Educational Systems Beyond Our Own
By Mattingly Zullo
Personal Statement:
I understand that this introduction may defy the laws of writing, but after writing six different introductions about education, I realized that my voice as a student might just capture the attention of all of us: those of us in school right now, those of us who never went to school, those of us who graduated and never looked back, and even those of us who are still fighting for access to school. So, here's what I have to say:
Education. It contributes to our understanding. Our values. Our principles. We all have our own individual stories based on the depth of our education. My story is both grateful and draining. It is tiring and overworked. It is also appreciative and motivated. Your story might be different. Perhaps your story with education is nonexistent. Perhaps you are trying to make it relevant. Maybe your story with education is a twelve hour day. Maybe your story with education is one pencil and the one piece of paper per student that your school could afford. Your story may contain teachers who have graduated from prestigious colleges. Maybe your story contains teachers who barely have a higher education for their students.
Regardless, we all connect our educational stories through comparison. We may observe the flaws in our domestic institutions, but what about the institutions around us? Education is not limited to our country; it fuels the world. So, what exactly does education look like in the world? How is the effectiveness of a country's educational system measured? Even more specifically, we can reflect by asking ourselves what is most important in an educational system - a strong educational system, a supportive culture, or strong personal goals?
The Statistics:
The country that ranks the highest in education throughout the world is Finland. In an article entitled, “Why Are Finland Schools So Successful,” the author highlights a plethora of key factors that set Finland apart from many countries, even the United States. There are no standardized tests, there is no homework, and their teachers are compensated far more for their work. The article directly states that “Many schools are small enough so that the teachers know each student. If one method fails, teachers consult with colleagues to try something else. They seem to relish these challenges.”
The schools in Finland seem to value the number of teachers to students ratio. With smaller classes comes more attention directed towards one student. There is more time to find ways to help certain students understand something in smaller classes rather than in bigger classes. This value holds far more importance in Finland than in other countries, and could be a potential factor in why they are considered to be successful.
The article then goes on to state “There are no standardized tests in Finland, apart from one exam at the end of the students’ senior year in high school. There are no rankings, comparisons or competition between students or regions. ” This is another key difference from the United States. Standardized tests and exams have proven to create stress for many students. Without the stresses of testing, in most cases, forgotten knowledge, students are bound to make better use of the information they are given. Finland’s indicators of success set them apart from other countries and are what gained them the success that they have currently.
My country, the United States, is ranked 13th out of 79 countries and regions. Their PISA results are unexpected for such a developed country with access to a number of resources. While their educational position in the world is surprising, it serves as a good benchmark for comparison.
Separating Schools
Before jumping into each country's specifics with education, let’s look at some key factors and distinctions.
Interestingly, the most defining aspect of a country's education has nothing to do with academics.
Culture plays the biggest role in how an educational institution is run. Even more specifically, our values and our norms. We value family therefore we are more inclined to spend time with them. We value respect, therefore we take our shoes off before entering someone's home, we walk on the sidewalk rather than people's lawns, and we say please and thank you when interacting with others. Our norms, however, guide our daily lives. We shake peoples hands when meeting them. We say bless you when someone sneezes. We tip waitresses when sitting at a restaurant. Our norms stand as a framework to how to conduct ourselves in a given society.
As for education, our values and our norms separate school from school, teacher from teacher, student from student, class from class, and ultimately educational system from educational system.
Finland
Values:
1. Unlike schools elsewhere, Finland doesn’t give out tests at the end of each unit. This demonstrates a disparity in values. Tests aren't seen as a useful way to justify one's intelligence or the amount of information they have retained.
2. Schools in Finland have more freedom as a result of their independence. One of Finland's basic values is trust, whereas the United States essential principle is cooperation.
3. Memorization of events and concepts is substantially less significant than critical thinking. School becomes less stressful and more meaningful as a result of this. Critical thinking abilities are extremely valuable and help to increase the quality of work.
Norms:
School does not begin until 9:30 A.M.
Tests are only given once, at the end of the school year
Do not have to ask to go the bathroom
Homework is minimal and allows for an immense amount of after school activities
Kids learn more in less hours as their teachers are highly educated
No multiple choice tests, only essays which demonstrate critical thinking
South Korea
Values:
1. South Korea's educational performance is mostly due to student motivation. Students are highly motivated to succeed and participate in class.
2. The sole asset that South Korea prioritizes is human intelligence. People feel compelled to compensate for a lack of natural resources by becoming smarter and more capable of development than other countries.
3. South Korea appears to place a higher priority on education than mental health. Students are lucky if they get any sleep at all. Their lives are consumed by school and testing, leaving little time to meet their family on a daily basis.
Norms:
Most students ride their bikes to school, as a bike garage is provided
Students have the decision to retake an entire year of high school to improve their grades. This decision is made by only the student and is not frowned upon.
Sports are not included in school, they are done outside and individually
Niger
Values:
1. Over 50 per cent of children aged 7-16 are not in school. They either stay at home or choose not to go to school as it is not enforced and valued heavily.
2. Many areas located in Niger do not have schools, therefore civilians are not given an opportunity to learn and go to school.
3. Women in Niger are marrying at the age of 15 and they have no time for school and feel the need to go.
Norms:
The average class size is 36 kids
50 percent of school teachers in Niger have reached minimum training requirements
61 percent of Nigeriens attend school regularly
Women and men are unequally educated (9% of women are educated compared to 23% men)
Wealth
To compare educational systems and not address the lack of ability for some countries to partake in sophisticated systems is unfair. The issue with countries who fall lower in ranks for education is typically linked to lack of money. Countries without basic facilities like running water are unable to establish comprehensive education institutions, or even formal schooling in many circumstances. Many nations, notably the United States, are concerned about the societal consequences of global educational inequality.
International variations in educational systems are more than just a matter of money.
Differences in education are influenced by the value put on it, the amount of time given to it, and the distribution of education within a country.