Comparative Education Reflection

Issues that emerged from the articles and video documentaries that apply to my own professional context/education are the comparison of rigor and work ethic of US students to Sweden and China as well as Australia’s approach to their national curriculum plan.
The teacher who comes from China to teach students in Ohio describes how he perceived students in the US to being enthusiastic in class, but the work ethic to go over and beyond and the competiveness of their education did not compare to that of his students in China is something my own students struggle with. Most of my students sadly have an attitude that getting just a passing grade is satisfactory and they have no desire to push for the better grade is frustrating. The competiveness of having good grades and out doing each other academically was key in my education. I find these own issues as well with my own child. We have to have many talks about how it is not acceptable to just do the minimum, that doing more and extending yourself is what is acceptable.
The young girl from Sweden who explains that while she is an exchange student for a year in the US will receive no credit for it in Sweden makes you question if the education and approach we are taking in the US is on the right track to improving and supporting us to be an economically and globally competitive nation. Even though the situation does not directly impact me I kind of made me feel embarrassed for the US that this was reality.
When watching the short film clip on Australia’s plan for a national curriculum it home with the changes North Carolina will be making by adopting the national math standards in the coming year. The unity that can come of this I think can be positive if executed correctly as Australia put by allowing the flexibility of planning, lessons, and assessments being left up to individual schools and/or teachers to fit the needs of their students for maximum growth.