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Discussion Board Replies 100-150 words
Johnathan
Modern American schools and German schools have many difference and similarities. For one, in the U.S. students are generally broken down into three schools; elementary school (ages 5-11), middle school (ages 11-14), and high school (ages 14-18). In Germany students start their mandatory education at basic primary school at age 6 and attend until age 9. According to Gutek (1995) the German secondary school arrangement stands in contrast to those of other countries, such as the United States, where secondary school is regarded as part of common upward extension of educational opportunities and possibilities (p. 415). In other words, students attend secondary schools based on their strengths and career goals. Vocational education is highly emphasized in Germany (Gutek, 1995). In contrast the the educational philosophy in the United States has shifted significantly with the implementation of common core standards in all but 5 states (Alaska, Nebraska, Virginia, Texas, and Minnesota). By adopting common core standards, schools will now be able to see how their students match up nationally. While the federal government was not involved in developing the Common Core standards, it has supported the effort and is the main source of funding for the development of Common Core assessments (“Understanding Common Core”). In the U.S. entrance into magnet school is highly competitive, in Germany such specialized schools are more common, giving students more individualized instruction. I would however say that the United States as a nation can better project the outcome of a student’s education than in Germany because of Common Core standards.
Gutek, G. L. (1995). A history of Western educational experience (2nd ed.) Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press.
Understanding the common core standards: What they are-what they are not. (2014). The Education Digest, 79(8), 16-21. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1511968055?accountid=12085
Reply to Travis
The French model of education has literally been at opposing ends of the proverbial pendulum over the course of its divided past on more than one occasion. The beginnings of the French system can trace its roots to the church, namely the Catholic Church. Though this is where the school system began, this is not where it would stay. Due to national unrest, both from internal factors of France and also external factors, the authority and responsibility of education shifted several times between the church and the states jurisdiction. Gutek (1995) describes the shifts as the “…back and forth between proclerical and anticlerical forces”. The responsibility of education was in the end abdicated to the state, which has been resistant to change and modernization in recent decades (Gutek, 1995). Schools are divided up between what is the equivalent of American high school age into two schools, or lycees, where vocation is determined. Preference in this model has been to the advantage of the student with families of more affluent means. German schools, in contrast, are modeled to give authority to the local community instead of a centralized governing authority (aside from some standards). The German educational model has also been impacted by internal and external factors, much like the French model. One of the great influencers was Martin Luther, whose philosophy stressed community commitment and involvement (Gutek, 1995). A positive of this model is that there is an emphasis on vocational skills that are specified to fit community/regional needs. The idea is that the student can help further the localities that surround them. Both of these models have their pros and cons. Both models provide vocational training. Respectively, one can gain a more advanced and specialized education in the French model provided monetary and influential resources are available for the student’s personal advancement. If this is the desired outcome, then the French model would be ideal.
Gutek, G. L. (1995). A History of the Western Educational Experience (2nd ed). Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press, Inc.