EDUC 2110-Lesson 5:

How We Rank

Overview Viewpoint:

Lesson 5 of Education 2110 focused on the nations ranking compared to other countries. For most of the categories The United States fell short. The following questions were based on a website. This website had reports from 2009 to 2012. The following questions are also based off a handout about student drop outs. Lesson 5 makes you think of how different The United States is. It shows how differently we do things compared to other countries.

 

 

• Question #1

In one well-written paragraph, describe the highest performing nation, the lowest performing nation, and how the United States compares. Use the 2009 report for this information. Do NOT just "list" the answers!

                This report covers 3 different subjects. In Reading, math, and science the Republic of Korea had some of the highest scoring top in Math and Reading and 3rd in science being beat by Finland. Finland did however come in 2nd for both math and reading. As race goes non-Hispanic or whites and Asians had high overall scores the other races. Mexico was actually one of the lowest scoring counties in all three subjects. Blacks and Hispanics had overall the lowest scores overall averages. For the most part the U.S. scored in the middle of all averages.

 

• Question #2

In another well-written paragraph, describe what nation performs the highest in Math and who performs higher in reading skills, boys or girls (2009 report)?

                In math literacy the U.S. average was lower the OECD score. They scored at 487 making lower than 24 other countries. Republic Of Korea being first having a score of 546. The U.S. was up 9 countries. In math literacy Mexico scored the lowest with a 419 score. Male students scored higher the female students in math. Female students only scored higher than men in only 5 countries. In reading literacy 13 other countries score higher than the United States in OECD 6 averaged higher than the U.S. 20 other countries fell below the U.S. 13 of them average was lower than the U.S. When it comes to reading compared to the math literacy females actually scored higher than the males. Females scored higher than males in 65 countries. That means that females scored higher in all the countries that was tested in reading.

 

• Question #3

Describe the performance of single-parent students (2009 report).

                From the OECD 17% of the students who took the test came from single-parent homes. They scored lowered then the ones who has both parents in their households. The united states in one of the countries that has a high single parent percentage compared to other countries. The United States has the most points of 23 compared to Ireland or Mexico scoring at 13. They have more than other countries like Belgium and Japan having 10 points.

 

• Question #4

Concerning performance levels, how important are parents? In other words, can parents make a difference? Describe.

                Parents are very important. Parents are supposed to be the big supporters of their child. I feel like when parents don’t support their child they start to feel down about themselves. I think sometimes they also start to think that they won’t be able to do something. When parents help with a child’s performance levels sometimes the technique that they use are a lot better then what the teacher does. Sometimes that’s the only way a student wants to do something or want to excel in something if they have their parent’s support. From the article parent engagement in their child’s reading level could impact their reading performance.

 

 

• Question #5

Describe what makes a school successful according the the 2009 PISA report?

                PISA test 15 year olds performance in three different subjects. PISA helps research’s fix problems in weaknesses in the education systems around the world. According to PISA policies, resources, and practices makes a school successful. In the article a successful school comes from students performing above average. If you come from places like a single parent home it can sometimes affects how a student learns and how successful they care in the school which could affect the school.

 

 

• Question #6

As a future classroom teacher, How can you use the information on this web site?

                As a teacher I could use this to go in a lot deeper in the categories. If I was trying to teach a student math I could make sure that they can model change. It could help me identify good practices. The information from the web site and help me identify better ways of teaching students and identify where their weak spots are. I can help the students and their parents connect a lot better so that the parent is a lot more supportive.

 

 

• Question #7

Do you think the information on this web site is accurate? Why or why not?

                Yes, I do think the page on this website is accurate. One example that I know is true is the single parent part. A lot of children who come from single parent homes have less support then those who have both parents in the house. I think that can affect the child and how they feel sometimes. I also feel like the percentage rate like the scoring is also correct when it comes to U.S. having a higher rate of single parent households then other countries. I feel like the U.S. does a lot of things that other countries do not do. A lot of countries don’t even do divorces or having children out of wedlock. So I do feel like that is accurate. A also feel that the scoring in other categories is true also. Compared to other countries education is a lot different and many households don’t even make it priority so that’s why I think we scored a lot lower in all the categories because other countries do their education system way differently than we do.

 

 

• Question #8

Based on your analysis of the web site information, do you believe that certain political mandates designed to increase reading and math performance levels (such as the No Child Left Behind law) ARE working or ARE NOT working? Explain.

                For the most part I personally think that the political mandates have been working. For example here in Georgia when I was in high school it was that If you didn’t pass all your state graduation tests you couldn’t graduate. I feel like that was a good mandate test because it made students take their education a lot more serious. I know students who failed it the first time and it changed them to want to do better. The test was supposed to make sure that you learned what you was supposed to learn in school. The no child left behind law was also pretty good because it was supposed to help students with disadvantages.

 

• Summary

Overall, this lesson was about the different ways that programs and laws are trying to help students all across the world. PISA basically is trying to identify problems so that they can help fix them. They want to help and identify the ways on how to make a school successful by comparing to why how other school in different countries might be successful. The U.S didn’t really score well and they really didn’t score badly when it came to the three subjects and most it is because the U.S lives a different lifestyle than most other countries. This article was in enlightener on how other countries are doing a lot better in their education then we are.

 

 

• Research Question

How does living in foster care affect a students learning?

http://stateimpact.npr.org/ohio/2014/08/04/the-impact-of-foster-care-on-students-education/

 

• Research Analysis

                Students in foster care tend to show up a lot less. Usually that happens when the student is placed in a new home. Sometimes when the student moves around they sometimes lack of consistence and makes them have more educational needs. They start to have to adjust to new things like the new environment and making new friends. Sometimes they start to feel alone causing them to lose focus on their education work. Most times teachers and staff don’t even know that the student is in foster care so they can’t help make accommodations for them or they might now know if it is affecting them or not. When they move around a lot sometimes the places they are placed in academics aren’t a focus. Sometimes they even have lack of parent support with the school.

                Foster care also affects a student’s performance also by where they live. Depending on how long they live their or if they are placed in a group home it could affect them. Depending on their living conditions it can affect their academic achievement. Most students who live in group homes are the ones who most at risk especially the ones who are older they are the ones with the lowest academic achievements. When you live in a group home it’s kind of like being placed in a full classroom. You can always get your teacher (foster parent) attentions when you want to. It causes you to get less support because of that.

 

• Research Summary

                I feel like children who live in foster group homes have it worse than those who live in foster homes when it’s just them. When you live in a foster group you don’t really have a parent who is there for you because they have other focuses. That affects their performances in school. Just like moving around a lot. When you move to different places not all schools are learning the same thing so it makes it hard for you. The article made me more aware of how it affects older students then the younger students. There should be some political mandates for foster children because they suffer from disadvantages too that not everyone can understand.