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Student achievement

J

Jacque74

Mar 27, 2007
1
0
#1
An international study released recently by the Department of Education showed that American 12th graders are near the bottom of 21 countries studied in science and math. Although at the fourth grade level, the U.S. compared relatively favorably with other countries, by the time U.S. students reach the 12th grade, their understanding of science and math is significantly weaker than their peers in many other countries. For example, countries whose 12th graders performed significantly better than the U.S. in science include Sweden, Netherlands, Iceland, Norway, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, and Denmark.

The typical U.S. curriculum contains a far greater number of topics than most other countries. Researchers found a strong connection between this broad curriculum and the poor performance. Student achievement, however, is improving. Texas Teachers testify that Texas 4th grade students tied for the highest gain on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) mathematics test out of all the states participating in the testing. In addition, Texas had the highest percentage of African American 4th grade students and the fourth highest percentage of Hispanic 4th grade students scoring "At or above basic" on the NAEP mathematics test.

According to Texas Teachers, in the spring of 2005, almost three-fourths of all students taking the TAAS test passed (73.2%) - up from 67.1 percent just one year earlier.
 
#4
Some things to think about when discussing this:

1. American education has a "dual thrust" that balances socialization with academic achievement. Other systems don't do that. Socialization is what families and communities are for, not overburdened, underpaid teachers

2. Foreign school systems weed out non-achievers with regular competency testing that sends them to vocational programs should they not meet standards. This is a "dual school" system. We are unitary, we allow all students to follow the same track regardless of achievement. We have to compare unmotivated slackers to high-performing, motivated students

3. TASS has been at the center of wide-spread cheating scandals and is a poor indicator of achievement

4. When this country decides that teachers are actually important to the health of society, things will improve dramatically
 
#5
Folmeister said:
Some things to think about when discussing this:

1. American education has a "dual thrust" that balances socialization with academic achievement. Other systems don't do that. Socialization is what families and communities are for, not overburdened, underpaid teachers

2. Foreign school systems weed out non-achievers with regular competency testing that sends them to vocational programs should they not meet standards. This is a "dual school" system. We are unitary, we allow all students to follow the same track regardless of achievement. We have to compare unmotivated slackers to high-performing, motivated students

3. TASS has been at the center of wide-spread cheating scandals and is a poor indicator of achievement

4. When this country decides that teachers are actually important to the health of society, things will improve dramatically
Click to expand...
Wow, a HUGE +1!
 
#6
Folmeister said:
Some things to think about when discussing this:

1. American education has a "dual thrust" that balances socialization with academic achievement. Other systems don't do that. Socialization is what families and communities are for, not overburdened, underpaid teachers

2. Foreign school systems weed out non-achievers with regular competency testing that sends them to vocational programs should they not meet standards. This is a "dual school" system. We are unitary, we allow all students to follow the same track regardless of achievement. We have to compare unmotivated slackers to high-performing, motivated students.
Click to expand...

Is this "dual thrust" a true standard that is written in a bill concerning education? When I google it up, it seems that the "dual thrust" is really only for young children, which is expected, and was a staple of my early childhood education, and is probably so in all of those countries.

This would seem to indicate that the teachers are pushing this "dual thrust" mentality of their own accord into the later life of students. Sounds more like a failing than a difference.

As for point two, the only students who get booted are the ones who barely show up for school, or who show up and cause nothing but misery for teachers and other students. Again, to let these students continue with the regular system bogs down the education of other students. Again, sounds more like a failing than a difference.
 
#8
Folmeister said:
Some things to think about when discussing this:

1. American education has a "dual thrust" that balances socialization with academic achievement. Other systems don't do that..

2. Foreign school systems weed out non-achievers with regular competency testing..
Click to expand...

I don't think neither of these are true with Finnish (and hence Scandinavian) school system, yet North European score high on these studies made.
 
#12
jkritchey said:
Hmm, my daughters Science Academy (part of our Public School system) entertains foreign visitors to learn why US students are much more creative in their approach to learning than their own high scoring students.

Test scores aren't everything.QUOTE]

Amen. I've been teaching for 30 years in both public and private schools, and while I've never heard or discussed the term "double thrust' I certainly understand what it means, and its true that thsi exists in American schools.

There is a great deal of energy spent on sports, rallies, dances and other social devices that help the kids feel like they belong in school and it is a good and safe place to be. Also a good bit of energy is spent keeping track of kids and if they are involved with things (drugs, sex etc) that could be harmful to them. School have taken parents to court for abuse. And to those people who feel that the school is taking the place of the parent, all I can say is that we wouldn't be spending the time and energy if it wasn't necessary.... in other words if the parents abdicate the responsibility for the children, someone will step in.
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#14
Creative learning? LOL...

I've done middle school and high school in the US, and if theres one thing I can say its that the level is LOW. And France is not really having the smartest kids come out of their schools. But the level in the US is atrocious. You can use whatever reason you want to say you're more creative etc, US schools dont prepare a kid correctly for the future.
 
#17
Geoff St. Germaine said:
That's what I was thinking. I've never seen that here. Certainly high-achievers can take different classes in high-school, but the others are not sent to a different school system. At least not in Canada IME.
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Not in France either. And I dont think it would be fair for the students. Kids are kids. How many times does a kid realize he should work his butt off and does it and gets good grades when before he was a mediocre student? Such a system is completely ridiculous and any government enforcing it must not do a great job to educate their kids in the first place IMHO.

The American school system sucks, period. You peeps need to do something about it if you want that to change, and stop pointing fingers.
 

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