Well clearly you are incorrect because all of the smart people said we have to test to make sure that the kids are learning and we can only make sure that the kids learn by sitting them down and making sure they know the trivia for the test to make sure their learning, because the smart people said the test will make them learn, by making sure their learning.
/s
On the bright side, for every one of the above administrators there is a teacher who actually wants to help kids grow.
Edit: Teacher -> Administrator. I haven't met teachers who actually like standardized testing.
You make fun of the educational structure, but it's base structure can clearly succeed if given the right support from the family and the correct budget. Japan has done exceedingly well (though a little over stressed - there can be balance) with a very similar base model.
I understand that bashing all things American has become en vogue, but some things have just become corrupted due to lack of proper maintenance, really. Much like our health care system which has become over saturated with special interest and privatisation instead of a patient focus.
We've forgotten how to keep our eye on the prize, as it were, and lost focus on what the goal actually is.
> You make fun of the educational structure, but it's base structure can clearly succeed if given the right support from the family and the correct budget.
I did not mean to make fun of the structure itself so much as point out it's failings in our current environment, as you pointed out, Japan does it well, if a bit stressfully.
> I understand that bashing all things American has become en vogue
This was not my intent, I'm sorry if it came across that way.
> things have just become corrupted due to lack of proper maintenance, really.
I would argue that it's not just a lack of maintanence. There are a number of people who actively work against correct education because "That's not how we do it". I think you summed it up well with
> We've forgotten how to keep our eye on the prize, as it were, and lost focus on what the goal actually is.
Edit: Having read the other comment, it sounds like Japan has issues as well. I still believe this model could be successful, but it would appear it's hard to get right.
Elementary school in Japan is OK. It kind of goes off the rails after that though, with success in life largely dependent on a few exams, the content of which is not properly taught in school so everybody with the slightest ambition has to go to cram school (juku) to make up for it.
Anecdote and first-hand experience deny the claim that they're doing well. The criticisms section on the wiki cites a lot more than just stress and bullying:
> The Japanese educational system has also been criticized for failure to foster independent thinkers with cultural and artistic sensibility. Japanese students that attend schools overseas often face difficulty adapting and competing in that environment due to lack of international viewpoints.
/s
On the bright side, for every one of the above administrators there is a teacher who actually wants to help kids grow.
Edit: Teacher -> Administrator. I haven't met teachers who actually like standardized testing.