After watching 2 Million Minutes, what are your thoughts about how American education differs from other parts of the world? In your opinion, how does education in other parts of the world compare and contrast to education in America? Do you think American education should be more like education in China and/or India? Why or why not?
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I believe education in america is fine compared to other countries. i believe our social standards are different in america and thats what sets us apart. i think that the way things are in india where kids know what they are going to do when thy are at a young age benefits them because they have more time to study specifics with their career field. American standards are a little weak compared to other education systems across the world because we haven't been challenged in so long however i believe when their is another event like the space race our standards will once again become higher and the bar will be raised.
ReplyDeleteI don't think we are as bad as everyone makes us out to be. I feel that we learn through more experience and they learn more from reading a book. I am not saying one is right and one is wrong i just feel experience is more important. That is the reason we are observing so early we are experiencing what it will be like in the classroom early so if we want to change we have the option. I feel we are better off with the way our children learn in our country and China and India are suited for their country.
ReplyDeleteI agree with James, We are just fine the way we are. I also think that there might be another occurrence of the space race and it would be cool to see how we compare now to the past.
ReplyDeleteI think that American standards of learning are less strict than those of China and India, however, Americans have the social aspect of life that is needed in order to obtain jobs as well. Without the skills to socialize and expand your personality, you will not be able to have a successful interview because you will not have the skills that are necessary to do so. Maybe China and India have more schooling and more difficult training in their courses, but we have education and socialization. I think we are good just the way we are and that we should not try to be like other countries because even the children in the video said that we are lucky to be Americans and I think we are as well!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Stephanie. We learn from experience and I think that we are better off that way because it helps us to be more hands on and not feel like we have to refer to a book every time we are having a little trouble.
ReplyDeleteI believe that our school system does need many improvements, but so does every other system. I think we should try to be more strict somewhat like China. They do have the most efficient system on test results. We should be trying to get our test grades up that high. We should try new methods and try to find a way to get to that point.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kari in every aspect. I think that people are too worried about acheiving perfection, when perfection doesn't exist. I think we can definitely strive to reach better standards, but the effort being put forth now shouldn't be ignored.
ReplyDeleteWe had an exchange student from China and they are insanely woried about their education. She was so worried about her home work, and taking tests. Versus me the american, who yeah I care but I'm not insanely worried. I have better social skills, seriously she wouldn't do anything with us. She would spend all her time doing homework, alone. So while China and India may have tougher schooling, in a job interview don't you have good social skills? Who wins, there? America.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kari and Brooke, people are to worried about pefection.
ReplyDeleteI think that the education in American is fine. We do so many other things like play sports and hang out with people. We are not just sitting at a desk the whole time and doing homework. People would be talking how American's don't know how to talk to people.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kari and Brooke because why are we worried about pefection
ReplyDeletei feel like education in america is fine the way it is, it is just less strict than the standards they have in some other countries. I feel like in america children have options and not everything is geared towards education. I don't think either way is wrong I just think it's the way that people are brought up depending on where they are from.
ReplyDeleteI agree with stephanie in saying that Americans learn a lot through experience and not just through a book. I also think that experience is more important than just reading about stuff in a book.
ReplyDeleteAmerican education is different than in other countries. Generally, our school systems are less demanding, and may not prepare students for college as well as some other countries do. However, Americans have a different mindset. I don't think we are used to working as hard as others in different countries, and we expect to have information fed to us. If something is time-consuming or difficult, we complain. So, obviously, when compared to other countries, we look bad. It is a little hard for me to acknowledge our country's educational laziness, because I want to believe that the United States is better than that. However, I do think that the U.S. puts a lot less pressure on students, which can be good. Students here seem more relaxed, but many are too much so, and neglect their studies simply because that expectation of doing well is lacking.
ReplyDeleteShould it take another event like the Space Race for us to improve our standards? Or should we be interested in bettering them right now?
ReplyDeleteI was torn. I believe the movie portrayed Americans in a negative light, as opposed to CHinese and Indians. At first I went with it, thinking...yeah, we are dumb! We don't care about school, and 8 out of 10 of us aren't doctors or engineers or other fields that require too much math. Then I thought...I am an underacheiver and very good at it. I procrastinate in a way that would make those Chinese and Indian students scream. I like my way of life. However, then I wondered...what if I didn't spend so much time actively ignoring my potential, and actually worked at something? Perhaps I, too, could be a doctor or an engineer. Perhaps when someone screams, "Is there a doctor in the house?" I could say, "Yes!" Instead of "Yes, but technically I have a PHD in education, so I could TEACH him to not choke on that bone."
ReplyDeleteI think American Education could improve a lot but I also agree with one of the girls on the movie that we, as Americans, care a lot about our social life and that is also an important part in out everyday lives. The Chinese and Indians, I feel, are a bit too extreme with schooling for my liking--personally.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ken--I think the movie def made Americans look more "dumb" then the others. Maybe that was their overall goal, so maybe we will work harder but they could have maybe gone about it differently.
ReplyDeleteYes, however, did it make us look dumb, or them look uber focused? I personally like being able to have a few hours a week to do something I enjoy, and to have time to work, and not keep my nose in a book. I think it may not be that we, as Americans, have our standards too low, but they have their standards incredibly high.
ReplyDeleteI think it is very "American" of us to shrug off the idea that perhaps other countries' education systems are superior to ours. In general, most Americans think that our way is the right way, no ifs ands or buts about it. However, is our way always the right way? Why aren't we more concerned about American student's drive in comparison to China or India? Should we not continue to strive to be the best? I think one day we're gong to realize that at some point, we messed up. We allowed our standards to slip and as a result, other countries will have surpassed us in one way or another. I'm not trying to say that our education system is irreparable, but I know from experience that most public school districts do not prepare students for college. I graduated with an excellent GPA in high school and somehow managed to rarely study and put little effort into my school work. I was however well versed in being social, but that didn't really help me when I couldn't find the motivation to study or do my homework in college.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I do not agree with in some foreign education systems is making students choose their career at such a young age. I couldn't decide between becoming an actress or an orthopedic surgeon when I was in high school and I don't think their is any rush to decide what you're going to do for the rest of your life.
I don't believe that American schools are going to hell in a hand basket, I do however think that we should at least be a little concerned and in the future, encourage students in our classrooms to work hard and to live up to their full potential.
Jimmy and Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteI agree that experience is extremely important, but isn't prior knowledge equally important? Can you imagine going into student teaching your first semester of college? It would be extremely difficult to jump straight into it without all the knowledge we're gaining and will gain from studying and reading. I know that the most learning will occur from hands on experience, but it would still be nearly impossible without prior knowledge.
I believe our country does lack motivation than a majority of other countries, however look at all the people who have the ability to go to Brown University or Harvard. These top schools show that we do have people wanting to better themselves. But one thing that people tend to forget is it is hard to get into these schools because they are so picky, but if all people who are willing and wanting to be able to pay for harvard or some other high end school then they shouldn't get counted down. Some students like to think that since they know they don't have the most special life to get a special scholarship into certain schools; they give up. It sucks but it's the truth. Most people think that they wont get that chance to get picked so they don't put themselves up for rejection, because people in the U.S. hate rejection. It is a fact. But compared to other schools I respect them all as they do work very hard and are underprivileged. But I really hate that the U.S. is counted as a lazy country...
ReplyDeleteI agree with Korey,
ReplyDeleteSchools in the U.S. aren't going down hill. NCLB is trying to help fix that. Standards are always trying to go up.
American education is lacking because it hasn't been addressed well enough by those in higher power around the nation. The most recent thing that was done was No Child Left Behind(NCLB) and too me, that policy is not a very good one. I think the other problem are parents. Most kids today are born with a silver spoon in their mouths and don't have the motivation to make it on their own. While watchign the film, I noticed that the students from China and India not only attended class, but they stayed attentive, went to study groups during the week and weekends, and participated in some sort of extra curricular activity. We could try to adopt some of the styles of other more successful countries, but the system can only try so hard. The students have to be motivated and want to learn as well. This subject is so deep, I don't think anyone person can put it on one blog.
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with Stephanie. We do learn from experiance other then just reading tons of info from a book.
ReplyDeleteTo Lauramarie,
ReplyDeleteI like a line from your blog, "If something is time-consuming or difficult, we complain."
The second part of that is, then we go do something else. There is so much for us to do in our country and we have so many freedoms and liberties, that if we don't like something we can easily not do it. With all the distractions and alternative career paths, people today are always looking for the shortest route to the most money.
I think that American education is just fine. We could take it a little more serious though. I belive that if everyone knew how competative it will be when they get out of school and are trying to find a job they would take their education more serious.
ReplyDeletei think that education in America has far less rules then education in other countries. i think this is because in the past america has had the higher standards and when we became a world power the standards lowered. Parents had far less restrictions on their children when this happened and we now have more priority on sports and recreational things. i think that when foreign countries get to where we are now they will be very much like us now.
ReplyDeletei agree with jimmy because standards are lower in america because we place higher values on differnt stuff like sports
ReplyDeleteI think that our education should start being stricter and encouraging more standards as far as studying. It seems China takes studying different than here in America.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that sports are taking much more serious than studying and school.
ReplyDeleteI think that American schools are doing great. We might not be the most efficent, but I believe we really develop as people in the American education system. While education is important, students creating people skills and making friends is just as important in younger grades.
ReplyDeleteI think sports are important just like studying and school, sports bulid character and teach the players how to deal woth success and failure.
ReplyDeleteHonestly I find myself disgusted with the American education system. Not because of the content, but because of the almost social requirements and students. In my experience with schools it seems that the students deemed "cool" are the students that are out every weekend partying and are unattentive in class, the jocks, or the class clown. Whereas in other countrys its the opposite, with the exception of jocks, where the poor students and class clowns are ridiculled. Here the scholars and smart kids are classified as nerds and geeks almost shunning them from advancing socially. Across seas scholars are praised and are highly popular. Thus through this classification and standards set by students, groups are formed seperating the students thus not allowing them to advance socially or make new friends without changing thier social view which in itself may jepordise thier school success.
ReplyDeleteResponse to all
ReplyDeleteI agree with myself and think it is the correct assumption of today's American education. I issue a challenge. Prove me wrong.
I think that the movie 2 million minutes did not accurately depict the way Americans treat our educations. Although we are not the "smartest" country in the world, we are using our education as needed, society and the world is constantly changing and so is the curriculum in schools. For instance when I was in kindergarten I did an awful lot of finger painting and napping, but a kindergarten teacher I know said that her students can write a three sentence "paragraph" by the time the year is over. This is because technology and knowledge and society has changed and we as Americans are adapting to it. Whereas the other countries have other beliefs but that is all they know and they do not have other extracurricular activates to distract them.
ReplyDeleteLauren, Alex, etc.
ReplyDeleteI think that sports build character and prepare a person for life. It teaches a person about how important it is to be able to work as a team and find a common goal. At my high school we have this rule called the “freshman no-cut rule”. This was used to encourage more students to try out for teams so they can experience what it is like to work as a team and have set rules to follow other than in school. The rule basically just stated that any freshman than tried out for the team must make the team; luckily we have freshman teams. BUT AT THE SAME TIME there has to be a balance between sports and schoolwork. Although sports build character and show who you are, school should always come first.
I think our country has a great lack of education as compared to other countries. In other countries students are taught multiple languages that help them to communicate with people all over the world. Also, the movie showed an interesting look at the lack of teaching higher level mathematics in our high schools. The movie said something like the average high school student doesnt get futher than algebra classes in school while thoes from other countries are studying calculas and higher level statistics.
ReplyDeletePaige Bratton,
ReplyDeleteI completely think your viewpoint on the movie is interesting but I still believe america is a huge step behind other countries when it comes to education. While teachers may have adopted new ways of teaching students, such as the case with the kindergarten teacher but schools in other countries are teaching kids their language and languages around the world by this time.
I don't think education in America is as bad as it seems. I believe alot of it has to do with the more oppurtunities and freedom we have to be succesfull in other things other than school related careers. In America a person has a better chance of being succesful even if they aren't the smartess person. Also technology is a huge part of our country and is available to almost anybody.
ReplyDeleteI agree with blake parents have less restrictions on their children.
ReplyDeleteI think there are tins of inprovements that the american education system needs to make but as in comparision to china I dont think its for us. Being social and exploring your self out side the class room is also part of growing and getting to know your true self. I dont think all our time should be devoted to the books. we need time to play :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with jackson. Although school is very importaint, in america being successful also depends on your drive and passion. for some school is not nessasary to meet his or hers goals..
ReplyDeleteI think it is so absurd that we're so ambivalent about our education (yes, this coming from the guy who forgets to write in the blog every week...). It just baffles me how we can obviously see these countries putting so much effort into their education system and still not be motivated enough to change our ways. It doesn't matter to me who is the, "best" but it's ridiculous that most residents of this country think we're "The best country in the world" ...I think that kind of attitude breeds complacency and a lack of motivation for progression.
ReplyDeleteHigh School is the States is merely social preparation...the actual academic value is very minimal, in my eyes. Of course there will always be those who excel and really try hard to gain knowledge but, for the most part, people don't take high school seriously...and that goes beyond just apathetic kids...the parents, the schools, the gov't, the collective mindset of the country is a bit frustrating, to me.
I want to comment on Chris M.'s ideas.
ReplyDeleteHe's absolutely right. The social stigma of the majority of the high schools in the country is that it makes you less "cool" to do well in school. The people who go out and drink and don't do very well are the ones who are usually socially praised.
It's funny to me that even when people see for themselves that the, "Nerdy" kids end up usually doing great things and making good lives for themselves and the "cool" kids end up become Gas-Station attendants and dropouts, that they'd still rather be "cool."
That might be a bit extreme and generalized, though...
I think that the education system needs a lot of improvements but in America we have a lot more opportunities than those people in China and India that we can not only focus on school. a lot of our education has to do with books, but there are also things such as acting where you don't use books and you need to get out and be social too.
ReplyDeletei agree with erica b. in america its not all about school. its also about finding out who you are and being social. when you find out who you are it helps you do better in school so you know what you want and will help you succeed.
ReplyDelete