Trends in U.S. Education

While in Ghana last fall I was repeatedly struck by the many differences between education there and here, in the U.S.  Ghanaian students tend to take education much more seriously than do their counterparts in North America, and in some respects much more is required of them.  Children as young as three are expected to sit quietly for long periods of time as they work at precisely shaping their letters.  A hush pervaded the crowded  University of Ghana library.  Of course I was visiting the better schools, not the ones hamstrung by class sizes of 100 or teacher-absentee rates of 33%, and Ghanaian education tends to emphasize rote learning rather than critical thinking.  But another difference that I noticed--and it's a characteristic that seems to pervade Ghanaian society in general--is that Ghanaian teachers at all levels feel permission to challenge their students morally and spiritually.  At Ashesi University, a very skilled lecturer sent her students off to work on their essays with these words: "You are eagles.  Now fly."  I would like to find more ways to challenge others and myself to take advantage of our marvelous opportunities to improve our selves and our world.  So often we seem to be just drifting, going through the motions.  But highly educated people in the U.S. have become uncomfortable with that sort of talk.