Ruth Thomas

Ropko

u$rRT
19

1102-041

April2016

Education Across the Globe

DearReader,

f/'*

Since the beginning of education reform

t\u''

te Apit 2ot6

pr\P

in 1980, many have debated the best method to educate

students. Today, countries around the world have developed different systems based on their

own beliefs about the most effective methods. Modernization and technology have led to
increasing interaction among these education systems. With this interaction comes comparison
and competition. Some argue that The United States has fallen behind on the global scale
academic rigor. With this in mind

of

I began to question if it is true that the United States,

education system is falling behind, what are other countries doing differently, and how can the

United States improve?

I have always been interested in other cultures, but I became especially interested in these
questions when

I became friends with some students originally from Germany and France. I was

fascinated learning about the dif[erent types of education structures. It also became a relevant
question now that I am in college. The globally competitive job market is now frequently on my

mind, and as a result, The United States' ability to compete.

The following work is the result of my findings. I do not expect that this
source for your own investigation, but I hope that it

will

serve as a sole

will present some of the different

styles

of

education in the world. Perhaps it witl generate new questions for you about the validity of the
ratings of education systems, the implications of a county's education system for its citizens, or

how we initiate reforms. Whatever the case may be, I hope that this work proves a useful source
for your own inquiry.
Best,

Ruth Thomas

Ruth Thomas
Ropko

uwRT
19

1102-041

April 2016
-a

Education Across the Globe '/

The world has changed dramatically in the last twenty years. The Internet and

globalization have connected us like never before and have given rise to diverse societies. In this
global economy, countries must create competitive citizens in order to stay successful and
relevant, and the United States is no exception. Despite frequent education reform, the ranking

of

the United States education system has remained relatively stagnant (Schmidt & Burroughs).

\rr^'

While the best methods to improve education are still under debate, the fact that the United

&Jrc

States' education system is broken is not. Although education reform is a complex issue, the U.S.
can learn a greatdeal from the techniques of other countries.

Education reform is not a new issue for the United States. During the 1950s space race,
schools began to increase the focus on mathematics and science in the curriculum. In the 1970s,
the U.S. Departrnent of Education was created (Futrell), and in the 1980s, the government

published A Nation of Risk: The Imperativefor Educational Reform to make education a top

priority (Futrell). When I was a senior in high school, North Carolina implemented Common
Core standards. As students we openly talked with teachers about how useless these

standards

were. I felt they actually made our classrooms move backward, and it was discouraging.

reform that felt productive. The United States does try to adapt and reform to improve education.
The success of these reforms, however, has been mtrumal.

. +t

lnl4
I wanted \" ''

Thomas 2
improvement.
Teachers are one aspect of the United States' education system that needs
education
According to the Journal of Teacher Education "there is a direct link between teacher
programs, the quality of the teaching profession, and the viability of our education system"

(Futrell). It makes perfect sense to me that teachers are a crucial aspect of our society. They
and influence the education of our population. Despite this

form

fact,I have witnessed the lack of

standards for
respect given to the teaching profession. There is a large contrast between the

in the U.S. are

teaching programs in the United States and those in other countries. Teachers

hired

..disproportionately from the lowest quartile of graduating high school and

college "/

I can vouch that

students" (Smith). I feel embarrassed to share this, but as a college student,
legislation
people refer to education as an easy major' In contrast, the European Union adopted

,olgggrequiring all teachers to have

a master's degree

in order to teach in primary in secondary

master's degtee,
schools (Futrell). Teachers in Finland are also required to have a three-year
profession, and the
funded by the state, in order to teach (Tung). I thixk teaching is a difficult
extra experience would be a useful addition to the United States requirements'

\'/

by the shortage
The lower standards for teachers in the United States could be influenced
pay and prestig
of people pursuing teaching degrees. This shortage could be due to the low
"

t-/

countries pay beginning

associated with teachers in the United States. Most high performing
friends who have a passion
teachers comparably to beginning engineers (Tucker). I have

for

a teacher's salary' The

teaching, but they worry about being able to support themselves on

found that in the united

organization for Economic cooperation and Development (OECD)
any other country, but salaries
States, teachers spend more time teaching than teachers in

of

(OECD). Some of my friends have

teachers in the United States are below the OECD average
even chosen to not pursue teaching, because they want a family.

I would

say that money is not

.-

Thomas 3
the same time' I
important, what is important is that you love what you are studying, but at
understand they are trying to be realistic and responsible with their

future.

"/

in the
The low pay and support for teachers also leads to a low retention rate of teachers
says she does not
United States. My friend's mother teaches in an elementary school, and she

mistreated and is
even get a lunch break because they are understaffed. She feels

considering

t/

in less than five

retiring early. Studies show that fifty percent of teachers leave the profession
rJod.
y"*J1t r"ker). Thus not only do we have a Prgblem frnding high-quality teachers' we also
struggle to keep those we have in the fieId.

i tt i"t

as in other countries, the United States needs

A student is more
to raise the standards for teachers, but also increase the salaries of teachers.
likely to choose

what
freld where they feel they will be able to support themselves and earn

they deserve for the amount of work required'

change in the
Another change proponents of education reform would like to see is a

with the Stanford News

amount of high-stakes testing in the United States. In an interview
Service Pasi Sahlberg, a Finnish education expert, said,

"If I could change

one thing in policy,

performing nation in the world

would seriously rethink the role of standardized testing. No ftigh
is using" (Tung)' Research has
has been successfirl using the policies that the United States
testing. Teachers often
identifred the narrowing of curriculum in the presence of high-stakes
items, returning to methods like
spend large portions of time on exercises that look like test
practices that focus on
recall and recitation to prepare students for tests, reducing instructional

& Rustique-Forrester)' In most

complex reasoning and problem solving (Darling-Hammond

of

classes have a state final exam'

my classes growing up, at least until sophomore year when most

to the test, during every class

we worked on practice exams, or questions that would be similar
system, has moved away
period. Finland, which is ranked fifth in the world for its education

J:

Thomas 4
from high-stakes testing. They rely on formative assessment throughout the year to encourage
student growth and self-assessment (Hendrickson). Formative assessment provides feedback and
suggestions for improvement. Research has shown that this style of supportive, positive feedback
increases student learning and feelings of self-efficacy and in general leads to better student

nl

performance (OECD). I cannot speak for everyone, but I know I tend to work harder in and

enjoy classes with supportive teachers much more than those with critical teachers. I generally
gr-A

give up early in critical environments, because I feel that there is no point in tryingJ feel less
intelligent and insecure. Because I know this about myself, the idea of these feedback based
assessments intrigues me. The effects of reducing the amount of high-stakes testing in the United
States curriculum and increasing formative assessment should be measured and considered as

another potential improvement.

Unfortunately, these problems in the United States education system seem to unequally

/ 7tz-t

i2ota-r

harm students in lower socio-economic levels. TEe United States is one of the least equitable in
terms of distribution of educational resources between schools (Beese & Liang). This can result

in an understaffed school. Because teachers are so critical, the quality of teachers in different
school systems greatly impacts the prospects of students in those districts. The prevalence

of

high-stakes tests that I mentioned earlier also creates a problem when they are used to evaluate
schools. This can cause qualified teachers leaving schools with low ratings. One principal

asked,

,/
"Is anybody going to dedicate their lives to a school that has already been labeled a failure? " hfk'-

,.

A*udtr"t'

(Darling-Hammond & Rustique-Forrester). Teachers are even less likely to dedicate their lives to
these schools with low ratings as they are associ4ted with under-funded districts where they

*/ uo;!,

will

juggle ten roles and lack adequate resources. These'findings are concerning considering the
United States has more than twice the rate of childhood poverty of most European nations (Beese

Thomas 5

& Liang). By improving the united

the level
States teacher quality and testing strategy'

of

revels could arso improve. with this improvement,

educational inequality among socio-economic

to students of all economic

the U.S. could offer a quatlty education
Emulating the strategies

levels'

*"rJ frP
u,*it"hlone has
of other countries is not as simple as flipping

and poriticar diversity of different countries'

to take into account the economic, cultural,

The

high-stakes
support and reconsidering of the use of
world. Increasing teacher standards and
in the U'S'
to begin an important process of change
testing would be two starting points

educationsystem.

l-

fe-WW

'

Thomas 6
Works Cited
Beese, Jane, and

Xin Liang. "Do resources matter? PISA science achievement comparisons

between students in the United States, Carada and Finland." Improving Schools. 13.3
(20 I 0): 266-27 9. W eb. 24 March 2016.

Darling-Hammond, Linda, and Elle Rustique-Forrester. "The Consequences of Student Testing

for Teaching and Teacher Quality." Yearbook of the National Societyfor the Study

of

Educ ati on. 1 04.2 QA05): 289 -3 19 . W eb. 24 March 201 6.

Futrell, Mary Hatwood. "Transforming Teacher Education to Reform America's P-20

Education

l/

System." Journal of Teacher Education.6l.5 (2010):432-440. Web. 29 March 2016.

Hendrickson, Katie. "Assessment in Finland: A Scholarly Reflection on One Country's Use

of

Formative, Summative, and Evaluative Practice s." Mid-Western Educational

Researcher.25 (2013):33-43. Web. 10 March 2016.

file. '-/
"Pluzzling Out PISA: What Can Intemational L/

OECD. "Education at a Glance 2014:OECD Indicators." OECD Publishing ,20i4.PDF

Schmidt, William and Nathan Burroughs.

Comparisons Tell Us about American Education?" American Educator.39.l (2015):2431. Web. 12 March 2016.
Smith, Emma. "Raising Standards in American Schools? Problems with Improving Teacher

Quality." Teaching and Teacher Education: an International Journal of Research and

Studies.24.3 (2008):610-622. Web. 23 March 2016.
Tucker, Marc. "Benchmarking the World's Best: Lessons local school leaders in this country can
draw from global pacesetting education systems." School Administrator. 69.5 (2012):2326. Web.24March20l6.

,r/

Thomas 7

frug

Stephea. "How the Finnish school system outshines U.S. education.-

January 2fi12. Web, I0 Mareh 2016.

Stu{ord Report- 2A