- 36% of DC high school sutdents who are proficient in math
- 39% of DC high schoolers proficient in reading
- 77% of US high school graduation rate (below most developed countries!!)
- -45 (that's a negative!) difference in average scientific literacy scores of US kids compared to Canadians in 2006
- Young Americans today are less likely than their parents were to finish high school!
To go to the article where I got these stats, click above on "Stats on Education" & it will take you to the article in this week's TIME: Can She Save Our Schools?. It was a good article about the new head of DC schools (Michelle Rhee).
The article left we wondering what is the problem? Why can't the US get the schools in better shape? It seems we are damned if we do and damned if we don't. Psychologist say the kids don't have enough "free time" - they are running from activity to activity too much. Then we have the battle of poverty & all it brings to the system (one DC school taught computers w/ a notebook and pencil!)
I don't think we have the finger on what the problem really is. Rhee says it it the teachers and we need to get rid of (or revise) tenure. I tend to agree -- too many unmotivated teachers hang on in the system. Also, I think there is something to be said for different learning methods -- and many of the teachers in tenure lack the interest in learning new ways to engage kids.
All I know - is something has to be done or the future of our kids (and the US) is at jeopardy. Did anyone read the article or have any other thoughts on what the problems are -- and what are some solutions?? --- Rebecca
2 comments:
Rebecca, I am as appalled by those stats as you are, and isn't it ironic that they came from our nations capitol!!!!! The US has some serious changes to make. I agree that tenure should be drastically revised or done away with completely. A person in any other job (ie. sales) would lose their job in a skinny minute if they weren't performing. How can we justify keeping teachers who aren't performing and not rewarding those who are. I have always been very proud to be an American, I tear up every time I hear our national anthem, but I must say that I feel very uneasy about our status in the world right now. I hope that my children can grow up and feel the same way I do about our great country.
Thanks -- and to follow-up on your point: Most jobs require some sort of performance review (some way to evaluate the quality of the work). Tenure protects teachers from evaluation -- and that is a not helpful to students or the teachers. It behooves teachers to know where they disconnect and can improve (just like it helps kids to know they aren't passing Math and need to study more).
Also, the purpose of tenure was to protect academic freedom. Teachers in (K-12) don't need academic freedom protection. Just another reason why tenure should be eliminated (or re-evaluated)in k-12.
- Rebecca
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