Student Review: The Global Achievement Gap by Tony Wagner (reviewed by Daniel H.)

The Global Achievement Gap: Why Our Kids Don’t Have the Skills They Need for College, Careers, and Citizenship—and What We Can Do About It by Tony Wagner

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Many American students would expect the United States to be a leading country in healthcare and education but in fact the United States is ranked 17th in educational performance in the world.

The education system is faulty at its core since it is stuck in a trance teaching to the methods that were developed for the past. Nowadays employers are expecting students who know and can fluidly use the seven survival skills. These skills are proven to be necessary in the book by Tony Wagner, The Global Achievement Gap. This book looks at how the schools are using multiple choice tests designed by the state to see where their students are on their literacy and mathematical skills. The problem with many of these test as Wagner puts it is “these tests do not indicate whether a student is ready for college even if they achieved a passing score” As I was reading this book I agreed with many of Wagner’s points. As a high school student I often feel that that the class is just teaching for the final test. It is not just Wagner who believes that the schools are not preparing their students adequately for high education. In the documentary Waiting for Superman the film mentioned the unreliability of state tests since they are incredibly skewed and often solely prepared for during the year.

As mentioned earlier the new skills needed for the future aren’t test taking but the seven survival skills. These skills are in high demand by employers because students with these skills know how to work with a team, problem solve, communicate with others and are curious to learn. Wagner spends a chapter interviewing successful business leaders on what they look for in their employees, and each one responded with the seven skills. In a study of elementary schools funded by the National Health Institute researchers concluded their research with this “In a course of 20 minutes the majority is spent watching the teacher do problems or working on a worksheet alone with minimal feedback. Few opportunities were provided to work in small groups and work on analytical skills.” This form of teaching which is very linear and focused on math and English is due to the “No Child Left Behind” Law. Due to this law schools are tested every year on these skills and many receive the needs improvement standard. This is why Wagner says the state tests can be questioned for their effectiveness. The school’s focus all their time and money on the two subjects tested while cutting out the classes and skills that prepare students for post education.

The documentary Waiting for Superman blames the failing schools as the fault of the teachers. Although it may seem logical to blame the teachers who have proven failures, it is not justified to blame all teachers for the failing students. It can’t be the fault of the teachers themselves since their training is mainly consisted of the core classes such as English, history and math. When Wagner interviewed dozens of teachers they all said “With very few courses that teach how to be effective teachers and none on how to be a change -leader or even to supervise teachers effectively.” Without the proper skills teachers can’t be expected to do their job effectively. Wagner explains a major reason why schools fail is due to the faculty’s lack of understanding for the current challenges in schools and classrooms. This book provides extensive proof for the need to change the current way our education system is run. It should be important for everyone to understand that passing the test is not enough. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to do more for their education.
~ Student Review: Daniel H.

View all my reviews

The Homework Myth, by Alfie Kohn (reviewed by Edward F.)

The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing by Alfie Kohn

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

“A study published in 2002 found a direct relationship between how much time high school students spent on homework and the levels of anxiety, depression, anger, and other mood disturbances they experienced.” The Homework Myth by Alfie Kohn is an analysis of homework that challenges the age-old belief that homework is a productive practice and essential to learning. Packed with facts, observations, and suggestions, Kohn debunks common assumptions and states that teachers, parents and school districts owe it to students to create a homework policy based on “what’s true and what makes sense.” On the very first page of his book, Kohn finds it a curious fact that the homework habit is taken for granted, even while many educators and parents “are troubled by its impact on children.” Kohn states that because of homework, kids are “missing out on their childhoods” because of the upward trend in the amount assigned, and that it has a “negative impact” on the family, essentially “giving the parent a new role as teacher or enforcer.” Kohn challenges the widespread belief that homework enhances learning by examining research and studies that go as far back as 1897, and that are as current as within the last decade. He includes the topic of competition in his review of the evidence by looking at the assertions that U.S. students get less homework than students in other parts of the world, and that foreign countries far excel the U.S. on test scores. He finds that “ . . . research was too sparse or poorly conducted to allow trustworthy conclusions.” Kohn’s in-depth investigation into the topic of homework explores the possibility of nonacademic advantages as well as reasons why homework is a tenacious practice. Time and again Kohn argues that claims about homework turn out to be “dubious and unsubstantiated”; he highlights stories about parents and educators who have pushed back, and he offers examples of schools that demonstrated academic distinction is possible in the absence of homework. While it can be tedious and boring to get through some of the points, the overall message in Kohn’s book is intriguing and thought-provoking, forcing the reader to look at the concept of homework with an eye of scrutiny. ~ Student: Edward F.

View all my reviews