American Education Reform: 10 Lessons the U.S. Can Learn From Other Countries

The city of Shanghai, China is ranked number one in the world for education. One strategy that stands out is how high-performing schools help low-performing schools. According to the Pearson Foundation, this is accomplished by "'pairing' a strong school with a weaker school or by creating a consortium in which a number of schools in a specific area are grouped in a cluster with a strong school at the core."

In extreme cases, there is something known as "empowered administration." When this happens, strong schools take over the leadership of a school that isn't performing well. They do this by sending a team of experienced teachers and school administrators to improve the management and teaching methods.

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Students complaining about long school hours may have a point. In Finland, the duration of instruction is only 600 hours per year, compared to 1,080 hours in other countries. Having less instruction time allows teachers to spend more energy on lesson preparation. While most American schools revolve around mathematics, sciences, and technology, Finnish students are encouraged to participate in groups, honing their creativity and problem-solving skills.

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Singapore realizes the importance of education in its country and allocates 20 percent of its national budget on schooling. While America excels in certain aspects of education, such as a high literacy level and incorporating technology in classrooms, education as a whole is funded by only 2 percent of the national budget. Because of the amount allotted for education in Singapore, teachers are paid higher than lawyers and engineers.

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Schools in New Zealand are divided into four terms and have two-week breaks in between, in addition to a six-week summer vacation. By dividing the breaks throughout the year, rather than having a bulk of three months off, students can enjoy recreational activities, retain more information, and have time to relax and regroup throughout the school year.

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While America is one of the most technologically savvy countries in the world, Australia may still be ahead of the curve when it comes to incorporating technology into classrooms. Schools throughout Australia are equipped with interactive whiteboards with Internet access which allow teachers to convert handwriting into type and print the information for their students. Additionally, virtual classrooms are being used on a trial basis. By taking the technological practices already in place in American classrooms and making teaching a more interactive process, students will learn and retain knowledge more easily.

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