Group Reading Presentation:

The Smartest Kids in the World and How They Got That Way

by Amanda Ripley

DANIEL ESTAPEKRISTINA HERNANDEZ

TAWONA JENKINSJESSICA MANGES

The Author: Amanda Ripley

Well known investigative journalist for magazines like Time, The Atlantic

Her book, The Smartest Kids in the World and How They Got That Way, is a New York Times bestseller

She is known for researching cases that require her to find the gap between public policy and human behavior

Part I

Part I explores the mystery of why some children in certain parts of the world perform well above what is considered “average” as opposed to others on international educational student assessments like the PISA.

The Program for International Student Assessment, also known as PISA, was developed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

PISA was first administered in 2000 and had more than forty countries participating.

The top scorer on the test in

2000 was Finland!

Part I

PISA indicated which countries taught their students to think for themselves as the assessment itself seemed to test more on “life skills than school skills” (p. 21).

The PISA results also predicted the future success of each country.

PISA “demanded fluency in problem solving and the ability to communicate” (p. 23), therefore it showed that each country thrived on the student’s critical thinking skills.

Have you ever seen a PISA test question?

Intermission Brought to you by PISA

In January, the new CDs of the bands 4U2Rock and The Kicking Kangaroos were released. In February, the CDs of the bands No One's Darling and The Metalfolkies followed. The following graph shows the sales of the bands' CDs from January to June. In which month did the band No One's Darling sell more CDs than the band The Kicking Kangaroos for the first time? A. No MonthB. MarchC. AprilD. May

Part II

Ripley provides the reader with a comparison of makes Finland, South Korea and Poland “superpowers” in education compared to the US via the perspective of three high school field agents.

What made these countries unique?

• Higher expectations for everyone involved, students and teachers alike

• Highly qualified and rigorous teacher selection process

• Less focus on the extracurricular and more on academics

• Real parent involvement

Part II

Drive! Matters more than just “talent”

Parent involvement has a huge impact on student performance.

The desired parenting style to produce children that perform better in school is the coaching style or authoritative style in which the parent is warm, responsive, and close to their kids, however as their kids get older they give them the freedom to fail and make their own life choices.

An example of this is shown in Chinese-American parents and how they are more hands-on with younger children and as they get older they provide them with more autonomy (p.113).

Part II

Change needs to happen for education to get better. Reform took place in all the countries, but most in Poland. In 1997 Poland’s Minister of Education, Miroslaw Handke, had Poland go through a transition

phase to achieve a new level of equilibrium in education (p.131). Handke had a four step plan:

Rigor first – New Curriculum Accountability second – Standardized Tests Raised expectations third – Extended schooling years instead of a vocational option Autonomy fourth – Teachers could select their own instructional materials from a list of approved

options

Part III

Finland, Poland and Korea all had something in common. They believed that education is in fact a serious matter. Despite diversity or economics they strived to make sure their children

got a good education. Let’s Compare:

DataFinland South Korea USA3 percent of children have immigrant parents

2 percent of children have immigrant parents

20 percent of children have immigrant parents

Everyone held to high expectations

Extremely high expectations for all

Standards depending on race and economics.

Matriculation test at the end of high school

Matriculation test determines future

Frequent test throughout the year

What does America need?

An agreement to impart rigor in academics and in teacher selection. Higher expectations and follow through on these goals. Acceptance of a much needed reform. Understanding what students need to know in the real-world. A serious education system that students acknowledge as the real

deal.

Reference

Ripley, A. (2013). The smartest kids in the world: And how they got that way (pp. vii-306). New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.