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The Smartest Kids In The World By Amanda Ripley Summary

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Many topics concerning education and its institutions are discussed in Amanda Ripley’s book “The Smartest Kids in The World: and how they got that way,” however, one of the most interesting can be found in chapter five “An American in Utopia.” The introduction of Kim, an American exchange student studying at a high school in Pietarsarri, Finland opens the chapter. Using Kim’s experiences in the Finish school system, Ripley continues to make a comparison between the students' in Finland and the United States. This segment highlights Finish teachers and students viewing education as a legitimate pursuit, while the American students more often than now saw it as a forced activity. Incidentally, the students viewpoints in the two countries are then used to look at the different levels of education teachers need to complete in Finland and America in order to become professional educators. This dialogue is eventually transitioned into a history of the sweeping education reforms in Finland and the lack of similar reforms in America. …show more content…

While America pays its teachers moderate wages, Spain pays its teachers the highest wages in the world, yet its student’s average scores in math, reading, and science are worse than their US counterparts. The impact of these phenomena are used to describe why America’s school system might actually be defunct and in need of improvement if it is going to be of legitimate use in the future. To reinforce this stark contrast, the views of students in America versus Finland are thoroughly expressed. The Finish students saw education as a way to get a good job in the future, whereas the American students seemed rather apathetic about it. Ripley then summarized Finland’s student exchange program and how the majority Finish students are better prepared than their American

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The test scores that the Americans had compared to Finland were absolutely mind blowing. The Americans are always seeming to look to Finland as to why there education system is so bad. In “Finland’s School Success: What Americans Keep Ignoring” by Anu Partanen, Pasi Sahlberg believes that education is the important thing that make people successful. Anu Partanen definably backs up Sahlberg on where he stands on education. Anu Partanen motifs and writing styles show how important the education system can really be.

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For the most part, “Waiting for Superman” argues that even though the United States spends more than any country on education, we, as a country, are still lagging behind other nations in the quality of our education because of the inefficiency of our education system. He illustrates this

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Leonid Fridman characterizes the typical American mindset this makes the text easily understood and relatable for the readers. Because the problem at hand is mainly geared toward Americans he brings up the fact that, “In most industrialized nations, not least of all of our economic rivals in East Asia, a kid who studies hard is lauded and held up as an example to other students.” He is showing the reader that in other countries they praise the children for their academic efforts unlike the US that use derogatory language like “nerd” and “geek” when referring to the academically achieving people. He also compares the jobs of individuals from other countries to show the divide between the American mindset and the mindset around the world. Fridman states “In many parts of the world university professorships are the most prestigious and materially rewarding positions but not in America…” Friedman says this so the readers are aware of the rift between America and other countries of the world especially their view of intellectual

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The common assumption that America is the leading nation in the world takes a hard hit in Amanda Ripley’s The Smartest Kids in the World, a book that explores the top education systems throughout the world, which are not that of the United States. After reading the book, it comes off with strong viewpoints, and makes you think critically about our education system. It highlights the PISA tests, both praised and criticized for their ability to calculate the knowledge and creativity and individual possesses. The book also features a unique narrative style involving three students from America embarking on journeys as “correspondents” to three of the tops ranking PISA countries.

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Kids start to fall behind and their mindsets towards school are less likely to be considered at all. “For Hispanics in the United States, the educational experience is one of accumulated disadvantage. Many Hispanic students begin formalized schooling without the economic and social resources that many other students receive, and schools are often ill equipped to compensate for these initial disparities” (Schhneider). In Outliers, Gladwell demonstrates the education system involving today’s KIPP Academy located in New York City specifically towards Marita’s educational life.

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