U.S. vs highest-achieving nations in education

Linda Darling-Hammond
"U.S. vs highest-achieving nations in education"
Washington Post
March 22, 2011

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/darling_hammond_us_vs_highest_achieving_nations_in_education/2011/03/22/ABkNeaCB_blog.html?wprss=rss_educationTopic: Ideas for improving education

I found this blog post from the Washington Post and then I saw this article, page 7 of the pdf “Less bang for the buck” which is also an interesting view point. http://www.aaeteachers.org/images/em/2011febnews.pdfThe whole pdf is interesting but the amount of money spent per student compared with other countries is fascinating. Where are the countries who are spending less putting their money and achieving better results?

Key Points: We have a debate going on about how to improve education. It is helpful to get an idea about what all the sides are saying. It’s not just Skinner vs. Gardener and I see good points being made on both sides of the debate. Unfortunately, people seem to gravitate to an all or nothing approach.

Relevance: What happens with education and where we go from here will have an effect on how, what, and why we do what we do. Understanding the differing philosophies and motivations behind those philosophies will be key to navigating this debate and eventually deciding what to support.