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The Smartest Kids in the World
The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way | Amanda Ripley
Following three teenagers who chose to spend one school year living in Finland, South Korea, and Poland, a literary journalist recounts how attitudes, parenting, and rigorous teaching have revolutionized these countries' education results.
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Nitpickyabouttrains
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Nonfiction about the education system in the us vs in the highest scoring places around the world. Super interesting.

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AvidReader25
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Pickpick

A deep dive into education in America vs. the rest of the world. The author highlights the relaxed, but successful style of teaching in Finland and the intense and exhausting style in South Korea. She interviewed American foreign exchange students in both countries and compared their experiences. She highlighted the emphasis on sports over education in the US compared with other places. Interesting and also concerning.

21 likes2 stack adds
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KatRTG
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Caseyemorgan
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As a fifth grade teacher, I devoured this book. It gave me moments of vindication in which I could say, “See, this is what I‘ve been saying all along!” However, there were also parts that were humbling and made me reflect on my own practices as a teacher. I absolutely loved the book and would recommend it to any teacher or parent.

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Chrissyreadit
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RadicalReader Why did you dislike typing? 6y
Chrissyreadit @RadicalReader typewriters were so annoying and hard on nails. It was also boring, just typing out of a book or dictation. I hated changing the ribbon too. And it was a nightmare if I made a mistake and had to turn back and find the correct space....I‘m so glad we have computers now. 6y
RadicalReader @Chrissyreadit I know I had a computer class in middle school and they taught us typing by having us type using keyboards that had all the same letters for the QWERTY part of it so we learned what all the letters were from memory 6y
Chrissyreadit @ReadingRover computers were not in schools yet when I was in middle and high school 😆I also went to an inner city HS in NYC many of our typewriters were old and broken. 6y
Avanders 🤭 typing! I loved typing! 😆 Mavis was my pal 😁 Though... I didn‘t do *much* on a legitimate typewriter... dad was an early‘ish computer owner, so I‘ve used one (or a “glorified typewriter”) since elementary school... 6y
64 likes5 comments
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Samara_Kipnis
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Every person who is passionate about education should read this book. It is well-written. It is both inspiring and depressing. This is an important work. It helped shape my own teaching to be even more focused on getting students to think critically and to recognize their success depends on their own effort, their dedication, and deep, real understanding of their learning.

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Samara_Kipnis

“...our children cannot only handle a rigorous education but...they crave it as never before” (218).

RochAnn Do you think more than ever before? That‘s an interesting thought! 6y
Samara_Kipnis Idk if I agree either...but they definitely do crave it! 6y
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Samara_Kipnis
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Samara_Kipnis
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Pretty much doing what all of my students would imagine me doing on a chilly October night...reading about how to make them smarter and drinking peach tea

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Samara_Kipnis
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Reading to your kids every day when they‘re young helps them become life-long learners and great readers 👨‍👩‍👧📚🙌

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Bbramd
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Data is so important without it you‘re just another person with opinion!

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Bookboss
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I have never had the mindset that some kids are smart and others are not. I have always believed that the kids who were successful in school just worked harder. This outlook seems to be a characteristic of the countries that outperform the U.S. on standardized tests. The author follows American exchange students in these countries to contrast their experiences with education overseas with their education in the U. S. I found much to ponder.

AmandaL I was discussing this book with my father this morning! We were talking about education in the different U.S. states as compared to other countries. I really liked this book. 7y
Bookboss I really liked it, too. 7y
Cinfhen Fascinating! 7y
Smrloomis I also liked this book a lot. I thought she did a good job of showing how different US students‘ experiences can be depending on the state they live in. 7y
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whatsjennareading
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Pickpick

This was a Litsy read and I'm so glad I picked it up!! Anyone with children or who has the pleasure of teaching children should read this! So many thought provoking ideas and tips!

Jaimelire Sounds interesting. I teach and have two boys. Will add to my list. (edited) 8y
9 likes1 stack add1 comment
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AmandaL
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There's a great article on @bookriot today, recommending books about education. I read The Smartest Kids in the World a year or so ago and found it to be fantastic. I wish everyone involved in education would read it. Here's the link: http://bookriot.com/2017/02/08/8-books-to-read-if-you-want-to-make-american-educ...

saresmoore I want to devour this book whole. Thanks for sharing! 8y
AmandaL @saresmoore You're welcome! 😊 8y
Blaire I really liked this one too! 8y
AmandaL @Blaire It was really interesting! I'm curious now about the other books on that list. 8y
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Chrissyreadit
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I recommended this to all of my educator friends, homeschool friends and anyone interested in education from a world perspective. It is an interesting and engaging read, and something that opens a conversation instead of an argument.

AmandaL Yes! I read this last year and wish it was required reading. 8y
[DELETED] 57804897 I read this when it came out, and I wasn't impressed. I felt like it was fluffy, and IIRC, boiled down to, "It's the culture!" 8y
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Librarylady
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I am re-reading this book for tonight's book club meeting & it is still just as good as the first time I read it. There is a lot to think about as Ripley follows 3 American high school students overseas and examines the education system there and in the US. S must read for all parents & educators .

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Trace
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Good pros and cons of different countries approach to education. Also reinforces that spending per student is irrelevant towards performance.

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Coffeedog
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Good book. Lots of food for thought if you are serious about wanting educational change in this country. Some of the research sections were a bit dry, but you can't really skim over too much because the research is what makes the book important.

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