Two years before I retired from teaching I remember telling my Gifted and Talented students that they should seriously consider learning how to speak Chinese. At that time it was learned that the United States debt had been gradually been owned by China, India and several Middle Eastern countries. The Chinese had the fastest growing economy (this year passed up by India) and had for a long time the highest world's population.
To feed that population there would be eventually be a need to expand into other countries. To get along in the world I advised my students to learn Chinese since French, Spanish and German would only help them on travels to those countries. This would be a vehicle for their eventual survival in a Chinese dominated world.
Little did I know that the Chinese education system had advanced so quickly and admirably. I saw what they had done at the Olympics but thought that was only a microcosm. In this same test while the American children proved their mediocrity, the Chinese ruled supreme.
If the US educational system doesn't improve soon then we better get used to that phrase, "the Chinese ruled supreme". I don't think it is too late but I do think that drastic change is needed to move us up the list. The top five countries were all Asian countries. Doesn't that scare you?
If I ran the schools I wouldn't spend time reinventing the wheel. We had it right once and WE ruled supreme. I think it is time to get back to 'tracking' in education. I think it needs to start in elementery schools.
When I was a student in Canada we had two year high schools, four year high school programs and five year programs. The five year program was intended for those who would only go to university, the four year for technical programs and the two year for those who had the aptitudes to serve. For example a five year student learned the classics, foreign languages, higher math, science, music and by the time he was ready for college he had pinpointed the direction his future univeristy studies would take. He was slotted into this path in the earlier grades.
Canada has gotten away from that approach and has unfortunately dropped down the ladder of countries.
Another thing we did was learn to write. We wrote everything! Today they would use the computer for that, but the same principles would be applied. The mind grew at an amazing rate because of it. Scantrons were non-existent and exams were written for three hours and were on a semester of work or an entire year's work.
Tracking should be started at an early age. The kids would be in 'special' classes, whether they were special ed., technical, or gifted students. They would progress at a faster rate and at their own level. I have witnessed as much learning in my 'lab' classes I taught as I did in my gifted, just a different type of learning. They were all learning for what they could handle, not what the governmnent test dictated.
I don't have enough space to fully examine tracking but I will at a later date, but I firmly believe if we re-adopt this old technique and adapt it to the newer circumstances of our society we might have a chance to get back on track.
