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The "Best Education in the World"

9/17/2014

11 Comments

 
South Korea's School Success   
What Korean Students Really Think About Their Education System 
Finland's A+ Schools
What the Best Education Systems are Doing Right 

Examining the education systems of the world is fascinating! Perhaps this is because I taught in South Korea for seven years and South Korea is making international headlines due to their education system is producing some of the best results in the world (as per tested measures). 

The other leading country, when it comes to producing a high quality education system, is Finland. Having spent time reading about both of these countries (some of what I have read is listed above), I find it incredibly fascinating how drastically different the education systems are, but how similar the social norms are between the cultures. 

For example, the South Korean system of education is intense (that may even be an understatement). All of life is planned around a child's education. (I know this, I have seen this.). Parents are not afraid to invest in their child's education because it is really an investment in their own future--child gets good education, child gets high paying job, child is wealthy and can provide for parents in their old age. All decisions are made to support this end. Thus, when one is a student they are 100% a learning machine. As you can see if you look at the reading, it is normal for a student (starting from late elementary to early middle school and continuing through high school) to go to public school from 9am to 5pm, and instead of heading to soccer practice, head to extra tutoring in either a subject area(English being the most common) or an instrument (classical instruments being the most common). They may go to tutors until 10pm at night and then get home to start on homework. Kids playing sports, or even being outside is not a common scene in major cities of this country. Teenagers don't have jobs, school is there job and their performance is heavily monitored by parents. The only way to a good future is to put away play, you can have fun when you get yourself into a position in life that is profitable to you and your family (so when you are 35.) 

On the contrast, Finland's education system focuses on a more tender approach to learning. Formal education doesn't begin until age seven. Students have less than an hour of homework each night, after only going to school for six hours. On average, elementary students spend 72 minutes "playing" at school each day. There are no private schools. What? Really. The only standardized test that is given comes at the end of one's senior year of high school. 

And guess what? These two systems produce students who rank the highest in the world when it comes to reading, writing and math. How is this possible? 
I believe it can be gathered from these articles that it is not so much the educational system that determines the outcomes of a nation's education achievements, but rather the teachers and the social norms that guide the cultures view and value of education. 

Here are the commonalities of South Korea and Finland: teachers are highly respected, pay is equitable to other professions that require four to eight years of schooling, the government supports all schools equally and desires to make quality learning available for all students (and they use money to do so, but not nearly as much as the American education system), the culture (meaning most of the people in the culture) operate with the mindset that education is the key to economic success for the country--and they actually put their money where there mouth is. I think it is worth noting that both of these countries created amazing educational systems as a result of being war-ravished lands. These are countries that have known poverty and restriction. They lived under a kind of captivity in which another nation withheld education as a means of keeping power and control. The people of these countries know that the way to raise a successful nation is to support education and educators. 
Which begs the question, how do we change the mindset of our culture, so that as a culture our "group think" creates  overwhelmingly verbal and monitary support for education systems and EDUCATORS. How do we get to an understanding (as a culture)that education is the key to our children's future and that all decision that are made in this arena affect the economic outcome of our nation. 

Personally, I would love to see the Finlander's way of doing education brought to America, but I can also see the value in the South Korean system. Yet, I think what is of most value is to note that they are different, and they both work. (The South Korean system has come under attach due to articles like this: What Korean Students Really Think About Their Education System, but that is material for another post.)

I think the best way to start is by being a voice: in your classroom, in your school, in your district--getting the word out there that the product of our education system is a strong determinate for the future of our country. If the culture can put education on the pedestal it deserves, we will all benefit. And making it very clear, that it isn't so much the system, but the support of the system and those working in the system that will make the biggest difference in the world. 

11 Comments
Grant Klennert
9/18/2014 01:47:06 pm

Hello Jaci, I am Grant Klennert and I am a learner in the Rochester program. I currently teach 9-12 science in Hayfield, MN.

I find your topic to be very interesting. My sister in law studied abroad in Sweden for a year and came to some of the same conclusions that you stated, especially about Finland. It is odd how two systems of varying differences can be so successful. My questions to you would be:

-If you could change one thing about the American education system what would it be and why?
-Is there anything in the American model that these countries could use to improve their current models?

Reply
Jaci
9/24/2014 09:17:52 am

Wow! Great questions Grant. First, I think the one thing I would change is the excessive amount of standardized testing and what is done with the data from these tests. I think if they weren't so high-stakes and were simply to see where students were in their learning, that would be one thing. But when school's and teachers' reputations are on the line when the results come out, I think that is is sad and wrong.
As for what America brings to the model...hmm...that is a tough one for me because I have not worked directly in the American system for that last 7+ years. But I do think American culture as a whole teaches students that life isn't jus about school. Teens have jobs, sports and other activities in their lives so that if school just isn't there thing, they don't have to feel like a failure. In addition, there are a lot of 1 and 2 year programs as post-secondary options, and I believe that is super valuable to students and our economy.

Reply
Ethan Simonson
9/19/2014 04:25:24 am

Hi, my name is Ethan Simonson and I teach social studies.

First, I must say how jealous I am that you have been all over the world, although not to brag, I have been to Canada once. I have taught lots of exchange students throughout the years and I always pick their brains about their system compared to ours. Most if not all believe ours is easier but they also say ( I have heard this multiple times from various countries) that because so many of our students not only go to school but they play sports and have jobs as well that maybe our academics are easier but our over all cultural experience promotes a very strong work ethic (stronger than at home). What our your thoughts on that theory?

Reply
Jaci
9/24/2014 09:25:20 am

Ethan, great question. I touched on this a little bit in the above comment to Grant. I think that what you have gathered from your students is fairly accurate. I believe that American students are required to navigate "adult" culture at much earlier ages than teens in other countries. This is a pro and a con. The pro is a stronger work ethic and the understanding of the value of a dollar. The con, they lose their innocence at earlier and earlier ages and find themselves making choices that are meant to be made by adults. The specific examples that I am thinking of our alcohol, drugs, and sex. Though these are not completely absent from the life-experience of teens in other countries (and I am only speaking from my knowledge and experience in Asian countries), the percentage of students who encounter situations in which they must decide "yes" or "no" to these things is far lower. In fact, in South Korea it is incredibly hard to find drugs, especially among teens. I believe because they are not asked to grow up and be responsible as quickly, they also remain protected a little bit long from some things that we see pulling kids out of school in high numbers in America. (I hope that makes sense.)

Reply
Lindsey Boettcher
9/21/2014 11:07:44 am

I found your post very interesting. I have done a little reading about Finland as well and I agree that the support the education system gets is amazing. I have close family friends who live in Sweden and they do not assign homework over the weekend. The weekend is for family time and to not be working. Both work and play should be valued and supported.
I too am part of the Rochester Blended 2 community and I teach Visual Arts at Byron High School. I feel at our school we expect our students to be able to do it all. Play a sport, be involved in clubs, take 4 classes a day ( we have block schedule with not study hall, except 40 minutes on Thursdays) and we need to be readily available through email since now all our students 7-12 have 1:1 iPads. I feel this method can create anxiety among some of our students. Our staff works very hard for high test score, but I have no idea how they would compare to other countries.

Reply
Jaci
9/24/2014 09:31:13 am

Lindsey, yes, the balancing act that we all play and now expect students to know how to navigate--it is overwhelming at times. I think that is what I love about how Finland keeps activities separate from school. Then instead of everything in the city (especially small towns) resting on the organization and production of the school district, there are other people who are in charge of managing the activities so that teachers can just be teachers. And students, while they are at school, can just be students. I wonder how this would affect cliques and the social atmosphere of the school? I wonder if that overly-involved parent of the football captain wouldn't be interfering with his or her son's education by making demands for passing grades?

Reply
Lindsey
9/26/2014 01:30:58 am

I think if the extracurriculars was not weighed on so heavily by staff that teaching would more focused and better planned. Extracurriculars can add so much stress to teachers. I do think that relationships outside of school are important and valued, but I think the extras contribute to burnout rates of teachers. I wonder if teachers stay teaching longer in Finland? If there is no homework then teachers can go home and recharge just like the students. I am so used to going home with papers to correct or assignments to update. There never seems to be enough time in the day to get it all done. I am currently coaching boys C soccer:)

Jaci
9/26/2014 07:40:48 am

I agree about the relationship aspect--I think it is one of the most important parts of making a difference in kids' lives. I wonder if relationships would form just as well without the extracurriculars, and I wonder if teachers would have time to form relationships with students they normally wouldn't have time for (like the kids who aren't in any activities)?

I do not recall exactly the teacher retention rates in Finland (I am sure it is high) but in South Korea only 1% of teachers leave the the profession each year. Isn't that crazy?

Reply
Paul Callahan
9/29/2014 01:45:51 pm

A very in depth and comprehensive understanding of two different yet equally successful educational programs. My question I have is how much input/influence do the parents have in the educational system in South Korea. Do they drive the education and curriculum similarly to American education?

Thanks!

Reply
Jaci
10/29/2014 08:34:19 am

Paul, somehow I missed your comment earlier.
To answer your question I will use my somewhat limited understanding of the culture outside of the international education world: Based on my understanding parents push their children very hard toward success. Parents aren't involved much at the government or "school board" level. However, they are incredibly involved in their child's education and spend on average $300 a week on private tutors (mostly for English language and musical instruments). They do not rely completely on the public education to give students everything they they need to be successful. I see this as them taking the education of their children into their own hands--keeping them in public school, but supporting their education through private tutoring after school. I believe this is why they don't get too involved in the politics or educational system. Instead, they make up for what they see their student is missing out on at school with private lessons.
As a whole, the cutler highly values education and educators. Because of this it would be very rare for a parent to ever question a teacher or to complain to a teacher about a low grade. That wrath would be taken out on the student.

Reply
Sandra Wieser-Matthews
10/2/2014 05:49:29 am

What a beautiful in-depth Blog. The design is amazing, it is great to have additional research lengths, and I enjoy the depth you give to each post and topic.

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    Picture
    Photo Credit: City Hill Studio

    Jaclyn Loween

    EDUCATION
    M. Ed. in Teaching and Learning, St. Mary’s University, Winona, Minnesota

    B.A. in Communication Arts & Literature Education, grades
    5-12, Bethel University, St. Paul, Minnesota

    TEACHING EXPERIENCES

    Bachelor's & Master's program Writing & Communications, Education Instructor, Curriculum Director and Instructor, Writing Instructor,  International Baccalaureate  English Literature & Writing Teacher (South Korea), English Department Writing & Literacy Coach 



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