International Educational Rankings

Where does the United States rank in educational statistics in the world? Well, let's find out.

I have posted a map which shows the primary school net enrollment rank. The blue indicates net enrollment of 90% - 100%, which is the best in the world. You will notice the United States is completely blue.

I also looked up educational spending. The United States is currently 37th in the world in educational spending. We spend about 5.7% of our GDP on education. In comparison, Mexico spends 5.3%, Canada spends 5.2%, South Korea spends 4.2% and interestingly, Cuba spends 18%. I think that has more to do with the size of their GDP than the amount they spend on education.

So far so good, right. Next, I wanted to look at the indicators that I deem vital in the educational picture of our country. Math and science are two of the most important indicators to me. They measure abstract thought because, by their natures, they demand abstract thought. Abstract thought is high level thought and thought that produces innovation and discovery. Is our country producing this type of thinking?

The statistics I am about to quote are the results of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) involving a half-million students in 41 countries. Of the top fifteen countries in 12 th grade math, the United States ranked 14 out of 15, beating out Austria for 14th. The weighted average score was 497.5 with the United States scoring 442. The highest score was France with 557.

On the 12 grade science test, Austria and the U. S. switched places, the United States finished 15th and Austria 14th. The average weighted score was 497.8 with the United States scoring 423. The highest scores was Norway with 581.

The Asian countries were not included as their system does not include 12th grade. To see where they rank in the lower grades in comparison, click RIGHT HERE and be sure to scroll down. You will find them leading the way.

So, what does this say about our current state of education. If you look at the reading literacy scores you will find that we are in the upper quadrant of reading literacy, but if you have followed these statistics for the past several years you will see that even reading is slipping slightly. I believe there are a couple factors at work here.

First, as I stated earlier, math and science are subjects that demand abstract thinking. They are also subjects that demand hard work and no short cuts. If you examine these math and science facts more closely you will find a domination by the Asian countries. If you examine overall math literacy you will find Japan and South Korea leading the way. Why? I think Gladwell in his book, Outliers, has it right, it is about culture. Gladwell writes that the Asian cultures grew rice in the rice paddies while the rest of us grew crops in wide open fields. To become better and wealthier, it was a matter of more fields - quantity - for the U. S. and others. For the Asian countries who grew rice, to become better and wealthier it was a better rice paddy with better water and better soil - quality. Quality is always better than quantity. I think we have gotten off track a bit in this country regarding both of those traits. I recently saw a bumper sticker that made my point, "He who dies with the most toys wins." Wins what is my question.

Second, I think the sheer size of schools today has added to our shrinking statistics. I grew up in a small town going to a small school. I knew my teacher and principal by name. Today's schools are huge with multiple principals and thousands of kids. Education is meant to be intimate and relational; when this is removed it takes something away from the process.

And my final thought is this... effort is important. Today, I see effort to get done and not effort to do best. I think this is crucial to our kids as they walk into the global community that awaits them. Today's kids are not much different than yesterday's kids. I wanted to slide by with little or no effort. I wanted to blame my teacher for everything. I wanted to blame the teacher for disrespecting me, but you know what... my parents would have none of it. If the teacher called or the school called... I was in trouble, and that was final. It taught me to stop blaming others and messing around and take responsibility for my own actions.

At Westminster Christian Academy, we have great kids and great parents. We can set the tone and map a path back to the best education in the world. At Westminster we believe in our students, and we believe in them so much that we can press them to work a little harder and give more effort because we know what awaits them.

It is time for something to be done about our educational system, especially our public sector. We spend plenty of money and have many fine teachers, but yet we are not producing what we ought to be producing. As we debate this, guess what? Our students are losing out. That is unacceptable. We keep building bigger schools and asking for more money and keep producing shrinking statistics. Why?

Maybe it is time to ask those of us in the private sector. There are many fine private and Christian schools producing great students for a fourth of the money spent in the public sector. Why? Here are just three reasons. The first is competition. Private schools must compete for their students with other schools. Competition produces excellence or else it eliminates. Second, size matters. At Westminster we want to know our students by name and not by number. And third, relationships and morality must be linked and do matter and matter a lot. The process of education is about values and morality, removing them does something drastic to the process and to the students. It demotivates them from giving their best effort.

As the new year comes, let us look at the power of education. It has the power to change culture and reshape a nation. Those of us in Christian education can make a difference. Begin to pray what God can do with you and through you in the new year. There are many of us... imagine what we could do if we united. I pray you and yours have a wonderful new year! Blessings!

If you care to take a look at these statistics click HERE for the website. You can also go to the website for the World Bank (web.worldbank.org) for more statistics.

Christmas Miracle

Science and medicine still can't explain everything. Check out this Christmas miracle!

The Numbers Just Don't Add Up

I have been listening to the health care debate taking place between politicians. Let me state first that I don't believe most politicians any more. Democrats, Republicans... most of them are the same to me these days. They are all after only two things... power and money, but putting that aside, the disturbing part of this debate to me is that none of the economic numbers add up.

My simple mind needs to work in smaller numbers. Last weekend I took the economic numbers and reduced them to smaller numbers in order for my small feeble mind to grasp them. What I found is alarming... the numbers do not add up!

Our country currently has an unemployment rate anywhere from 10% - 16% depending on which news website you read. The dollar continues to plummet, and the government continues to grow. How all of this is sustainable is beyond me. But, here is the really alarming number... the GNP of the United States is 0%, and that is a conservative number. Other sites speak of it being any where from 2.3% to - 5%, depending on the site you use.

The Gross National Product (GNP) is the value of all the goods and services produced in an economy, plus the value of the goods and services imported, less the goods and services exported. Scroll through this list of charts and pay attention to the charts that deal with sales and income and those that deal with debt. Look closely at those of imports and those of exports, and look at those dealing with personal and household debt and then look at those dealing with the government. Then, ask yourself this question: do you want the government to become the largest part of your nation's economy?

The GNP is one of the more important indicators in our economy. Most economists believe that the higher the GNP the higher the standard of living. As we listen to the government, let us also pay attention to the economic indicators, especially the GNP, because the numbers will always paint a more accurate picture than most politicians. Let us strive to be an educated populous and not depend on others to do our thinking for us. Blessings!

Is TV Really That Bad?

Is TV really all that bad for us? Ken Myers, in his book, All God's Children and Blue Suede Shoes, provides ample evidence on why it's nature is not good for anyone.

Myers writes that television is "the single most significant shared reality in our entire culture." Television is still a dominant form of communication in our culture, but now must share that dominate role with a variety of social media.

Television, Facebook, blogs and other assorted popular cultural communication devices have one thing in common... all communicate via image and not word, and that is all the difference these days.

Myers writes that "images can present a story, but not an argument. They can establish a mood, but they are incapable of articulating even the most simple distinctions of language." Myers makes an important and powerful distinction on the difference between communication by word and by image.

Myers offers these seven simple sentences.
1. The cat is on the mat.
2. The cat is not on the mat.
3. The cat was on the mat.
4. The cat likes to be on the mat.
5. The cat should not be on the mat.
6. Get off the mat, cat.
7. If the cat doesn't get off the mat, I shall kick it.

Myers writes, "Of these sentences, only the first could be presented visually, and then with only some uncertainty."

Images can not adequately express what ought to be; they can only can express the present. Images can not judge and make no demands. Myers offers more insight in his book, writing that "Words offer commands and prohibitions. Images establish feelings and resonance. Images remind us of things. They involve recognition more than cognition."

This is another reason why I believe reading books will always be better than books on line and on tape. Television and other social media discourage reflection and any kind of higher categorical thought. Myers writes that television, and I will add social media, "tells us what we already know, relies on instant accessibility, reminds us of something else and reflects the desire of self."

Myers gives us more insight on the problems of television. Myers writes that television communicates and entertains through three main forms: "it tells a story, it depicts conversations and it displays actions." Myers reminds us that all these forms are dramatic. The problem here is that someone has to decide what story, what conversation and what actions, and that presents opportunities to impose a worldview on the viewing public.

Television and social media, according to Myers, has two major problems: the first is that it grants easy access to entertainment. We long to be entertained and expect to be entertained, and when it becomes easily accessible we soon expect to be entertained regularly. This will only lead to our own destruction. The second problem is that television is visual and dramatic. These are emotional and do not allow much time for reflection. Abstract ideas like duty, freedom and justice are essential to social order; television discourages all of this.

So, is television really that bad for us? You will have to make that determination on your own. I know for us since we removed cable from our home we now read much more. And, that is a good thing for us. Blessings!

A Nation at Risk... Still!

In April of 1983, the National Commission on Excellence in Education published A Nation at Risk. The study clearly rang an regarding the deterioration occurring in our secondary schools. The study stated,

"Secondary school curricula have been homogenized, diluted and diffused to the point that they no longer have a central purpose. In effect we have a cafeteria-style curriculum in which the appetizers and desserts can easily be mistaken for the main course."

The report was the first of many warnings issued to all regarding the issues occurring within our schools, especially the issue of morality in our public sector and many private sector schools. There was a deterioration of morality taking place in 1983, and things have not improved. Gary DeMar in his book, Whoever Controls the Schools Rules the World states our issue,

"Modern educational theory lacks a comprehensive and cohesive worldview. The lack of a central purpose is at the heart of the problem."

The nature of learning is one rooted in standards and views of the world. Someone has to decide what to teach, how to teach and by what standards to teach. DeMar states that "the development of an educational philosophy will always rest upon some ultimate standard of authority." There is no neutrality when it comes to education; the process will not allow it. Your students will be indoctrinated and encultrated by the school they attend because it is a naturally occurring by-product of the process of learning. There is no stopping it.

We know the created order, just like mankind, is distorted and tainted with sin. Modern man has a dilemma with out Christ and modern education, left unchecked and corrected, will continue to replicate this issue as best illustrated by this story as told by Norman Harper,

"A certain factory worker had the responsibility of blowing the whistle every day at precisely 12:00 noon. In order to be sure of the correct time, he set his own watch by a clock on the wall of the local jewelry store. After doing this for some time, it occurred to him that the jewelery store owner had to have some standard by which he set his clock. Thus, one day when he was in the store, he inquired of the owner, "Sir, how do know what time to set your clock?" The jewelry store owner replied, "Well, you see on the other side of town there is a factory and every day precisely at noon they blow the whistle..."

Education is about history, math and English too, but do not be fooled, it is also very much about worldview, indoctrination and enculturation. George Grant, who will speak at our Alumni Banquet this January, reminds us of this,

"One of the best demands of Christian discipleship, of following Jesus Christ, is to change our way of thinking. We are to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5). We are "not to be conformed to this world but [are to] be transformed by the renewing of our minds" (Romans 12:2). In other words, we are commanded to have a Biblical worldview. All our thinking, our perspective on life, and our understanding of the world around us, is to be comprehensively informed by Scripture."

This is a tall order, but one worth pursuing. How will you instill this idea and way of thinking in your children? Might I suggest praying about Christian education in conjunction with a Christ-centered church and regular family devotions. Dr. Grant reminds us that a "Biblical worldview in not optional. It is mandatory." Blessings!

A nother Quote...

I have stumbled upon yet another great quote. I hope you enjoy this one as much as the others.

Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

T.S. Eliot and Culture

T.S. Eliot once wrote an essay entitled, "Notes Towards the Definition of Culture." In that essay, which was close to 100 pages long, he attempted to define culture in a normative way instead of the many descriptive means that were already in use.

Eliot described culture as "simply as that which makes life worth living." In this essay, Eliot posited the idea that culture and religion were linked. He wrote, "No culture can appear or develop except in relation to a religion." He made the case that religion and culture are two parts of the same whole, and he openly doubted whether any culture could come into existence without some religious basis.

Interestingly enough, Eliot also believed that while the separation of church and state avoided some problems it presented many more and made it virtually impossible for a Christian society or a Christian culture to exist. So, should we be surprised at where we currently find our own culture? I think not.

Culture is an abstract concept, but according to Eliot, there are standards for it and ways to measure it. To the Christian, this is important because we clearly see that culture has taken a severe left turn. Eliot believed that culture could be measured: they do say that one culture is superior to another in our history and archeology classes. Eliot also recognized that we can look at culture and determine whether it is in a period of decline or progress. Are these not forms of measurement?

As Christians we must not be afraid to make the case that even culture has standards. We sometimes give it a pass because it is abstract and nebulous, but that is only because we don't really understand it. We know, even in cultural things, when they are poor, obscene, unethical, heretical and the list goes on. We know these things, but never say anything because of the nature of culture. Because culture is abstract we are uncomfortable in demanding standards for it, and, as we have been silent, it has gone the way of Sodom.

Eliot called us to cultural humility as confrontation takes place. Is it not time for Christians to stand up and demand standards for even culture? I will leave you with Eliot's words as they are far superior to mine. Blessings!

"We should look for the improvement of society, as we seek our own individual improvement, in relatively minute particulars. We can not say: "I shall make myself into a different person"; we can only say: "I will give up this bad habit, and endeavour to contract this good one." So of society we can only say" "We shall try to improve it in this respect or the other, where excess or defect is evident: we must try at the same time to embrace so much in our view, that we may avoid, in putting one thing right, putting something else wrong."

Evangelical Anti-Intellectualism

Os Guinness writes that "anti-intellectualism is a disposition to discount the importance of truth and the life of the mind. Living in a sensuous culture and an increasingly emotional democracy, American evangelicals in the last generation have simultaneously toned up their bodies and dumbed down their minds."

Isn't he being a bit harsh? I don't think so. Guinness goes on to write that "this contemporary form of anti-intellectualism fits perfectly with the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche's prediction of that arrival of "the last man" (and woman). Secular people losing touch with transcendence, would eventually lose a reference point from which to look down and judge themselves. In the end they would lose even the capacity to despise themselves."

Sound familiar? I don't think this is just happening to secular people? Guinness calls this slide evangelical anti-intellectualism, and he calls it both a scandal and a sin. He writes,

"It is a scandal in the sense of being an offense and a stumbling block that needlessly hinders serious people from considering the Christian faith and coming to Christ. It is a sin because it is a refusal, contrary to the first of Jesus' two great commandments, to love the Lord our God with all our minds."

Guinness is pointing to the fact that we don't care as much for our mind as we do for our bodies. We are not concerned about developing our character as much as getting our way or remaining comfortable. Charles Malik speaking at the dedication of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College in 1980 said,

"I must be frank with you: the greatest danger besetting American Evangelical Christianity is the danger of anti-intellectualism. The mind as to its greatest and deepest reaches is not cared for enough."

This was recognized by others as Bertrand Russell mocked, "Most Christians would rather die than think - in fact most do."

Is Guinness and others correct in their assessment? Guinness believes that we Christians do not think in Christian categories and, therefore, have been forced into the role of cultural imitator and adapter rather than originator. Guinness believes we are "worldly and conformist, not decisively Christian."

Is Guinness correct in his assessment? I will leave you with a few of his questions. Is there a evangelical magazine of serious ideas that exist? Is there a serious evangelical university worthy of the name of Christ that offers a program of graduate studies on par with other major universities? Has there been a constructive formulation of a evangelical public philosophy over the last hundred years?

Good questions to ponder! Blessings!

Climate Change

With the current conference on climate change taking place right now, I thought it worthy of examination... is our climate really changing?

It is true that the earth has warmed in recent years, but where you go to get your information will determine the answer to this question and many more. Al Gore and his supporters will tell you that the earth has been warming for a thousand years or so, but interestingly enough, accurate measurable temperatures have only been recorded since 1850. We can speculate what the temperature was before 1850, but there is really no way to know.

When news broke of the Arctic ice being at its 30 year low in 2007, that same source (U. of Illinois) also reported that the Antarctic ice was at its record high, but, of course, this was not reported by most of the media. There is a nice website that actually tries to track accurate data on climate change. On this website, they report that the actual change in climate, since 1850, is 0.3%, hardly what the media communicates.


And then there is Al Gore, a man who won a Nobel Prize for his work in climate change. For all of Gore's fascination with science and technology, he often struggled academically in those subjects. Gore received a D his sophomore year in Natural Sciences 6 (Man's Place in Nature), and then got a C-plus in Natural Sciences his senior year. If you look at Gore's transcript you will notice that he avoided all courses in mathematics and logic throughout his four years in college. Would you approve of a man with this record teaching your children science or logic? Yet, this is the spokesman for climate change. Kind of taints the whole climate change agenda and Nobel Peace Prize.


So, what is really going on here? I think it is as Genesis states: man without Christ will always try to be God and proclaim himself as God. What happens when scientists promote man as the cause of climate change? Well, they tend to get power, popularity and fame, and all these allows them to think and feel like... God.


Is the climate changing? Maybe, a little, but there is no way to tell if it is real change or just cyclical change. When reading about issues like these, be warned... the media is not the place to get your facts. Blessings!

Snow in Alabama

It is a rare event when snow comes to Alabama. Saturday, we awoke to that rare event - snow! It was cold enough for the snow to stay with us for most of the day. Our kids had a blast. It reminded me of back home a bit, and I actually longed for snow again... but then got quickly over that feeling. It is beautiful. I share our beauty with all of you. Blessings!

A Great Book

Over Thanksgiving I was given a gift... another book. I love books! I learn so much from reading other people's writing. My gift this year was Malcolm Gladwell's latest book, Outliers. While I do not agree with everything in the book, I do agree with his main premise: success is only achieved through hard work and more hard work.

Gladwell takes apart this notion that a few lucky intelligent people fell into their success. It is not true. He examines some of our western ideas of success, Bill Gates and the Beatles to name two.

What he finds is that these very bright gifted examples are very bright and gifted, but each example also put in lots of practice and hard work before they walked into their success.

There is a chapter titled, 10,000 hours. Gladwell writes that each of these examples of success are gifted and extremely bright, but each example also put in in excess of 10,000 hours of practice before their success. Bill Gates is a great example. When he walked out of Harvard after his sophomore year to start Microsoft he had already programmed in excess of 10,000 hours. He knew as much if not more about programming than most of his peers. Why? Well, Gladwell calls it circumstances... he lived in Seattle and went to a private school that had parents who started a computer club that gave access to a university mainframe computer. Gates happen to be the right person put in the right situation, but he also was bright and driven enough to take advantage of that situation. Of course as a Christian, I know that God had a hand in all of those circumstances as He oversees all.

Gladwell dispels this notion of luck and happenstance. If you read the book you will not be able to get past this idea of hard work and practice. There are many more examples in his book. It was a great read, and one that I highly recommend. Blessings!