Welcome to Gaia! ::

It's true lots of americans take it easy, but there are others who push themselves. For instance, I am in a college level Calculus class, with an A, as a junior in high school. I tried. (I also have a knack for math.) On average, loads of American kids take it easy, but the only reason America hasn't gone completely down the tubes (What are these tubes of which you speak?) is because there are intelligent people who like to learn, want to try, have a knack for academics, or just get out and do it. So, I'd say, on average, a foreign child in a country of significant education has learned more in the same number of years then an American kid, but that doesn't mean that there aren't American kids who are just as smart as their foreign peers.

American schooling is child's play compared to Asian schooling. I've lived in China for 6.5 years; been to school there for 3.5. Schooling there is a lot tougher than here in the US & A.

The one major difference: punishments. If you fail a test, you go to school and stay there until 8PM, reviewing the test material. If you do something wrong in class, you go stand in the corner with your arms out for an hour and a half. This is only elementary school. I can't even imagine high school.

The bright side is, over 90% of new generation kids go to college.

And do you know why it's tougher there then in America? It's because of the cultures and ways of life.

Chinese are more financial success driven, and part of that success is being successful in school.

I also remember hearing that if a chinese child fails a grade/test more than twice they're disowned from their family, and disgraced their family. Something along those lines.

"As long as you gave it your best shot" is the attitude of most American families.

and lately americans are so stupid they keep giveing out tons of homework without telling you what to do and you show up for class and look your homework is not compleat and somehow you still pass.

-My Opinion Shall Ensue-

I believe that, yes, America's school system is generally worse than most others around the world. The reasons I think it is this way is because more then 50% of pharmaceudical drugs like Ritalin and Prozac etc are purchased by Americans, and simply the epidemic of street drugs, which many students seem to actually think are okay for them.


Now, I apologize for the rant, but The school system sucks. scream burning_eyes
I will gladly expand on this more if I interested anyone! biggrin
Just feel free to PM me.

Districting, and the method of funding schools through their administrations directly are the real reasons our schools are in such bad shape. Its all internal business and greed inside that system. There is a lot of red tape to cut through, to fire bad teachers, thanks to unions, and they dont get paid very much for motivation either, thanks to administrators who wont pay what they dont have to. They're also reluctant to spend money fixing problems in a school unless they must. In a sense its like having a bad landlord who will only repair whats absolutely necessary (depending on your district), and only if there's widespread distaste and understanding towards the complication.

Some schools, on the other hand, do spend huge sums of money on technology and equipment, but do little to change the teachers, when they are the real problem. If you look at top schools in Belgium, or even Poland, you'll see these schools have MUCH MUCH smaller budgets. Instead of blowing their money on computers, these foreign schools forcus on hiring outgoing, experienced teachers. Even without all the nice things, the students in these schools do 10x better than American children, particularly in science and math.

The practice of districting students and methods of funding schools are the most serious problems in my oppinion. If you are a child living in a bad area, there arent enough taxes from the poor residents to support a good school (and where theres little money, administrators are going to be less likely to fix problems unles they're absolutely necessary.) These are the inner city schools you hear of, that are falling to s**t.

Its my oppinion that American schools should be run like businesses with the aid of the federal government. If the feds give some sort of education allowance directly to the families, instead of paying administrators, they'll have the option of chosing their school. In turn, that school must compete with others to stay at the top. Shitty teachers will no longer be a problem. If this ever does happen, administrators will find a way of handling the red tape that makes it hard to fire bad teachers. Pointless testing would probably also work its way out of the methods of schooling along with TAKS and whatever else parents find revolting. I imagine administrators would find ways of smoothing out all those bumps, just like any corperation would, that is desperate for increased profits.

Naturally better methods of teaching, and in depth repeated utilization of skills and information, which help children to remember what they have retained, will be put in to practice. The better teachers who are actually there to do what they do because they are well experienced, and love their jobs( instead of cursing their high school students,) will in the long run inspire, motivate and connect with kids. If you have a teacher that will go to great lengths to make learning fun and exciting for a student, fewer will fail, and drop out. Teachers that have that gift (my 10th grade chem teacher for example) change the lives of students. They're people you dont forget even when you're 40, because they impassion you to put effort into work, make it exciting, and encourage you even if you're not doing so great.

I agree.
Although, in my case it's because my history classroom is so goddam COLD you can't help but fall asleep.
Our school has practically no heating system whatsoever, and then my history teacher keeps a fan on. -.-