American kids, dumber than dirt

Tsunami of Stupid is better, and mine.

 

There's also a sense I get that there's more concern with making sure that the bottom third of students catch up to the middle, than in pushing the middle to the top and challenging the top students to excel. AP courses are being offered to anyone that can hold a pencil, now. Causing those teachers and the advanced students to slow down.

 

I always hear this "the US is behind the world in education" and the sky-is-falling stuff, and really question this.

In the first place, even most educators don't really know what goes on in other countries. Even in many western European countries, college might not be as accessable as it is in the US. So even if their education systems are better, it doesn't help them with getting an advanced degree.

another thing is opportunity. I read a story about some people in a Mexican border town who sent their kids to US schools. Does that mean US schools are better than Mexican schools. I have a sister-in-law who has been involved in education on both sides of the border, and she thought the Mexican schools were ahead of the US schools. Maybe she is right, and maybe she isn't. The point I want to make is that these people in the border towns would send their kids to the US schools because they probably believe the opportunities would be better if their kids learn in the US schools. Maybe they are right, and maybe they aren't, but their actions show their belief.

The US education system has to deal with a more varied ethnic and economic background of children they have to education, so it probably is a lot harder job than in Norway or Sweden. And it is probably a lot more difficult to educate children in poorer South American countries than it is in the United States.

 

In school systems with a lot of high achievers the average kid who needs the help gets left at the gate. They do not quailfy for special education and can't keep up with work load that is geared toward high achievers. I've seen it with my nephew who is average student at best.

Some of it is relitve. If he were in a school where majority were average learners he would be near top.

 

Boom is spot on. Class rank should be eliminated as part of the college application process.

 

Colleges know, or should know, the relative strengths of high schools. Which is how a 3.2 average from one school can be compared to a 3.9 average in another.

 

They do, but that type of kid gets left behind- you have schools that teach to high achievers and special ed kids. The kids in middle struggle.

Some schools will try to push that type of kid into special education when it is not really needed.

The teachers have to move through the curriculum so fast they do not have time to provide needed assistance to avergage kid.

 

Writing Irish, we just wish we could teach rhetoric, etc. We cannot because we are teaching the test. Our jobs depend on "The Test". You must understand that in Texas, if a school falls below the level set by "No Child Left Behind" for two years, there are on probation. If a third consecutive year occurs, the faculty can be fired or dispersed (including nurse, counsellors, Librarian, etc.) to other campuses and new teachers brought in. If a fourth year occurs, the fault is passed to the administrators who can be fired or dispersed, even though they don't teach in classrooms. And if the state agency thinks it is necessary, a school can simply be closed! We have three high schools in the Houston area under that threat right now. And these are in high crime/drug/transient areas. Like the teachers or administration can police the community or stop people from moving for whatever reason, be it on the lam from the law or immigration, the latter being the case with two of the three schools. And the teachers and admins are at fault? SHow me how, I would ask. Rest assured the state would not provide an answer except to say that they are not imparting enough moral values to have an influence. Ehey aren't "motivating" enough. Along with accountability, motivation has become the second most common catchword. I would rather see some accountability on the part of the state agencies, themselves. But play hell if that will ever happen.

 

I might add, Boom_70, in Texas the Special Ed. kids are given "The Test" also. Yes, it is modified to an extent, but they have to take it. And their pass/fail percentages are counted in with the rest to determine accountability. On paper they are equal. It's like I said, learning is no longer the goal or priority. Passing "The Test" is.

 

My mother in law has been a teacher for 30 years. Since the inception of these tests, she drills it into her students every day how important those tests are. Her school report card depends on that grade, along with things like funding.

So what happens? Last year, some kid marks "a" for every answer and finishes in 10 minutes because he wants to get done fast. Sigh.

 

Why don't they put the special ed kids on the football team, they all seem to be honor roll students.

 

I disagree, and I say this as someone whose class rank dropped from ninth to 35th from junior to senior years at a very good academic school. I got into a great college because they weighed my drop in class rank against the factor of my working 24 hours per week at a local newspaper and also they looked at the kinds of courses I took (no filler, two AP classes). But I think class rank shows where a kid aims in relation to his surroundings.