Eh?

Photo courtesy of Flickr user ankakay

Considering our close proximity to Canada, it is truly unwise to have them go unnoticed.  This week, we'll be delving into the Canadian education system.  Like the United States, the education systems of different areas of Canada offer differing curricula and set differing goals for their students.  While the United States is split into states, Canada is split into its ten individual provinces and three territories that are, for lack of a better comparison, Canada's states.

Depending on the province or territory, Canadian mandatory schooling starts at grade one from around age six, and runs until grade eleven or twelve depending on the province.  After grade school, Canada offers educational institutions across the country in the forms of colleges, universities, technical institutes, career colleges, and the most unique, language schools.

Due to the dual official languages of Canada—French and English—special schools exist in order to help both domestic and foreign students master their selected language using ESL (English as a Second Language) or FSL (French as a Second Language) programs.

Additionally, technical institutions in Canada are a much more popular choice than in the United States.  With programs that aim at giving students professional tools to be applied in the job market, technical institutes typically offer one-to-three year vocational programs that focus on career-oriented classes.  Some higher level educational institutions such as these can be privately or publicly funded, much like those in the United States, but universities in particular are exclusively publicly funded in Canada.

All similarities considered, there's no doubt that they are differences in terms of results—while the top-performing group of students do similarly well, there is a greater portion of low performing students here in the United States.

With similar educational structure to that of America and a diverse population, (nearly half of Toronto's population, for instance, was born outside of Canadian borders,) what constitutes the differences between the relative success of the Canadian system?

Differences in funding levels across the myriad provinces and territories is one reason why Canada manages to provide a more equal playing field across its borders.  To put things into context, the difference between the highest and lowest expenditure per pupil across the states in America was over $2,000 higher compared to that in Canada.  Furthermore, becoming a teacher is harder and takes longer in Canada and therefore, like the many countries examined previously, a higher level of respect is conjured from the students on a day to day basis.

On the same note, the general mindset of the typical Canadian—one that emphasizes equity for all students across provinces—allows the local districts and elected boards to convey this mindset to offer high quality education across the country.

A general theme has been apparent throughout the course of this blog, which has compared and contrasted various education systems to that of the United States.  A lack of respect for teachers and professors, variable curricula, and large disparities between those that succeed and those that do not, all contribute to areas that the U.S. could improve upon.

College students here in the U.S. have already caught on, apparently.  Over the past decade, the number of Americans that have enrolled in Canadian universities has increased by 50%.  Why?  In short—money.  Tuition rates in Canada are substantially lower, at about $5,000 per undergraduate year, compared to thousands and thousands more here in the U.S.  Moreover, the quality drop off that is expected due to such a differential in tuition simply does not exist.  Attending McGill University in Canada is much cheaper than many American Universities, but boasts a World University Ranking of 24 as of 2015.

McGill University courtesy of Flickr user TMAB2003

So, there are alternatives that lie close to home for students who may think higher education will cost too much, or won't be worth their time.  Us Americans, though, are a proud people that love a household name.  Living close to family and representing your country, being taught by professors that grew up in the same country (or even county!) as you did holds a place in our hearts.

There are so many benefits of pursuing higher education somewhere abroad, such as Canada or Singapore—places where English is already a prominent language.  Balancing the benefits with tradeoffs, however, is a tough battle.  It's a battle that puts logic and emotion in a head-to-head clash against one another.  It's one that requires long plane rides and passport stamping, one without the comfort of family dinners or Fourth of July fireworks.

Education here in America isn't without its flaws, but we are definitely doing some things right.  Always looking to improve should be a top priority though, especially when it concerns the education of future generations that will lead our country in a matter of years.  To me, there's nothing better than looking at what's succeeded in other places around the world and adapting our systems for the better.

This will take time, money, and the passage of a ton of laws no one wants to read, but look on the bright side.  It could lead to a greater appreciation for teachers and professors, a deeper understanding of concepts that will ultimately lead to a more educated society, and a higher standard of living across the 50 states.  Would all the work be worth it?

I think so.