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| Should U.S. schools follow best practices from Finland and other countries?; MLIVE-June 01, 2011 | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jun 1 2011, 10:05 PM (278 Views) | |
| Administrator | Jun 1 2011, 10:05 PM Post #1 |
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Should U.S. schools follow best practices from Finland and other countries? http://www.mlive.com/education/index.ssf/2011/06/should_us_schools_follow_best.html Published: Wednesday, June 01, 2011, 11:30 AM By Dave Murray | The Grand Rapids Press With all the talk about best practices, should the United States ditch homegrown education reforms and start copying what works in Finland and Singapore? Marc Tucker of the National Center for Education and the Economy posed that question in his new report, "Standing on the Shoulders of Giants", comparing educational systems here and abroad. Tucker notes that a century ago, the United States took the best industrial ideas from England and Germany, and educational ideas from Germany and Scotland. “It was the period of the most rapid growth our economy had ever seen and it was the time in which we designed the education system that we still have today,” he wrote in the report, which was issued Tuesday. “ “After World War II, the United States appeared to reign supreme in both the industrial and education arenas and we evidently came to the conclusion that we had little to learn from anyone. As the years went by, one by one, country after country caught up to and then surpassed us in several industries and more or less across the board in precollege education. And still we slept.” Tucker said his investigation reveals that “the strategies driving the best performing systems are rarely found in the United States, and, conversely, that the education strategies now most popular in the United States are conspicuous by their absence in the countries with the most successful education systems.” John Merrow, the veteran education reporter from NPR and PBS, writes in his "Taking Notes" blog that charter schools, alternate certification, small classes and pay for performance aren't common in the countries passing up. “Instead, they have developed comprehensive systems: their teachers are drawn from the top of the class, are trained carefully and, if hired, are paid like other professionals. They spend more on the children who are the toughest to educate, they diagnose and intervene at the first sign of trouble, they expect their best teachers to work in the toughest schools, and they expect all students to achieve at high levels. They do not rely heavily on machine-scored multiple choice tests but are inclined to trust and respect the judgments of teachers. Their curriculum is coherent across the system, which eliminates problems created by students moving around.” Merrow writes that Tucker doesn't spare unions. “In other places there are professional unions, whereas here both the NEA and the AFT are industrial unions, focused on salaries and benefits and protections — all adult issues. That must change, the paper says.” Merrow points out that while other countries have national systems and plans, the United States isn't even limited to 50 systems because of local control. Think of the 550 individual districts in Michigan alone. He also notes that Tucker recommends that states take over school financing to end disparities between rich and poor districts, that teacher training has to be elevated and that admission standards in college education programs need to be raised. I was reminded of remarks from National Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel, who seems to be backing up his promise to take a more active role in leading reform efforts. Van Roekel told education writers in New Orleans last month that a big part of the problem is that people who might be the best teachers head into other professions. Reports that 47 percent of new teachers quit withing the first five years show there is a problem finding the right people, he said. “I believe the recruiting, training and hiring system is broken,” he said. “Other countries focus on quality on the front door. If you build quality at the front door, then no one is there who shouldn't be there. We need to take the lead on training and recruiting of our young educators.” Merrow suggests a dramatic overhaul is in order, but perhaps not following the paths we've already started down. “Unfortunately, we Americans cling to our belief in ‘magic bullets,’” he wrote. “But I have news for you. They don’t call them ‘magic tricks’ for nothing. It’s because they are tricks. As for bullets, they kill, and “Death by 1000 Magic Bullets” is still dead. E-mail Dave Murray: dmurray@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ReporterDMurray http://www.mlive.com/education/index.ssf/2011/06/should_us_schools_follow_best.html |
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| Deleted User | Jun 1 2011, 11:01 PM Post #2 |
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It is such a shame that the best teachers have to be lumped together with the worst through step increases, an antiquated tenure system, and a far, far beyond unsustainable benefits structure. We are where we are for a reason, and its really frustrating that we really cant give the best what they deserve. Yet we give the best connected what they think they deserve. |
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