Learning Curve Edges Education is the catalyst for success. In America, we like to think that our school system is rigorous in preparing students for college and work. Many students have difficulty dealing with the American curriculum, so it must be intense, right? Those who can keep up are inclined to succeed in our society. If the best Americans lived in China, however, things would be different. Some of these “better” students would find themselves working for minimum wage in dead-end jobs. Why? It's because the American school system isn't rigorous. In fact, last year we barely managed to crack the top thirty in the academic rankings. So why are countries like China and Singapore beating us to the punch? The answer is simple. They care more. Schools care enough to invest in better teachers and teach a truly rigorous curriculum. Parents care enough to discipline and actively participate in their children's school experience, and children care enough to listen. Together, American schools, parents, and children can improve the country's educational standing by investing in better teachers, strengthening discipline at home, and creating a tougher curriculum that meets our need to become a serious competitor against Asia. The best way schools can help improve our academic standing is by investing in high-quality teachers. To do this, teachers' salaries will have to increase. As a direct result, there will be more competition for jobs and people with PhDs. will be motivated to teach. Higher quality teachers will have greater knowledge of the subject matter than other candidates for the job position and will be able to teach at a faster pace. Looking at China and Japan for example, teachers receive an equivalent salary... to half the paper... simply emulating the Asian procedure, why shouldn't we do it too? By placing greater value on teachers, enforcing discipline at home, and reforming the American curriculum, schools and parents can cooperate to ensure higher test scores than in other countries. This can be done by changing our mindsets about all aspects of education, as well as implementing political and economic reforms to provide more funding to schools and make them more challenging. Wouldn't it be great if we could look competing countries in the eye instead of admiring them? As the saying goes, “if you can't beat them, join them!” Let's join Asian countries and finally share the spotlight by doing what they do best. That is, take care. We have to worry about who teaches us. We must care about what we learn. We have to worry about success. And education is the catalyst for that.