Teachers & Schools are not the problem. Only 10% of student performance is attributable to what happens in class. Teacher experience and class size are the most important. 60% of non school factors affect student outcomes. Things like Poverty, Hunger, Homelessness, Health, Racial isolation.
Mr. Gates - if you want to pour money into fixing education - fix those problems.
20% of children in the US are poor - THAT's the problem.
While I applaud much of the work of Bill & Melinda Gates, This interview is disingenuous. Gates has spoken often about running education like a business - not "spreading best practices"
Students are not widgets - or software programs
Education does not work like business - you can't "engineer" it.
Charter schools are not the answer
I'm sorry Mr. Gates - stick to something you know - or at least engage people who DO know like REAL educators (not false for profit prophets like Michelle Rhee)
Comparing the U.S. with China is not fair. China has a one-child policy. This means parents can dedicated all their attention to their one child.
Furthermore, children born in rural areas are not allowed into urban schools! There are laws to keep migrant children out of city schools!
In contrast, American public schools accept all students, even undocumented children who do not speak English.
MsJanetWood 2 days ago
HEY AMERICA! Looks like all those classes in gay sex and global warming sure seem to be paying off well...
straygypsy 1 week ago
Teachers & Schools are not the problem. Only 10% of student performance is attributable to what happens in class. Teacher experience and class size are the most important. 60% of non school factors affect student outcomes. Things like Poverty, Hunger, Homelessness, Health, Racial isolation.
Mr. Gates - if you want to pour money into fixing education - fix those problems.
20% of children in the US are poor - THAT's the problem.
informedcitizen1 2 months ago
While I applaud much of the work of Bill & Melinda Gates, This interview is disingenuous. Gates has spoken often about running education like a business - not "spreading best practices"
Students are not widgets - or software programs
Education does not work like business - you can't "engineer" it.
Charter schools are not the answer
I'm sorry Mr. Gates - stick to something you know - or at least engage people who DO know like REAL educators (not false for profit prophets like Michelle Rhee)
informedcitizen1 2 months ago
Fixing education in America should be our priority.
We also need to address the Dream Act Issue. We have a community of young people who live in a limbo.
Young people with no education and trap in a limbo will be a disaster for our society.
daisy0401 3 months ago 2