The magic of how to develop smarter students

While Finland's education system has been getting a lot of attention in Singapore lately, a new book on top education systems also puts the spotlight on South Korea and Poland, as well as Finland.

Why are countries with good education models getting it right whereas America is not?

That was what Amanda Ripley, an investigative journalist, sought to find out in her book, The Smartest Kids In The World: And How They Got That Way.

She is a fine storyteller, criss-crossing the globe, searching for clues on how the world's new education superpowers achieve results. The Emerson Fellow at the New America Foundation in Washington, DC, has written a series of acclaimed articles about learning and children in Time magazine and The Atlantic.

One common thread is that in all three countries, curriculum content is of a high standard. Students learn not just facts, but also critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Students are expected to master mathematical formulae and do calculations in their minds, without the aid of calculators, says Ripley.

Somewhat surprisingly in this tech-heavy age, she says that teachers in all three countries use chalk boards to teach. Electronic white boards and iPads are visibly absent in classrooms.

Students learn how to read from their teachers in school and parents at home. South Korean parents quiz their children on mathematical and science concepts while cooking dinner.

In essays, students are tested on their ability to explain in writing complex problems in mathematics and science. In science, they learn the connections between theory and life. For example they can explain, using science, what happens to a person's muscles when they exercise.

And again, contrary to perceptions that countries like Finland are free from rigorous tests, she found that all three countries have tough examination systems.

In Finland, some papers take six hours to complete. In one six-hour examination, students are tested on their ability to reason. Students can chose one out of 14 options, such as the difficulty of achieving peace in the Middle East, or "I blog, therefore I am".

All three countries place a lot of emphasis on teaching curriculum content in the classrooms.

First, schools set high educational expectations for its students and students meet them.

In 1998, the Polish government revamped the system, throwing out an old curriculum that covered topics superficially. A highly demanding new curriculum was implemented. To measure academic success, all of Poland's seven million students took standardised testing at regular intervals of their school life.

Second, teachers are highly trained. In Finland and South Korea, only the most educated are chosen to be trained as teachers. Polish teachers have to go for upgrading classes in education.

Ripley rises above the cacophony of noise from those who offer quixotic guesses on why the educational performance of countries differs. She digs deep into facts and challenges assumptions.

For instance, poverty is often given in America as one reason why its students do poorly. But she debunks this view by citing Norway as a place sliding into an educational gorge despite having virtually no child poverty.

One reason for Norway's weak academic performance, she says, is the quality of teacher training. "Norway is not choosy about who gets to become a teacher, and the quality of preparation varies wildly, just as it does in the US," notes Ripley.

She did travel to Singapore and Shanghai, which also have high-scoring students, but only makes brief mention of their educational achievements. Despite the exclusion of Singapore, her book offers valuable insight on how all schools can become good schools.

Her findings on the emphasis on academic rigour, testing and streaming have a familiar ring - it is the way educational outcomes are delivered in Singapore.

One strength of her book is her strategy of embedding three Americans for a year in these countries as students.

Kim, 15, heads from Oklahoma to Finland, while Eric, 18, steps off the treadmill in a high-achieving Minnesota suburb for South Korea and Tom, 17, travels from historic Pennsylvania to Poland.

In a school in Pietarsaari, perched on the west coast of icy Finland, Kim observes that her classmates look laid back. Many smoke in the school yard and some even step out during school hours for coffee in the town.

But inside the classroom, they are attentive, taking notes and completing essay assignments. When Kim asks them what makes them work so hard in school, one replies: "It's school. How else will I graduate and go to university and get a good job?"

These same hard-working student stories are filed by Eric in Busan, South Korea.

He is wide-eyed as he sees a third of his class sleeping during school hours. Some use the infamous napping pillow, slipped over wrists for comfort during naps on classroom tables.

But then he finds out why: They are tired out from non-stop studying. On weekdays, they study 15 hours a day - 13 hours in school and the rest in tuition centres or hagwons. The goal: passing an entry exam and earn a place in the country's three prestigious universities.

There are several takeaways from this book and the reader will not feel short-changed in the way the author offers solutions to complex educational issues.

There is no panacea. It is a matter for countries to decide how educational systems can be improved and it starts with the will and the know-how to make change happen.

mnirmala@sph.com.sg

The book is available at Kinokuniya at $47.64 (with GST).

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