Report: In math, we're lame
Only 6 percent of the American class of 2009 scored at the advanced level in math on standardized tests, compared to 28 percent of those in Taiwan, the report found. The percentage puts the United States behind Hong Kong, Korea, Finland, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, the Czech Republic, Japan, Canada, Macao-China, Australia, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Denmark, Iceland, France, Estonia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the Slovak Republic, Luxembourg, Hungary, Poland, Norway, Ireland and Lithuania.
Hey, but we’re ahead of Portugal, Greece, Turkey and Mexico!
“In short, the percentages of high-achieving students in the United States – and in most of its individual states – are shockingly below those of many of the world’s leading industrialized nations,” the report said. “Results for many states are at a level equal to those of third-world countries.”
Don’t blame minorities or “uneducated” parents either, the report continues. Only 8 percent of white students in the U.S. scored at the advanced level, while only 10 percent of those with at least one parent with a college degree did. That still puts the U.S. behind most industrialized countries.
“This is not a story of some states doing well but being dragged down by states that perform poorly,” the report said. “Nor is it a story of immigrant or disadvantaged or minority students hiding the strong performance of better-prepared students.”
At the Flypaper blog, Mike Petrilli looks at the big raw numbers behind the itty bitty percentages - and finds things ain't so bad. At the Bridge to Tomorrow blog, FSU physics professor Paul Cottle offers some ideas on how things can be turned around in Florida.
(Image from www.babble.com.)
wonder if the geniuses from Harvard looked at the "lack of motivation" and effects of new technology on our beloved middle and upper class kids.
let's face it, the work ethic amongst many Americans is at an all time low. Mom and Dad have made things way too easy for junior leading to a mindset of "the world revolves around their little darlings wants"!
throw in all the electronic gadgets they have to play with to keep them amused and who needs math and science? that takes way too much effort and work.
They'd rather play with their little gadgets. Yeah, that will get them a high paying job down the road!
I've actually witnessed high school kids with the ipod on, ear phone wires dangling, texting on a cell phone with one hand while playing a video game on the other!
If you don't believe me to to any school and watch em come into school.
Wait a minute, not too long ago we had the article about how we do not really need advanced math. the responses at that time said it all- educators who agreed that we do not need math, "average joes" who said we did not need math. Now to find out we are behind again. BTW rolltide, one of my kids would be thrilled if the math teacher would do more than post one example on the board and then give the assignment. Maybe you should go observe that class.
I wonder if they looked at the fact that we don't demand our students even learn basic facts anymore. Far too many kids don't even know how to add, subtract, multiply, or divide without a calculator. If you don't know the basics how can you know the advanced stuff?
Four letters explain it all, NCLB. So much of our effort has gone into the "lowest 25%" that there is little left for the top 25%. Every week I am required to devote one full afterschool session to "discussing and planning" what to do with the lowest 25%. A calculus student needs help that day? Sorry, I have PLT for 1/2 hour after school and can't meet with you then. Tomorrow? Sorry, I have a parent conference with one of those lowest 25% to wring our hands and explain to mommy why things like attending class and doing homework is important, even though we all know that nothing is likely to change.
Sorry if I sound a little bitter, but I guess I am. And now I can see that my pay is going to depend on how I do with those lowest 25%. So where is America heading?
Sorry for the noun-verb disagreement. It should be "are important" not "is important."