Top Test Scores From Shanghai Stun Educators

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With China’s debut in international standardized testing, students in Shanghai have surprised experts by outscoring their counterparts in dozens of other countries, in reading as well as in math and science, according to the results of a respected exam.

American officials and Europeans involved in administering the test in about 65 countries acknowledged that the scores from Shanghai — an industrial powerhouse with some 20 million residents and scores of modern universities that is a magnet for the best students in the country — are by no means representative of all of China.

About 5,100 15-year-olds in Shanghai were chosen as a representative cross-section of students in that city. In the United States, a similar number of students from across the country were selected as a representative sample for the test.

nytimes.com/2010/12/07/education/07education.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
 
No surprise to me, not at all. I would have been surprised if the results had turned out otherwise.

DaveBj
 
DaveBj said:
No surprise to me, not at all. I would have been surprised if the results had turned out otherwise.

DaveBj
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Indeed, the US ranks way down there in math and science. And the way the English language is slowly deteriorating, there should be no surprise at the lower reading levels there among English speakers.
 
A Nation At Risk was written in 1983. Here is one paragrah:

Secondary school curricula have been homogenized, diluted, and diffused to the point that they no longer have a central purpose. In effect, we have a cafeteria style curriculum in which the appetizers and desserts can easily be mistaken for the main courses. Students have migrated from vocational and college preparatory programs to “general track” courses in large numbers.

Educationally, it seems that things have only gotten worse since that report was written. American schools excel at mediocrity. And the creation of a Department of Education has not helped matters. Students and parents often lack motivation except when it comes to local sports teams, and are not at all serious about learning. Even good teachers cannot help if students are not serious about learning. And motivated students can learn even with mediocre teachers.

So the U.S. now finds itself way down the list of nations in terms of educational results.
 
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