The Smartest Kids in the World

And How They Got That Way

By: Amanda Ripley

Narrated by: Kate Reading

Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

How do other countries create "smarter" kids? In a handful of nations, virtually all children are learning to make complex arguments and solve problems they've never seen before. They are learning to think, in other words, and to thrive in the modern economy.What is it like to be a child in the world's new education superpowers?

In a global quest to find answers for our own children, author and Time magazine journalist Amanda Ripley follows three Americans embed­ded in these countries for one year. Kim, 15, raises $10,000 so she can move from Oklahoma to Finland; Eric, 18, exchanges a high-achieving Minnesota suburb for a booming city in South Korea; and Tom, 17, leaves a historic Pennsylvania village for Poland.

Through these young informants, Ripley meets battle-scarred reformers, sleep-deprived zombie students, and a teacher who earns $4 million a year. Their stories, along with groundbreaking research into learning in other cultures, reveal a pattern of startling transformation: none of these countries had many "smart" kids a few decades ago. Things had changed. Teaching had become more rigorous; parents had focused on things that mattered; and children had bought into the promise of education.

A journalistic tour de force, The Smartest Kids in the World is a book about building resilience in a new world-as told by the young Americans who have the most at stake.

©2013 Amanda Ripley (P)2013 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A compelling, instructive account regarding education in America, where the arguments have become 'so nasty, provincial, and redundant that they no longer lead anywhere worth going.'" ( Kirkus)

BETTER THAN EXPECTED

I was hoping for something marginally interesting but what I got was much, much better than that. Based on my own NYC public school education in the 1950's and my son's private school education in the 1980-90's I firmly believe that children perform up to our expectations. Low expectations produce mediocre educations and lead to remedial classes as a college freshman. Turns out that the US educational system is in worse shape than we think mainly because our school boards expect very little. This book lays out what has to be done in very clear language so the next question is are we smart enough to do it in time for my grandson, and I think not. Looks like I'll be paying for private school for the next generation too.

More entertaining than instructional

Would you listen to The Smartest Kids in the World again? Why?

The book is definitely interesting and entertaining, but it does not necessarily provide any how-to answers. Educational, but the content in the end boils down to "spending does not equal quality education". There are some hints as to what could help improve the education system, but the book is mostly about busting some myths and exposing some problems, rather than telling what needs to be done. I still strongly recommend it. It's a must read, just don't expect it to become your guide to reforming the education system.

Fascinating study of the world's education systems

The narrator sounded quite robotic, but you get used to it eventually. Very enlightening read for all interested in improving education.

Good to a point

This book contains a lot of very interesting information and is well written; unfortunately, it also contains a lot of opinions presented as fact. If you think football is the ruin of the American educational system -this is the book for you. Even if you don't think football is the main problem, the information presented makes it worth the time.

Amazing!

So much insightful information. If only we could hire only teachers who could understand the principles referred to in this book

Highly recommend!

This book is great for parents, teachers, or students in college who are studying education (like me!) narrator does a great job, I stayed engaged the entire time.

really insightful

smooth from the beginning and just pulled me in non stop, she weaved the three stories in so well with the data seamlessly!

Loved this BOOK. Very insightful.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This seems to be a very thoughtful and thorough analysis of how a few well-performing countries are educating their children successfully and capturing a few lessons of where the US has it wrong.

A must-read for parents!

What made the experience of listening to The Smartest Kids in the World the most enjoyable?

Great teachers are the key to a great education. We all kind of know this, but this book breathes life into that concept.

How to Educate in the Right Way

The best takeaway is that kids want to learn and are capable of incredible things. This book helps identify the tools and methods required to inspire them and help them grow.