In which country's educational system would you like to raise your child?

My own, since I’d hate to send the little bugger away from me.

The USA—and I want to see our public education get smart and good—throw away the endless testing and begin some creative teaching based on critical thinking, problem solving, mathematics, interactions with the greater communities. We can do it!

Europe or Japan.

They build better cars so they must be smarter. Ta- Taaaa!

So much depends on the kid. We were living in France when our first was born, but one reason we chose to move back to the States was that the French school system (like most European systems) is quite rigid. Kids are assessed early on for their academic aptitude, and those who don’t make the cut are shunted off onto a trade school track (I think this happens around age 15). Those who continue on in the direction of college have to pass the monstrous Baccalaureate exam at age 18, or that’s the end of the road.

Kids who perform well on tests and fit into the standard academic mold leave this system with an excellent education, but “late bloomers” or kids with unconventional learning styles or kids who blow tests under pressure will never even make it to college. As it turned out, our kids would have done fine in that environment, but we knew many very smart people who had been spat out of the French school system and had no alternative but to lock themselves into some trade at the age of 15. That’s just too young to know what you want to do with your life

But our kids both had very good experiences at their schools here in the Chicago suburbs. The problem in the States, of course, is the disparity in the quality of schools from one community to the next. While our guys enjoyed good facilities, great teachers, and stimulating curricula and transitioned to college without a hitch, a few miles away in the city, public schools are a last resort, and only about half of freshmen will actually graduate high school.

Japan has an awesome attitude toward education.

Japan’s attitude might not be as awesome as people think. Japan has one of the highest teen suicide rates in the world, higher than that of the U.S. A lot of that is said to be due to the amount of pressure put on children in their competitive education system. The education itself is of high quality, but I think the way the parents and kids feel about it could be better.

Australia, even though I actually didn’t go to school there myself. But given the extraordinary circumstances we are both facing, and everything she’s been through, I think it would be the safest and quietest place for her to grow up. And given that we’ve already tried the German and Polish systems, and I know all about the Greek one, I’d say Australia would be my first choice.

Anywhere where there’s a Montessori curriculum available. Or I’d homeschool, which I could also do anywhere, correct?

@aprilsimnel You beat me to it. GA

In this article dated 2004: Finland, according a major international survey, has the best educational system in the world and there is this one from 2006 “Finland is also reckoned to be in the top three of the world’s most competitive countries.”
And I doubt there has been a great change since then.

Buh, Montessori. My primary school was a Montessori one, really didn’t suit me…

@Vincentt – That actually brings up an important point. I would have to see how my child acclimated to any system I’d put him in. The traditional method of schooling was not one I enjoyed and Montessori suited me better, but I only had 2 years of it before I was put back in a traditional setting.

I saw a documentary once (darn I wish I could remember the name, I even bought the DVD and gave it to my teacher daughter because it was so good.) That made me think that Belgium was the place I would want my grandchildren to go to school.

I found it. It was 2 Million minuets link to an excerpt. (Ignore Newt to the left please.)

For now I would have to say that the US system as bad as it can be will have to do. When I lived in Japan, i found it disturbing that young kids have to go to a night school to learn more about what they did not learn during day school. Basically this poor kids are going to school during the day for nothing.
And if they don’t go to night school they will get behind really fast.