Matthew K. Tabor and Lynn both have posts up reviewing Two Million Minutes: A Global Examination, a documentary following the lives of a male and female high school senior in the U.S., China and India. Here is the trailer, which seems to paint a pretty bleak picture of the future for the U.S.
For my own daughters, I hope they are more serious about their studies than the two American students were portrayed to be. However, I don't want them to be forced to spend all their spare time studying. For me, the question is whether academic excellence requires a single-minded devotion to book studies every waking hour of the day. I'd think most homeschoolers would say no. After all, one of the advantages of homeschooling is that we can cover more in less time, leaving our children free to pursue interests that may incidentally include learning, such as playing with LEGO building blocks, playing chess, sewing, or planting a garden. Homeschoolers see more to life than books, even though we value our children's education. If the Scientist does follow through with her plan of being a vet, taking horseback riding lessons or volunteering at a shelter may be seen as working towards her career.
From what I have read, American high schools do not always do a good job of challenging the best and brightest, and may give in too often to parental pressure to give out good grades at the expense of actual hard work and studies. There's anecdotal evidence that more students are entering college not prepared to do college work. However, as Lynn points out, for Americans, high school is not the be-all-end-all of our future. I completely disagree that high school is a measure of our economic future, or at least not the only measure. As long as Americans keep freedom and liberty, our future can be whatever we are willing to work for.
7 comments:
I remember when I was in my first year of college I was astounded by the number of new friends and acquaintances I made who were taking English or math classes that started with a number zero. Paying college tuition prices for remedial work -- yikes!
I'm forwarding this to my husband. What a great, thought-provoking post. I totally agree with you--high school, when we are 14-18 years old, is a twinkling in our life. We continue to learn and mature our whole lives. I know a lot more now than I did in high school...I am a lot more disciplined and hard-working.
I think the overall point, we are in a global economy and our current public education system is inefficient and inadequate, should be taken to heart. And Barb is right when saying some of the supplemental activities are not available or accessable in the public education system. Barb is teaching her kids how to love learning where the American public education system does not.
Liz, I agree that the fact that our public education system is inadequate should be faced. However, I think you would agree that if it is going to get better, or perhaps morph into a different system, with vouchers or similar, it needs to be parent-driven and not government-driven. Parents and families should be providing the work ethics and values.
Miss Sniz, I agree that high school is such a short time in our lives, and I would probably be a better student now than I ever was in high school. Still, our students should be challenged and encouraged to give education their best. I'm sure you're doing that with your kids.
I absolutely agree it has to be parent driven! I'm just not entirely certain it will be in time for my children. I'm researching the homeschooling option, myself, just so I know my children are prepared for the world.
Parents are voting with their feet and the educational establishment is paying attention, even if the establishment is to blind to see what is going on.
I don't think there's any question that at the age of 18, American students lag behind those in other countries in terms of content/knowledge.
What we need to start talking about - and analyzing - is whether those American students are stronger employees at 30-35 [and beyond] than their foreign counterparts. I suspect that the US gets a slow start and then catches up and surpasses well after the college years.
After watching and reviewing the DVD I'm more convinced than before that we have tremendous advantage as long as we have an economy and culture that offers opportunity. This doesn't mean we should tolerate lousy schools but continued opportunity helps kids overcome mediocre or poor schooling.
I did notice that students in India's and China's classes looked every bit as bored as American kids. Another question. If their education is superior why do they need hours per day extra in tutoring? It seems that's indicative of inadequacies in the classroom. The families have everything to do with their kids' success.
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