

Amanda Ripley’s ‘Smartest Kids in the World’ - tokenadult
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/25/books/review/amanda-ripleys-smartest-kids-in-the-world.html

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zach
So how do we make a broad cultural impact with examples like these from other
cultures?

That's the question I think is most essential. There are no doubt a lot of
people that know these stories at the top of the hierarchy, like policy-
makers. But the accounts in this article emphasize the role of the _culture_
in backing the investments and choices made in education. So what we really
need is a cultural shift from the bottom up.

Thinking about the way that Americans actually engage other cultures at this
moment, I think an effective solution is a reality television series.
Seriously! It has turned out to be a very effective medium for people who are
fascinated by very different cultures to explore and engage with them.
Documentaries are great too, but still a lot more top-down.

Now then, here's the idea -- if you want to change American education and
influence the debate, make a really good reality series about Finnish teachers
who are struggling to be selected and meet the high standards to be teachers
in that country.

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mieses
Americans will become more interested in school and less in tv when the actual
reality in the U.S. becomes as hierarchical as in Europe.

