Lawmakers told Maryland Schools are Complacent and Middle of the Pack

[Anonymous]

https://www.google.com/amp/www.independent.co.uk/news/education/11-best-school-systems-in-the-world-a7425391.html%3famp

The best school systems in the world. The US didn't make the list.

Similar commentary as the linked article from The Atlantic.

[Anonymous]

https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/10/a-creative-way-to-educate-low-income-students/381461/

Background on Cristo Rey schools and their mission to break the cycle of poverty.

A friend is affiliated with one in Los Angeles, and the outcomes are nothing short of amazing. Everyone gets up to grade level or higher (most students start several years below grade levels), everyone graduates, everyone goes to college, and everyone is ultimately employed.

If you went to private school, you understand the difference between private and public when it comes to structure, discipline, and philosophy.

The biggest thing these schools accomplish is preventing kids from getting involved with drugs or crime. Once a kid sets down the wrong path, it's nearly impossible to succeed.

If we learned anything from Mark Zuckerberg's failed school experiment in Newark, it's that fancy buildings with fancy technology and fancy pants teachers aren't the solution. Closing the achievement gap entails kicking it old school: setting expectations, demanding excellence, and an all hands on deck approach to equipping students to succeed. We don't need Prometheun boards and chrome books. We need a better curriculum, structure, discipline, smaller class sizes, and more resources.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.theatlantic.com/amp/article/471564/

The best Asian school systems do not group by ability. They expect all students to achieve. They don't pour resources into HGCs, magnets, etc. Instead, they provide resources more fairly, with additional resources for kids at the first sign of falling behind.

The data indicates that it really has nothing to do with socioeconomics. Rather, it boils down to expectations and investment.

Which data are you referring to? The data in the US indicate nothing of the sort.

Also, which are "the best Asian school systems", in your opinion, and how do you know they are the best?

The linked article explains that countries dealing with far worse poverty than the US don't have the same achievement gap issues.

Typical American: lazily skip over reading the actual article and rely on an isolated comment or simply draw your own conclusion.

Well, yes, in countries where lots more people are poor, they're not going to have the same achievement gap issues. The issue is not poverty, per se - it's poverty vs. affluence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

If you went to private school, you understand the difference between private and public when it comes to structure, discipline, and philosophy.

If you went to private school, you understand that private schools can select their students, and public schools can't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Here is what we hear when we have to give any feedback about the dismal state of education in the US and MD -
"Oh but Asians are "Tiger moms and dads". Lets not pay attention to anything they have to say because what do they know about the rigor in Asian countries and how well prepared students are in those countries? It is just that Asian parents do not want their kids to be happy! "

Is it any surprise that we are flocking to Asian-run prep classes to study all subjects, prep for SATs, prep for AP and IB classes and even magnet preps?

Who's "we"? I'm not going. Are you going?

Also, what qualifies as an "Asian-run prep class"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

If you went to private school, you understand the difference between private and public when it comes to structure, discipline, and philosophy.

If you went to private school, you understand that private schools can select their students, and public schools can't.

But private schools like Cristo Rey take the poorest and the most at-risk.

But you make an excellent point regarding the study body: it boils down to kids who can behave and want to learn, right? Which is precisely why schools like KIPP and Cristo Rey succeed: because they engage the troublemakers and demand success. They connect with them on a different level.

I'm going to see if I can dig up an article I read about a charter school in Chicago that only hires male teachers of color for their all boys school. They're seeing great results because now these boys have positive male role models who connect with them and shepherd them through the tween/teen years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Here is what we hear when we have to give any feedback about the dismal state of education in the US and MD -
"Oh but Asians are "Tiger moms and dads". Lets not pay attention to anything they have to say because what do they know about the rigor in Asian countries and how well prepared students are in those countries? It is just that Asian parents do not want their kids to be happy! "

Is it any surprise that we are flocking to Asian-run prep classes to study all subjects, prep for SATs, prep for AP and IB classes and even magnet preps?

Who's "we"? I'm not going. Are you going?

Also, what qualifies as an "Asian-run prep class"?

As an Asian American parent, I don't really want the Asian style of education here. No thank you. I know Asians who are desperate to come here for their kids' HS education because they hate the education system there.

The one thing I do agree with the Asian education culture is that they pay their teachers really really well. Being a teacher, and not just college professor, is highly regarded. Not so here. We have low standards for our teachers because the pay is low.

The US does not prioritize education. Mostly all talk, no action in terms of funding. If you look at countries with great education systems, they are funded very well. Let's start there, and then maybe you'd see some changes.

Here in the US, athletes and rap artists are prized and paid more than educators. Is it any wonder that poor kids would rather play ball all day to make it to the big league than focus on education?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Here is what we hear when we have to give any feedback about the dismal state of education in the US and MD -
"Oh but Asians are "Tiger moms and dads". Lets not pay attention to anything they have to say because what do they know about the rigor in Asian countries and how well prepared students are in those countries? It is just that Asian parents do not want their kids to be happy! "

Is it any surprise that we are flocking to Asian-run prep classes to study all subjects, prep for SATs, prep for AP and IB classes and even magnet preps?

Who's "we"? I'm not going. Are you going?

Also, what qualifies as an "Asian-run prep class"?

As an Asian American parent, I don't really want the Asian style of education here. No thank you. I know Asians who are desperate to come here for their kids' HS education because they hate the education system there.

The one thing I do agree with the Asian education culture is that they pay their teachers really really well. Being a teacher, and not just college professor, is highly regarded. Not so here. We have low standards for our teachers because the pay is low.

The US does not prioritize education. Mostly all talk, no action in terms of funding. If you look at countries with great education systems, they are funded very well. Let's start there, and then maybe you'd see some changes.

Here in the US, athletes and rap artists are prized and paid more than educators. Is it any wonder that poor kids would rather play ball all day to make it to the big league than focus on education?

This. People talk about extending the school year to get more instructional time in, and parents immediately chime in to say that their kid couldn't possibly start school early because of swim camp etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

If you went to private school, you understand the difference between private and public when it comes to structure, discipline, and philosophy.

If you went to private school, you understand that private schools can select their students, and public schools can't.

But private schools like Cristo Rey take the poorest and the most at-risk.

But you make an excellent point regarding the study body: it boils down to kids who can behave and want to learn, right? Which is precisely why schools like KIPP and Cristo Rey succeed: because they engage the troublemakers and demand success. They connect with them on a different level.

I'm going to see if I can dig up an article I read about a charter school in Chicago that only hires male teachers of color for their all boys school. They're seeing great results because now these boys have positive male role models who connect with them and shepherd them through the tween/teen years.

similar thing at a Watts private school.

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/High-School-in-Watts-Has-100-Percent-College-Acceptance-Rate-for-9th-Straight-Year-378466551.html

But I tend to think these are self selecting students. They or their parents value education. That's why they are there. Unfortunately, you can't force public school parents to have the same attitude about education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

But private schools like Cristo Rey take the poorest and the most at-risk.

But you make an excellent point regarding the study body: it boils down to kids who can behave and want to learn, right? Which is precisely why schools like KIPP and Cristo Rey succeed: because they engage the troublemakers and demand success. They connect with them on a different level.

I'm going to see if I can dig up an article I read about a charter school in Chicago that only hires male teachers of color for their all boys school. They're seeing great results because now these boys have positive male role models who connect with them and shepherd them through the tween/teen years.

All private schools -- including Cristo Rey -- can select whom they want and kick out whom they want. Do they engage the trouble makers? Do they kick out the trouble makers? I don't know. Do you know?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

If you went to private school, you understand the difference between private and public when it comes to structure, discipline, and philosophy.

If you went to private school, you understand that private schools can select their students, and public schools can't.

But private schools like Cristo Rey take the poorest and the most at-risk.

But you make an excellent point regarding the study body: it boils down to kids who can behave and want to learn, right? Which is precisely why schools like KIPP and Cristo Rey succeed: because they engage the troublemakers and demand success. They connect with them on a different level.

I'm going to see if I can dig up an article I read about a charter school in Chicago that only hires male teachers of color for their all boys school. They're seeing great results because now these boys have positive male role models who connect with them and shepherd them through the tween/teen years.

So it all boils down to having a positive role model, expectation of success and the desire to succeed. This is honestly nothing new. This is why students who have all of these things (primarily this comes from the home) do better than those who do not. No matter how much title one funding and special programs we throw at something, unless those 3 things are present, then forget it. Why do you think schools like Whitman, Wootton and Churchill are consistently at the top? It's because the majority of the students there have all the factors that enable success.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

This. People talk about extending the school year to get more instructional time in, and parents immediately chime in to say that their kid couldn't possibly start school early because of swim camp etc.

Probably the parents who say that their kid couldn't possibly start school early (or end school late) because of swim camp etc. are on the sunny side of the achievement gap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

So it all boils down to having a positive role model, expectation of success and the desire to succeed. This is honestly nothing new. This is why students who have all of these things (primarily this comes from the home) do better than those who do not. No matter how much title one funding and special programs we throw at something, unless those 3 things are present, then forget it. Why do you think schools like Whitman, Wootton and Churchill are consistently at the top? It's because the majority of the students there have all the factors that enable success.

This is true, if "all the factors that enable success" = money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Here is what we hear when we have to give any feedback about the dismal state of education in the US and MD -
"Oh but Asians are "Tiger moms and dads". Lets not pay attention to anything they have to say because what do they know about the rigor in Asian countries and how well prepared students are in those countries? It is just that Asian parents do not want their kids to be happy! "

Is it any surprise that we are flocking to Asian-run prep classes to study all subjects, prep for SATs, prep for AP and IB classes and even magnet preps?

Who's "we"? I'm not going. Are you going?

Also, what qualifies as an "Asian-run prep class"?

As an Asian American parent, I don't really want the Asian style of education here. No thank you. I know Asians who are desperate to come here for their kids' HS education because they hate the education system there.

The one thing I do agree with the Asian education culture is that they pay their teachers really really well. Being a teacher, and not just college professor, is highly regarded. Not so here. We have low standards for our teachers because the pay is low.

The US does not prioritize education. Mostly all talk, no action in terms of funding. If you look at countries with great education systems, they are funded very well. Let's start there, and then maybe you'd see some changes.

Here in the US, athletes and rap artists are prized and paid more than educators. Is it any wonder that poor kids would rather play ball all day to make it to the big league than focus on education?

This. People talk about extending the school year to get more instructional time in, and parents immediately chime in to say that their kid couldn't possibly start school early because of swim camp etc.

PP here.. exactly. I actually am for year round schools. There are studies that show it would reduce the "summer brain drain". My kids don't do much studying during the summer other than the packets they get from school. But still, they get summer brain drain. A shorter summer break and longer breaks in between quarter would help them retain information better. They are quite burnt out by the end of school year.

It doesn't help that Hogan prioritized Ocean City businesses over our schools when he pushed out the start of school to after Labor Day. In places like Korea, the cities come to a halt when kids take their all important exams. People are told to stay home from work so as not to crowd the streets/subways; planes are not allowed to fly over exam areas... I'm not saying we should do something like this, but you can see where our priorities differ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

So it all boils down to having a positive role model, expectation of success and the desire to succeed. This is honestly nothing new. This is why students who have all of these things (primarily this comes from the home) do better than those who do not. No matter how much title one funding and special programs we throw at something, unless those 3 things are present, then forget it. Why do you think schools like Whitman, Wootton and Churchill are consistently at the top? It's because the majority of the students there have all the factors that enable success.

This is true, if "all the factors that enable success" = money.

Nope, not necessarily. Look at Clarksburg HS which has a 30% FARMS rate, look at the data and you'll see that Asian students there are thriving and doing very well. These are not kids from wealthy Bethesda families. Same with other schools- look at the data on Asian students. The fact is, a lot of Asian families regardless of socioeconomic background- value education, expect success and pass this down to their children.