and South Korea, have well defined methodologies when it comes to school. South Korea, for example, favors rigorous learning, with high pressures on the students to pass tests and earn a college degree. While in Finland, they choose a more relaxed approach, choosing to learn by engagement and exploration. The United States on the other hand doesn’t really know what to do. The first few years in elementary school could be described as a daycare with learning activities, with more emphasis on the daycare element. Middle school begins to feel more like an independent “real world”, but full of curriculum which only works to confuse students on how any of it is important. High school then is the last chance for students to realize that actions they take will determine their future. It separates the students into those who didn’t make the realization, and those who did and are now racing against time to be prepared for higher education. Pepper in a few elective classes and extracurriculars and you have a very inefficient system.

There are disadvantages. For the US, many of its students drop out, providing cheap labor to the workforce while wasting potential. For South Korea, high suicide rates in ages 10 to 19. And it’s difficult to acquire the economy, government, and chill level of the Nordic countries.

So how can we, and why should we, find a balance between the two best examples? The federal government needs to care, and participate more. A centralized educational system with a flexible curriculum will standardize the level of achievement with a solid structure rather than a loose web of standardized test. Encouraging self-learning and self-efficacy will lead to the prosperous future of the nation where our investment will pay off.