The Idea Exchange

I’m still in the middle of reading Thomas Friedman’s excellent book The World is Flat, and one of the chapters poses an interesting question: How does America’s education system compare with the rest of the world?  First of all, the US has a drastically different system than most other countries.  Most developed nations have a national education system in which all schools follow the same curriculum, and it is tweaked to meet national ambitions.  The US has a system in which each district can essentially choose its own unique course, and it may or may not be consistent with the majority of the country.

This system has its benefits because it allows for some flexibility and creativity, but in the end, it is essentially set up as if the US is not competing with the rest of the world.  Most other countries define their education system based on what they’d like to accomplish as a nation which gives them a sense of purpose and ambition.  This structured system has led, in large part, to the growth many countries are currently experiencing and will undeniably lead to continued growth in the future.

Now in theory, the US system should work just fine and would not leave the US at a disadvantage in terms of competitive analysis, however, the key ingredients that have led to a higher level school system in foreign countries are ambition and expectations.

In his book, Friedman recounts the experience of a 5th grade teacher who had parents of an Indian child come in and ask that their child receive more homework and more challenging assignments.  An Eastern European couple demanded that their son be given a science textbook, and that the small science binder he was given was not sufficient for his educational development.  On the other hand, many American parents came in to complain that the workload was just too much on their children, and there was no way they could complete it with the other activities they participated in.

This is what separates the educational system in the US with those of other countries.  The other kids simply care more and have a passion for learning.  American kids would much rather play video games and watch TV.  Foreign students face steep expectations where straight A’s are often the norm, whereas in America many kids are rewarded for bringing home C’s.

I don’t think the blame lies in any one of the teachers, parents, or students, but society as a whole is the primary cause for our lacking education.  Maybe someday school in the US will become “cool” again, but until then we are just opening the door for any other country to surpass our standard of living.