4 Lessons from the Smartest Kids in the World Dissecting the Data

Why are we lagging behind? At a moment when the U.S. grapples with increased spending on education but mediocre-to-average outcomes on just about every international test, we need to discover what distinguishes the students from countries who consistently outperform U.S. students. A study involved tracking American students who spent a year studying in one of these high-performing countries was done. What was discovered was 4 common characteristics that were found in the high performing countries' schools. Looking at the findings and comparing them to the U.S. might explain why U.S. performance has been lagging for so long.

First... Most of these high performing countries are "old school" in their approach to education. While discussions in the U.S. hover around the need for more Internet connectivity, adding Smart Boards in classrooms and the merits of differentiated learning through one-to-one online instruction, the study’s exchange students found that none of the high-performing countries have invested in these newfound tools.

Second... Second, these countries spend a considerable amount for pre-service training to prepare teachers for the classroom. Rigorous standards determine qualifications to be a teacher and the job is not for the faint of heart. By contrast, as a recent report by the National Center on Teacher Quality shows, U.S. teacher training schools are nowhere near where they need to be in preparing teachers for the challenges they will face in the classroom. National Center on Teacher Quality

Third... Third, students in high-performing countries are much more serious about education than their American counterparts. Many U.S. students put so much value into the higher level education system and this may have inadvertently distracted attention from the importance of focusing on education in elementary, middle and high school. In other words, middle school doesn’t count...

Finally... Parents in these countries are more involved in their children's education. Unlike the U.S., where parental involvement often means the number of times you attend parent teacher conferences, raise money for your school, volunteer at your school or attend sporting events, in high-performing countries parents spend time (and money) after school to supplement their child's education. South Korean families invest $14 billion per year on after-school tutoring, while U.S. families spend $15 billion per year on video games.

Summarizing Technology is great but it should supplement learning and not dominate it. There is nothing wrong with traditional instruction. 2. Good teachers are important. They must know their content and be skilled at instruction. 3. Students need to be serious about their education and realize that every level, elementary, middle, and high school prepares them for life after school. 4. Parent involvement in the act of learning is key.