Comments on: What’s He Got That I Ain’t Got?

By: Martin

Martin — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 11:49:12 +0000

It is interesting to note Australia ranks above the US. However it significantly ranks below the top PISA nations I believe. I wouldn’t wish my state’s curriculum documents on anyone. They are vague, very general, full of jargon and difficult to use for assessment purposes. Australian schools share a lot of the complexity and cultural ‘problems’ that Ben F and julie alluded to. Our school year seems to be longer. The public schools are controlled by the state government with variable parent and local input. Sport is an important part of school life in that everyone is given opportunities to participate. However school teams don’t really play for the glory of their school as seems to be common in the US.

By: Susan T.

Susan T. — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 11:44:37 +0000

Genius does not need instruction to flourish; diverse student population and many languages; hierarchy and uniforms; influences from the popular culture–These are only a few of the many excuses we use to justify the conscious choice NOT to teach, as Robert put it, a “comprehensive, content-rich curriculum.”

This choice embodies a serious under-estimation of children’s capabilities and potential.

By: Ben F

Ben F — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 14:08:44 +0000

I agree, Walt, and sadly what common culture we do have seems to be supplied by Budweiser ads, iPod hype, obnoxious professional sports, TV programs appealing to the Id in all of us, and the like (there are small exceptions). Innovation-mania in America leads us to trash the Old –old urban cores, old industries, old people, and old modes of education –even if the old is damn good. Most great civilizations –China, Judaism, Northern European –evolve slowly within a framework of carefully preserving and transmitting worthy traditions. We raze the past and build crappy-but-shiny-and-”nice” McMansions.

By: Walt

Walt — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:30:54 +0000

One school I visited in Osaka, Japan in mid ’90s the students all wore uniforms and their behavior was well regimented. The Japanese culture seems to be one of conformity all the way thru adult. Similar behavior can be seen at Univ’s in Germany such as Karlsruhe where highly structured hierarchal control pervails. To me the differences in student performance is related to culture and societal expectations. Perhaps the US melting pot has lost the sense of culture that more homogenous societies have developed.

By: julie

julie — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 15:41:25 +0000

I taught in the South Korean school system as a Peace Corps Volunteer many years ago and I’m now a teacher in a Minnesota School district. What we have that South Korea does not is a very diverse student population with multiple languages. This year, in one of my school’s kindergarten classes of 22 students, eleven of the students spoke a different language and the languages represented by those eleven were spanish, nuer, hmong, somali and vietnamese.

By: Walt

Walt — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:32:54 +0000

Well the news of this PISA report will certainly start another round of hand wringing by US educational experts concerned with test compentancy of teenagers. Is there any correlation between test compentancy of teenagers and later life achievement. It would seem that those who are bright will let their light shine before men regardless of test scores. Isnt it true that many of the most successful US people were mediocre students.

By: Ben F

Ben F — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:41:53 +0000

Well-said, Robert.

By: Robert Pondiscio

Robert Pondiscio — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:11:56 +0000

I’m assuming it’ll be posted after their event this afternoon in DC to discuss the findings. I’ve emailed Lynne Munson for a link. In the meantime, I’ll email you a copy. (If anyone else needs it, email me at rpondiscio@aol.com)

By: Claus

Claus — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:08:48 +0000

Do you have a link to their report? I can’t seem to find it on their website.