In 2010, journalist Amanda Ripley began to trace the experiences of U.S. teenagers as they participated in year-long foreign-exchange programs in Finland, South Korea, and Poland. Ripley (2013) wrote The Smartest Kids in the World as a window into systems of education around the world. In the book, she describes the central problems of U.S. public schools and poses the question, “Why were some kids learning so much and others so very little?” (Ripley, 2013, p. 2).
Read Ripley’s book and address the following items in your paper.
- Summarize Ripley’s description of the education system in ONE of the following countries: 1) Finland, 2) South Korea, OR 3) Poland. What lesson might the U.S. learn from this country’s approach to schooling?
- Connect the book with what we’ve learned from the 2018 PDK poll of public opinion on public education. Cite a specific poll finding that relates to a topic in the book.
- EITHER
a. Does this book make you more or less optimistic about the quality of U.S. schools in comparison with the quality of other nations’ schools? Why or why not?
OR
b. Summarize and critique Ripley’s recommendations in Appendix I about identifying a world-class education. - Use the Internet to find a contemporary news article (2015 to present) about any issue raised in the book. Explain why you selected the article and how it relates to the book.
- Describe a strength and a limitation of this book.
Sample Solution
