Education Reform Across The World

An educational system is a means to develop a workforce, to improve the socioeconomic status of the poor via social mobility, and to create a shared culture. Given these important roles, educational systems are targets for social reformers. Joseph Lancaster and Arne Duncan were both education reformers with strong and influential ideas about what and how students are taught. Lancaster was a London schoolmaster and eventual leader of the Monitorial education reform movement in the early 1800s. Duncan was the US Secretary of Education from 2009-2015, and led an era of active federal education reform. In comparing and contrasting these two educational reformers from the past and present, there are more similarities than differences.

Ever since standardized testing started being used as a way to evaluate the intelligence of students and the teachers’ ability to educate, the standard of actual education has been diminished immensely. Standardized testing is used in most public and private schools to analyze students’ knowledge. It has affected the way in which students learn and has corrupted the methods teachers use to educate. In some cases, English-Learning and disabled students face discrimination from teachers since teachers have more responsibility to have a high number of passing students. Some countries around the world don’t use standardized tests to rank their students or schools and yet they have been successful. Standardized tests are not efficient on making students learn, they should not be used to evaluate students’ knowledge.

Students dread the time of the year when they stop with their course material and begin to prepare for test. Everyone is in agreement that some type of revolution is needed when it comes to education; eliminating standardized test will aid the reform. The need for standardized testing has proven to be ineffective and outdated; some leading educationalist also believe this because the tests do not measure a student’s true potential. This will save money, stop labeling, and alleviate stress in students and teachers.

Their eyes met from across the room, and any student paying close enough attention could see the loathing in the teacher’s eyes as the principal walks into the room for the bi-semester teacher evaluation. In the blink of an eye the teacher returns her focus back on the students, but the obvious exchange between the two individuals makes those of us in the classroom that understand the source of the icy gaze extremely uncomfortable. My teacher hates the principal with a passion. Ever since the principal assumed control of the school three years prior to this particular evaluation, she terrorized my band director. Through micromanaging, criticizing relentlessly, organizing meetings incessantly, and sabotaging schedules, my principal fostered a hate from not only my band director, but also from the majority of teachers in my high school. The attitude and leadership techniques utilized by my former principal directly contradicts current theories of the scholarly community on how to effectively lead a school.

Over the last two decades America’s educational system has been descending on the national ranking chart. According to Rankingamerica.com, countries like South Korea and Japan are leading the charts in education while the U.S is rank number fourteen. There are many attributes that play a part of this destruction, but the overuse of the unforgiving arrangement of standardized testing has a strong presence. Though, standardized testing has been around since the 1800’s but the tests that are implemented today are no match for educators or students.

In 1630, John Winthrop dreamt that America was a “City on the Hill”, predestined for preeminence. In 1776, the American Colonies proclaimed independence with the affirmation that all men are equal, free, and blessed with the sacred rights to life, liberty, and happiness. These uniquely American ideals ideals characterized the young democracy in contrast to the oppressive monarchies of Europe. European citizens saw the correlation between America’s greatness and its democratic principles. The liberties that America furnished to all men, regardless of status, gave citizens pride in their nation and drew envy from constituents of tyrannical monarchies. The notions of equality and freedom, however, did not extend to all of America’s population;

I would like to advocate for the education reform and the CCSS because I do not believe that these tests can prepare children for the outside world. Moreover, educations approach towards student should change. I would like to help families understand the test do not define the ability of their children and their student, so they do not need to be disappointed with them. I want to advocate on this issue because I believe in each child and understand teach a child is unique and different, and their potential differs from many others. Schools must become a place for children to feel safe and wanted and although, High school students are at risk many students in elementary years are at risk as well. If this education system does not change fewer

One of the many changes in the Age of Reform was the reformation of public education. The first schools were built for religious purposes, but during this reformation period, the reformers wanted better schools to make sure that the future voters would be informed. Also, these schools would help immigrants become part of the culture of American society. Massachusetts was the first state to set up public schools, schools paid by taxes, and this was also the first state to have compulsory education. This is where children had to go to school until a certain age. Reformers like Horace Mann changed many aspects to the schools in Massachusetts. He created colleges to train teachers, raised the salaries of the teachers, and he lengthened the school

Since the release of the annual report by Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) in December of 2010, many in the government and community are searching for ways to reform the American education system to give American students a greater opportunity to succeed. According to the report, one cannot ignore the fact that American students are not testing as high academically as other nations in the world (Duncan, 2010). There are many contributing elements that have brought America to her knees in the education system, however, the obsession with standardized testing is found to be more of a stumbling block than a stepping stone in the education system. To understand how to rectify the problem, we must look at all the facts

According to National Tests and Implications written by Evers (2005), information of standardized testing is essential. It is believed that the continued improvement of a country, like global competitiveness, increased productivity and standards of living is dependent on “language, business, academic, technological, and workplace skills within the population” (as cited in Norris, 2009).

The Diversity, Citizenship, and Global Education Consensus Panel was gathered by The Center for Multicultural Education at the University of Washington and developed “Democracy and Diversity: Principles and Concepts for Educating Citizens in a Global Age” document. According to the document, four principles and ten concepts are critical for creating education programs which will guide students in becoming effective citizens of the world. The principles and concepts imply that students should learn about democracy, diversity, human rights, and interdependence from the perspectives of their local communities, nations, religion, and the world.

Still, the issue of whether or not nationwide standardized testing, despite some of its benefits, really demonstrates the student's’ knowledge based on performance alone remains. Many would agree that teachers reserve the right and the duty to help diminish economic and class barriers in the classroom and to steer their pupils toward the path of success, whatever the cost. I agree that a standardized test alone will not calculate the aptitude and capability of a student, but teachers should also make sure to recognize present differences prior to examination so that certain measures could be conducted to ensure favorable outcomes in standardized testing. More funding should also be given to so called “underperforming”, poorer schools so that their institutions can be more leveled with higher performing, wealthier schools, that way, it can significantly reduce the already receding achievement gap between students of both class demographics. Thirdly, standardized tests should be devised and rewritten in a way where it does not just measure how well a student can take a generic test, but actually tests their knowledge on subjects where it is at their level or maybe a little beyond that. They can do this by first providing a pretest early in the school year where the instructor can pinpoint weaknesses and strengths, the teacher can then design lessons based on those facts which would then help the student learn better at their own

Throughout the history of education there has been many education reforms. According to Enrique Pena Nieto “Education reform has as its main purpose to make sure that the education delivered is of quality” ( (2015 BrainyQuote INC, 2015). Whether it be for primary and secondary students, higher education, low-income students, or teachers, there is always an improvement that can be made for the better. A comparison of education reforms that reveals some of the positive, negative, and needed changes in education.

“Schooling the world” was a film based on schools around the world. The Director Carol Black focuses on India schooling and American schooling. The purpose of this film is to show that Americans think education should be one way and not different ways. The schooling in India has changed over time and locals are struggling with the changes. In the older schooling in India is was based on crops and the community. Very few people went to school, but many worked in the fields and in homes. Children are now being sent to boarding school in other towns and leaving their homes to get a better education. Many small towns in India are struggling with the new concept of learning and young people's views on money and communities. Throughout the film I agreed with most of the points in the film, I do disagree with some of the views the older Indian generation has.

Education reform is a topic that every student, parent and teacher should be interested in because it effects everyone in the community. Many different approaches to education reform have been tried, and even though they seem to work for the time being, there are always more improvements that need to be made. One of the best ideas that has been discussed in the most recent years is getting the parents and students more involved in the actual reform process. Many school administrators see a problem with involving students, even though they are the ones most affected by the changes within schools. Student’s opinions should be taken into consideration because they are the ones who see what happens inside the school and within the classroom, and are the most affected by it. Involving parents and students in the reform of their schools will improve the quality of education, improve parent and teacher relationships and reduce parent and student complaints.