HW 42-Significance

I've been in America for a very long time. I guess this is one of those "what if" scenarios for me. What if I had stayed? What kind of person would I be today? Would I be more studious? My mom often told me that when I was younger, I was the first grandchild and everyone doted on me. When I visit my family in China, they're very affectionate towards me but I wonder if I would be closer to them if I lived there. So I wonder about this scenario too. What if I went to school in China? Would I be better in math than I am now? Would I like math more as a result? How would this kind of schooling affect me? The math and science levels in Asian countries is higher than it is in America. In 3rd grade they would be learning 5th grade math with respect to America and it is always 2 or 3 grades ahead in terms of math and science. I also know the methods of teaching are different too. Rather than Socratic discussions it is more based on textbook learning and reciting. So while I don't dislike my current scenario, I want to find out more about the different ways the two countries educate their students and satisfy my curiosity, because I'll never know this "what if" scenario for real and researching this is probably the closest I'll ever get, even if on a superficial level.

I know that in the future, our countries' economics and "progress" is dependent on the schooling institutions that these institutions have provided our students as it is from these crop of students come the future leaders, scientists, and innovators. With globalization, people are not only competing state to state but country to country, each trying to be the most innovative and cutting edge, we can see this form of competition from car companies like Ford and Toyota. People are looking to schools to educate their young to prepare them for the future job market. If we are looking at this from the global perspective many companies are hiring from other countries because the same resources and brains are available at a cheaper cost. International Capitalism creates global competition in a free market economy. It shows where each country's priorities are. Understanding the economic factors to how these institutions have formed is like understanding where they are going to take it. By looking at their motivations and their wants you see what they're trying to do and what they're doing now to get it. That to me is rather interesting and comparing what they have so invested in and how well they have prepared their students for this task.