The above photos are of my mom, Camelia Poshtyar Bradshaw, in elementary and high school in Iran.
My mom grew up in Iran in the 80s and 90s, and got to experience both an Iranian and American education. She earned her BS in accounting at San Jose State University and helped my siblings and I as we’ve grown up in the American school system.
She speaks on the inefficiency of the American school system, and challenges the very ideas most of us have grown up learning. She explains that, “The American school day is filled with fluff. In Iran we would work for four hours, come home for lunch, and stay home. Our time spent at school was efficient and allowed for more time at home.”
Coming to college in America was a shock. Being handed large textbooks, typically rarely touched in class, was a surprise. Bradshaw explains, “In Iran we were given thin workbooks that detailed the work for each class day, clearly explaining exactly what you needed to know, with example problems and then opportunities to try on your own.”
The challenge didn’t stop here. As my siblings and I got older my mom was tasked with the challenge of aiding us in our school work- especially math. It was tough to be faced with the Common Core curriculum, a system even American parents strongly dislike.
The graphic below details the traditional (purple) math methods, and the common core method (green).
The use of unnecessary charts, boxes, and side problems was foreign, and led to many evenings trying to solve problems normally, then working to understand the complicated common core method.
Overall, my mothers diverse educational experience begs to challenge the efficiency of the American school system, truly highlighting our need for a more effective approach.