Americans from across the political spectrum tend to agree that our education system is failing our students. In this episode, we'll take a look at three of the biggest problems the system faces, and consider some possible solutions.

Ch. 3: Understanding the Principles of Montessori Education - New Ideal, from the Ayn Rand Institute - Air Date 5-19-22

What are the principles of Montessori education? How does it compare to other educational approaches? And how does it relate to Rand’s philosophy? Join Sam Weaver for an interview with Dr. Matt Bateman to explore answers to these questions.

Ch. 4: The Secret Power of Homeschoolers - VICE News - Air Date 10-12-22

Homeschooling exploded when the COVID-19 pandemic pushed students online. But even though schools have reopened, many kids aren’t going back. VICE News investigates why families are opting out, and what happens to the institution of public school.

Ch. 5: Why Black Parents are Choosing to Homeschool Their Kids - Amanpour and Company - Air Date 6-18-21

Homeschooling among Black families increased by 500% last year, reflecting an increasing trend across America. One that is especially pronounced in communities of color.

Ch. 6: Teaching in the US vs. the rest of the world - Vox - Air Date 1-11-20

Teachers in America have a uniquely tough job. But it doesn't have to be that way.

Ch. 7: Happy Finnish: Why Finland is the country to copy - The Bunker - Air Date 1-14-23

Finland is the happiest country on earth. What can we learn from this Nordic nation? How is its education, health care and housing systems different to ours?

Ch. 8: Pasi Sahlberg: lessons from Finnish education - Social Europe Podcast - Air Date 2-7-22

Around the world, education 'reforms' have made schooling more market-mimicking and competitive, rendering education a 'club good' for the better off. Finland shows how treating education as a public good brings better student performance overall

MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S)

Ch. 9: The Philosophy of Quitting School at 8 Years Old (Grown Unschooler Interview) - Andrew Parker - Air Date 2-19-21

Sierra Allen quit school at 8 years old, and two decades later she still stands by that decision. In this conversation, I get an introduction to the unschooling philosophy that made this possible.

Ch. 10: Boundless Life with Suzanne Perkowsky - Education on Fire - Air Date 3-12-23

Suzanne Perkowsky is the Head of Academics at Boundless Life. She was the co-founder of New Nordic Schools, a Finnish education development company that created the Nordic Baccalaureate based on the Finnish education system.

FINAL COMMENTS

Ch. 11: Final comments on why it's possible to improve an education system without replacing it

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)

SHOW IMAGE

Description: Photo of an empty classroom, rows of desks with blue, red and green chairs and a large blackboard on the back wall. Sunlight is shining in from unseen windows.

Credit: “UF Norman Hall Desks Classroom” by Christopher Sessums, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, increased brightness, contrast & saturation

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to this episode of the award-winning Best of Left podcast, in which we shall
0:07.1	take a look at some of the fundamental problems with our education system and explore alternatives
0:12.6	to spark ideas for improvement.
0:15.0	And note that last point about sparking ideas.
0:17.1	That really is what we're doing here.
0:19.4	You're going to be hearing some ideas for educational systems that directly contradict
0:23.7	one another, so this isn't our list of solutions that we endorse.
0:28.2	So much as we think it's worth hearing about all of these ideas to get a sense of what's
0:33.0	out there, as well as the desperation that people feel for something outside our current
0:37.3	system.
0:39.0	Clips today include a TED Talk by Sir Ken Robinson, Second Thought, New Ideal, Vice News,
0:46.1	Omanpour and Company, Vox, the Social Europe Podcast, and the Bunker with additional members
0:52.2	only clips from Andrew Parker and Education on Fire.
1:02.3	Our education system is predicated on the idea of academic ability.
1:06.2	And there's a reason.
1:07.3	The whole system was invented.
1:08.8	Around the world there were no public systems of education really before the 19th century.
1:13.1	They all came into being to meet the needs of industrialism.
1:16.4	So the hierarchy is written on two ideas.
1:18.6	Number one, that the most useful subjects for work are at the top.
1:23.2	So you were probably steered benignly away from things at school when you were a kid, things
1:26.8	you liked on the ground you would never get a job doing that.
	...

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