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The American Educational System

F. The American Educational System. Why America is Failing.

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The American Educational System

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  1. F The American Educational System Why America is Failing

  2. America used to be the number one educational system in the world. Today our students have tested 14th in reading, 17th in science, and 25th in mathematics compared to 70 developed nations. Top performing countries include Australia, Canada, Shanghai China, and Finland (NCEE).

  3. What are we doing wrong?

  4. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 changed America’s approach to education by focusing on accountability. Schools and teachers are now required to prove how they are meeting student needs. This boils down to excellent standard test results…or else. The government punishes schools and states for low student achievement. Accountability equals standardized testing and similar tests as means of determining student achievement. As a result students are “taught to the test.” What is accountability?

  5. American curriculum focuses more on standardized test content than actual student learning needs. This focus on test prep is only retained by students in the short-term and is not relevant to the needs of students in the long-term. How can students compete in the global landscape when they are not learning the appropriate curriculum? What does it mean to be “taught-to-the-test?”

  6. There are 52 different accountability structures! One for every state – this means that students are learning different curriculum based on different frameworks and test results are assessed using differentmeasurements….. The government uses a unified framework to determine the achievement of all these different assessments. Curriculum can’t be adjusted until accountability methods are fixed. What sense does that make?

  7. The American Educational System is a maze of dead ends! We need a new approach that focuses on a uniformed accountability structure and comprehensiveand challenging curriculum that requires critical thinking skills.

  8. CANADA TAIWAN FINLAND CHINA SWITZERLAND KOREA JAPAN America must learn from countries whose educational systems are currently succeeding! POLAND ESTONIA

  9. Finland and South Korea have the top performing students in the world according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

  10. Same curriculum for all students • Light homework loads • Very little standardized testing • Children do not start school until age 7 • Comprehensive preschool program that emphasizes "self-reflection" and socializing, not academics • Grades are not given until high school • Teachers must have master's degrees • Becoming a teacher in Finland is highly competitive What they are doing right…Finland’s Educational System

  11. Students are separated into academic and vocational tracks during the last three years of high school • Diagnostic testing of students is used early and frequently • Intensive intervention is provided for students in need of extra help. • Groups of teachers visit each other’s' classes to observe their colleagues at work. • Teachers get one afternoon per week for professional development. • School funding is higher for the middle school years when dropping out is at the highest risk. • College is free.

  12. Finland’s educational system is the model of SUCCESS.The U.S. should investigate and implement best practices from top performing educational systems around the world such as Finland.

  13. Highly qualified instructors • Less emphasis on grades and standardized testing • More emphasis on the act of learning, critical thinking and collaboration • Unified curriculum and core standards for assessing progress • Learner-centered approaches Top Performing Educational Systems Have the Following Factors of Success

  14. America is failing to compete on the global landscape because graduates are unprepared. Students spend most of their time preparing for standardized tests – not how to solve problems through critical thinking or preparing for the real world through dynamic learning environments.

  15. Will standardized tests run the country?Will standardized tests solve the world’s greatest problems?

  16. NO! So why is America obsessed with standardized testing?

  17. It is a FACT that American students are FAILING compared to more than a dozen other countries. The time to act is NOW! Students are our future, if they fail… WE ALL FAIL! Take a stand and demand change NOW!

  18. References “Global grade: How do U.S. students compare?” Greatschools.com.2008. Web. National Commission on Excellence in Education. “A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform.” 1983. Web. Shepherd, Jessica. “World Education Rankings: Which Country Does Best at Reading, Maths and Science?” Datablog. 2010. Web.

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