Soumya Krishnamurthy

As I dig deeper, I read so much about contradicting views and even alarmist attitudes to continuing the same in America. Stressed high-school students, focus on test results and not quest for knowledge, extremely competitive and expensive access to university and hence jobs...there are many warnings we are heading towards a precipice. This his confusing. If so many feel the situation is not tenable, why keep it? The answer is probably complacency. A belief that we are the best. Not looking beyond our borders. The person credited with bring the modern education system to America was influenced by the Prussian system. But today how many policy makers go out in search of a better way. Hardly any. We feel we have attained the best there is and are too smug to find a better way. 

Starting from my opposition to the extreme reliance of tests, I am starting to look into the history of education, rather schooling (focus on US where I am right now). Also wondering the impact of data mining and machine learning as they become more and more common. The advantage of testing, as many proponents of testing point out is that it enables policy makers to evaluate schools, teachers, curriculum...most importantly student progress. What other method is as scalable, reliable and non-discriminatory. It is a fact that standardised testing has shed light on student achievement between ethnic groups, economically disparate groups, differently abled students etc. But like any other facet of life, too much is not too good. Schools are already collecting the test data and mining it. This is another great opportunity. Machine learning can allow early intervention, highlight problems, guide learning outside classroom etc. But again, blind over-reliance to punish schools, teachers o...

Part of the big focus on university admission, almost measuring success by the school we go to, puts a lot of emphasis on testing. Because one of the very important factors used by universities to assess a student is test scores. So a test taken ay 16-18 brands us for life. Not only that, the "tests" only glimpse into all that makes a person. So the whole premise is flawed. Teachers are valued by how well they prepare the students for the tests, schools are teaching to maximise results, these results affect house prices, and tell a kid at 18 how good or bad they are. Period. One mistake and you will remember that for the rest of your life. Are all countries like this? Am I over-reacting? Apparently not, this is the focus of a new book by Daniel Koretz called the Testing Charade which I am reading right now. As a teacher, parent, student, I am not in favour of the high emphasis we place on testing and curious how it plays out and more importantly, what are the alternativ...

Its not everywhere the first meeting with someone gives you information about which school the children of my new acquaintance went to, especially of they are the Ivy League schools. At first it seemed a bit weird but as a foreigner, I attributed it mostly to the cultural difference. As I live here longer, I realise that it is a big deal. The house prices are largely determined by the school rankings. The rankings, in tun by the grades/test scores and you guessed, the universities the students went to. Voila. I also then realised just how pervasive this attitude is through the school system. My elementary school child added more insight, at the same time, more questions. Follow me as I try to understand the education system. As a consequence, develop more understanding into education in general and comparative education in particular.