Why American School Children's are not doing good in Science & Math?
437127
I don't mean to depress you even more, but it isn't just Science and math.  Go check your school district's scores and whether they met their AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) according to Pres. Bush's No Child Left Behind Act.  (You can generally do this on your state/district website).  American children are lagging behind in virtually all subjects. \n\nI am a teacher in a low-income urban school.  The majority of my students recieve free lunch, free transportation to school, with many of their parents are on welfare.  My students may not come to school with pens or paper, but their outfits look great and they all have cell phones or two-ways.  \n\nStatistics have shown that children who come from these areas come to school much less prepared then their middle and upper class counterparts.  Imagine a 6 year old coming to school with little prior communication with others, a 600 word vocabulary - compared to a child who went to nursery school, preschool, whose parents teach and talk to them, with a 6000 word vocabulary.  The class disconnect and general deterioration of our society has caused these issues. \n\nNo one can agree on how to fix them, which only delays improvement.  Then we can't find good moral people who teach well.  \n\nWe don't value education in American society.  We want material items and we want them immediately.  A book doesn't blink, play the latest Mp3 or text message you back.  Kids cannot start off with that type of stimulation and be taught to love a good quiet book, then discuss it intellectually. \n\nblah, blah blah... No Child Left Behind takes a stab at these issues - but in the wrong way (much like most of what Bush does).  If you haven't read it.. please do.  If you don't know what AYP or the new standards are - then become familiar with them.  Anyone in America who will be affected by the product of our schools should be outraged at what our kids cannot do!
816563
Without a doubt, the quality of education offered in American schools has plummeted in the last 25 years.  Parents from all walks of life, presented with failing grades by their undereducated children, reacted by forcing schools to lower their standards.  The result has been new generations of young people who, as adults, lack even fundamental knowledge of science, mathmatics, and linguistics.  It does not bode well for the future of science and technology, let alone education, in America.\n\nThe causes are manifold.  Parents, both working long hours, who are less and less involved in their children's lives.  High standards of living causing entertainment to be more valued than work.  Lack of role models.  The Internet.  Reality television.  Computer games.  Hollywood.  Consumerism.  Your evaluation is as good as mine.\n\nBush is not the product of such an average American household.  He's from a driven, ambitious, wealthy family, and an older generation, which valued knowledge, and whose collective work ethic still drives our economy. \n\nStill, you have a point.  He is more representative of the younger  generations coming into adulthood now, than he is of his own.  The political machine that put him into power was more responsible for his success than he was.  Once there, in the limelight, his shortcomings became glaringly obvious.  Was his re-election a result of his appeal to the younger crowd?  I doubt it.  They do not turn out in large numbers to vote.  Their poor education also fails to teach them about the importance of good government, and civic responsibility.\n\nI'm afraid Bush was elected, and re-elected, for reasons that have far more to do with American's fears and biases, than for his intellect or capabilites.  We, and too much of the rest of the world, will suffer the result for some time to come.
438100
Because our schools are in such bad shape that kids are graduating who don't know how to read and can't do basic math.  It's an attempt to bring some meaning back to a high school diploma.
452724
On the contrary.. the country will continue its downward plunge. Education, for example, has been downgraded in standards to meet the levels of illegals who are flooding our schools with free education. The United States, even at this present time, is being competed against by countries such as India and China whose school systems ares devoted to edukcation in the true educational subjects.. not subjects devoted to sex education and other such nonsense. The United States has already started to feel the pinch of being a country that cannot compete in technology, and the other essentials that keeps a country strong.
339655
Because they are not encouraged to study it (or, indeed, much at all). There is emphasis on things like sports and television, instead.\n\nAs a result, they never learn how interesting science is, or, if they do, as a result of peer pressure, they focus on other things, and never think about science until later in life, when they have strange preconceptions about science.\n\nFinally, intellectual laziness is encouraged in our society, and so, children don't have the desire to go out and learn science, because it's difficult, and people, especially most Americans, don't like difficult things. They want easy answers. And they don't want to have to change their minds as a result of new evidence. They want Truth, with a capital T.
47866
Because we're way smarter than yanks lol! only joking. The following is just my theory - As a Briton I believe our basic education system falls short in many areas. For the majority this is not good, however, those with a strong desire to learn have an advantage. Because of substandard basic education, there is less purely acedemic BS clogging up the brain leaving more space for ground breaking new ideas. Put simply, liken the human brain to a computer - take away MS Windows (the acedemic BS that makes the computer 'average'), and you have a machine that is open to new ideas (OS's), ie, it can think 'outside the box', which is a vital key in inventive thinking.\n\nNow if only british government & industry would start backing our young inventors instead of forcing them to sell their ideas to the far east...
94788
Hopefully, teaching these subjects will help us deal with the future.  Maybe we won't make the same mistake twice.  Another reason is perhaps that the children will learn from those who shaped our world as we know it today. (such as Ben Franklin, Alexander the Great, and Bill Gates for example)  Mybe it will also get the younger (and quite unenthused) generations creative juices flowing.
822872
You'll find it's mostly Americans who can't spell. Our educational system has gone down the crapper. As far as that goes our society as a whole is quickly turning into mush. It's a scary thought that these people will someday be running our country. Both the parents and the teachers simply don't care enough to make sure our kids learn how to do anything. I think the spelling talents are just the tip of the iceberg. It's just the most obvious. \nThe parents don't care. So the kids don't care. They say things like, "why do I need to know how to spell?" "You knew what I meant!". "It's never bothered me, why should it bother you?". It's not only pitiful but it's sad. America, the land of the free blithering idiots.\n.
1163702
People misinterpret the school report cards all the time.  Just because a school is getting an A does not mean that they are a good school.  It just means that they are making improvements from where they were last year, along with other factors... such as testing a certain percentage of students in each student category.  Having a school improvement plan.  Drop out rate.  It's not like a student's report card where it shows that they mastered the course material.  When it comes to school report cards you can even have an awsome school fail for a year because they did great the year before and did not improve for the year that is being graded.  That's why schools don't lose funds unless they have a failing grade for several years.  Any more questions... because there is a lot more to this.
406722
Yes i have lost faith in the American education system by reading some of these questions. When i went to school during the mid 70s Thur the 80s they taught you how to spell and proper grammar.I do not know how some of these young kids make it through college, because they must write reports with proper spelling and grammar. Sigh, they are going to be our future leaders.
156287
i wouldnt be worrying so much about grades, but the content.  if they are missing a lot of key concepts and ideas that are appropriate for that age level, something needs to be done.  im an educator in texas and we have spelling activities every week, cursive is taught in third, and science is all year.  but there is so much more to school than those few things.  from what you have said, it makes me wonder what else is falling through the cracks?  i would contact the school board, the district superintendants, and whoever else you need to get this resolved.  check up on required curriculum for the state and see if this school/class is meeting those.
520443
Teachers, funding, the govt! pressure, stress, home issues, trauma, depression, teasing from other kids, peer pressure, environment issues, ADD, ADHD, learning disabilities, no motives.... etc... there are a number of reasons for a child to do badly in school. the question is too general.
645793
Modern education hampers original thinking because teachers have to teach to standardized tests.  They are only feeding our kids what they need in order to pass the tests.  They have no more time left for higher level thinking.  It is a tragedy!
802667
If 1/2 the schools in the US thinks yes, then teachers are not doing well in the history aspect of education. Now, these kids need to know their rights, and the rights of others. I thought schools get taught the Constitution and bill of rights. At least I would expect thee civil war to be mentioned before 6th grade, the rest would follow. Freedom of speech, FREEDOM OF PRESS, freedom of religion, and so on. With this knowledge one can understand why America is America and not new great Brittan or some British ruled country paying taxes on land we are not living and harvesting from. ( ha, nowadays, this country is doing all kinds of illegal activities. No wonder why 1/2 the youth is lost and confused)
255144
For - public schools aren't making the grade.  give parents money for private school\n\nAgainst - Taking money and giving it to parents is throwing money at the problem and will not make the public schools better.  Also, kids who parents care will apply for vouchers -kids who have crappy parents will be stuck in even crappier schools.
413970
It is because(as I stated long ago and many times), the education system in the U.S. has desenagrated tremendously in the past 20 plus years. This due to very poorly trained individuials who have headed up our Government Educational offices in Washington and on down to the lowest levels. There is no turning around.. I also (Am an American) have difficulty understanding the language (very very poor language) AND even the writing of yanks.
977267
yep. i have seen countless equations listed as a question and ideas for essay topics. its ridiculous. no wonder american schools are falling apart....the kids cant think for themselves.