Education is an extremely important part of any society. Around the world, though, the methods used to teach students vary widely. Although a large amount of this happens due to cultural influence, it is also important to remember that any given school can change its internal culture to better serve their students. By examining different types of education systems from around the world, those that serve in leadership roles can find better ways to connect with the students. Teacher leadership programs develop the ability of leaders to look critically at their institutional performance and plan for the future.
South Korea
In the not-too-distant past, South Korea had many educational problems. Within the past 60 years, they have gone from a war-torn country with educational hardships to one with nearly 100 percent literacy. While that might seem like a remarkable success story, this might sound wonderful, there is a downside that statistic. Students in South Korea (as well as other Asian countries) are under a tremendous pressure to perform. The students study year-round and are put in classes with a large number of students. The idea is that students will learn to work hard, and the hardest workers succeed, but also that they are treated as a collective, cohesive group instead of individual students. While many in teacher leadership in America would argue that this is not a good idea on the surface, there is much to be said for students moving as one unit, be it in one classroom or through an entire career.
Japan
Japan relies heavily on standardized tests similar to North Korea, but in addition to this type of education system, they also rely heavily on “shadow education” programs. These are extracurricular classes or tutoring at key educational transitions. This type of program has also been seen to be successful in Kenya, according to a study from the early 2000s. Those involved in teacher leadership roles can use this information to look into extracurricular help for their students and support the idea that it takes more than just classes and testing to create success.
Finland
On the other hand, Finland has a shortened school day and schools sponsor a wide range of extracurricular activities. These activities do not include sports, as those are sponsored by towns instead of schools, but the culture of the entire country pushes education as one of the most important parts of life. Teachers in Finland are in session roughly half of the amount of time as American teachers. This allows for more time to complete professional development, seek feedback and collaborate with other professionals.
For those working in leadership roles in education, examining other types of education systems can help them examine their own with a critical eye. Although taking another educational system and imposing it superficially is not a good plan, taking the very best of each system and creating something new can be very effective. Students who are disengaged are not effective learners, but by using the best of what is available around the world, leadership teams can create a better learning environment.
Learn about the Lamar University graduate online education programs.
Sources:
http://ideas.ted.com/what-the-best-education-systems-are-doing-right/
