The Global Achievement Gap: Why
Even Our Best Schools Dont Teach
the New Survival Skills Our Children
Need--And What We Can Do About It
by Tony Wagner
Does China Teach Its Students This Way?
Despite the best efforts of educators, our nation’s schools are dangerously
obsolete. Instead of teaching students to be critical thinkers and problem-
solvers, we are asking them to memorize facts for multiple choice tests.
This problem isn’t limited to low-income school districts: even our top
schools aren’t teaching or testing the skills that matter most in the global
knowledge economy. Our teens leave school equipped to work only in the
kinds of jobs that are fast disappearing from the American economy.
Meanwhile, young adults in India and China are competing with our
students for the most sought-after careers around the world. Education

expert Tony Wagner has conducted scores of interviews with business
leaders and observed hundreds of classes in some of the nation’s most
highly regarded public schools. He discovered a profound disconnect
between what potential employers are looking for in young people today
(critical thinking skills, creativity, and effective communication) and what
our schools are providing (passive learning environments and uninspired
lesson plans that focus on test preparation and reward memorization).
He explains how every American can work to overhaul our education
system, and he shows us examples of dramatically different schools that
teach all students new skills. In addition, through interviews with college
graduates and people who work with them, Wagner discovers how
teachers, parents, and employers can motivate the “net” generation to
excellence.
An education manifesto for the twenty-first century, The Global
Achievement Gap is provocative and inspiring. It is essential reading for
parents, educators, business leaders, policy-makers, and anyone
interested in seeing our young people succeed as employees and citizens.
For additional information about the author and the book, please go to
www.schoolchange.org
Personal Review: The Global Achievement Gap: Why Even Our
Best Schools Dont Teach the New Survival Skills Our Children
Need--And What We Can Do About It by Tony Wagner
There's a lot one could say and there are multiple constituencies that
would find the book very engaging: teachers, students, recruiters,
managers, et al.
My focus is on the first, teachers. As an adjunct at multiple universities, I
am amazed at how much (and how fast) some traditional universities are
catching up to some of the leaders in nontraditional education. For myself,
The Global Achievement Gap underscores the need to create excitement
and innovation in the classroom through activities (yes, activities... for
those of you who are 100% lecture!) that engage learners. As I come
upon the next term of classes, I am working towards restructuring
elements of my courses that incorporate even more aspects of 'working in
teams', critical thinking, and other elements of Dr. Wagner's
recommendations to enhance learning outcomes.

In summary, I highly recommend this book (especially to teachers).
Chapter 1 is a fascinating overview that is backed up by anecdotal
narratives and sufficiently good notes/bibliography for those that want to go
further to the sources. Subsequent chapters go a bit deeper into each of
the 7 elements but, chapter one is potentially 'class-altering' reading.
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