Why is it that American Education Grades 1-12 is so far behind from the rest of the world?

Question

For example, in El Salvador kids usually begin learning Algebra 1 in the 4th or 5th grade while kids here in America usually start learning it in 9th grade and some even fail it and have to retake it in 10th grade. In summer 2008 I am moving to El Salvador to complete the 12th grade and I am so worried the kids in El Salvador are so far ahead from the ones here in the USA. The only advantage I probably have over them is my English nothing else. Why is it that american education is so bad? Are the kids to blame who usually join social cliques like rocker, prep, ghetto, emo etc. or are the teachers to blame who some don't teach at all and are more worry about getting a raise. or is it the American Education Curriculum?

Answer 1

Hmmm interesting question but I'm pretty sure that America is to busy doing things like not being a third world country to give a **** about El Salvador, enjoy dysentery and no running water.

Answer 2

This is a really interesting question. Thankfully, you are asking, and not just pointing fingers without knowing the whole story. I agree with the other posts that state we are all to blame. Why would anyone ever go into the teaching field, knowing that they are always going to be scrutinized. Teachers are lazy, they want more money for less work, they aren't teaching the level that the Europeans are, etc. etc. etc. Why would anyone want a job that no matter what they do, it isn't good enough. Our government has passed a law that places ALL the blame on teachers and school, and eliminated any responsibility from parents, the government or the communities. What the hell is wrong with our country? How come we can spend $2000 a seat on sporting event tickets or concert tickets which entertains us for 2-3 hours, but if we need to raise taxes $100 a year in order to provide a better education for our children we vote it down? I saw a GREAT cartoon the other day. There was a basketball player standing on the sidewalk, and a limo was driving by on the street. The basketball player was saying "There goes another teacher, earning $10 million a year, while I work my butt off playing basketball 6 months every year and can barely pay rent." The caption under the cartoon read, "in another universe".

The NCLB law eliminates funding for schools that don't achieve their unattainable goals. You don't make schools better by eliminating funding, you make schools better by finding out why they aren't performing better and providing the funds to purchase the materials they need. You wouldn't expect a baker to make a wedding cake, and only provide him/her with flour! He needs eggs, milk, sugar and other ingredients as well.

I do believe that students should be in school longer, but only up to about 8 hours. I also believe the arts should be a mandatory, yes I said it, MANDATORY part of their education, not an elective. Europeans REQUIRE the arts, and foriegn language for a reason. Teachers in Europe, are paid a very comporable salary and are very respected. I wish that were the case in America. Until this entire country puts education first, it cannot improve. The NCLB law is an abomination to this country and needs serious rewriting in order for it to work. There is nothing wrong with raising the bar, but don't raise the bar so high it is impossible to reach, and then enforce a severe consequence for not reaching the bar.

Answer 3

In my experience, Latin America has a more egalitarian approach to education. This means that no one turns the page in the book until everyone knows what's on the page. This can be very good for the slow learners, but very boring for the better learners. American schools don't do this. Thus there will be a "slow" second grade for the kids who didn't learn enough in the first grade. And these kids will likely all migrate to the "slow" third grade, etc. The kids who are good learners in the first grade will get into the "fast" second grade or maybe even the Gifted and Talented classes. So you will end up with 12th graders who are both functionally illiterat and 12th graders who have a lot of years of Advanced Placement classes.

When political groups want to make a statement about how bad American education is, they won't point to the valedictorians, they'll point to the 12th-grade failures. "Why can't Johhny read" has been a lament for decades.

Does America crank out lots of dummies? Yep. Does America make some very capable young people? Yep again.

Where can you lay the blame for the situation? Too many places. Ignorant parents who don't care what their kids do in school is one place. Lazy students who'd rather be "cool" is another. Teachers who are there just for the sinecure money can roast a bit, too. Heck, there's blame for the system which takes a good teacher and says, "You are such a good teacher that you should stop teaching and start administrating."

BTW, get yourself a book- The Gregg Reference Manual. This will show you where to capitalize and where to leave letters in lower case. And it'll show you the difference between present and past tense.

Good luck in El Salvador. Disregard slander about dysentery.

Answer 4

I agree with the last poster that there are a multitude of problems with the system of education in comparison to other countries. I would also like to add the issue of lack of family values in our country. Without these values, we see little to no parental involvement in the urban areas, which is now resulting in the increase in the following teen activity: gang involvement, teenage pregnancy, drug use, drop-out rates, and criminal activity sometimes resulting in incarceration. These negative aspects of the core family result in a decreased value of education because the students now have a new focus in life: raising their siblings or their own children, earning money (either legally or not), and, at times, possibly lengthy visits in jail. We can attempt to place blame for these events on a bigger institution, like the government, due to their refusal to deal with issues like poverty and the effects of "white flight" in the 1970s on the inner city school systems. These two events have led to lack of funding to improve the school systems, both physically and socially, therefore, the level of education has decreased as well as teacher training and the value of teaching as an art. The decrease in family values that has been slowly occuring throughout the last three decades is now coming full circle--which can be seen when you compare the performance of the urban systems versus the schools in the surrounding areas.

I am not familiar with the El Salvador educational system, but I will tell you the places like China, Japan, and other world powers (or those soon to be) have a value of education that starts at the home.

Answer 5

Education in America is different in every state and region. I teach 6th grade in a major city, and two of my students are in Algebra. Based on my experience with former students, over half of my class will be in Algebra I in 7th grade with the rest taking it 8th grade. Additionally, a lot of my students are immigrants who left El Salvador and nearby countries because of the dismal educational and occupational opportunities. Perhaps you are confused about what constitutes an Algebra class. The mere appearance of the variable x doesn't make it high school level Algebra.

Answer 6

Teachers have specific curriculum they're supposed to teach, so I don't think it's fair to blame them. I think it has far more to do with American societal views on education. Americans feel entitled to everything, but many don't want to put forth effort to GET everything. Education is one of those things. Great question. :)

Answer 7

properly, i do no longer be responsive to in the journey that your guidance is right or no longer so an prolonged way as El Salvador being forward, yet i be responsive to that assorted countries ARE only before he US. there are a number of factors that bypass into this situation. you are going to be able to desire to spend years gaining knowledge of and then in step with danger you could start to understand. although i choose for to be conscious some issues. only as a results of fact little ones initiate Algebra one million in 4th or fifth does no longer mean they're going to end all Algebra one million ideas in 4th or fifth grade. The homeschool curriculum i take advantage of introduces Algebra in straight forward (i think of it genuinely starts off with straightforward Algebraic ideas in third grade), although this would not mean that my third or 4th grader could have mastered Algebra one million, or my sixth grader for that count number. It only skill that they have got been presented to specific suggestions and concepts so whilst they do take Algebra one million the approach won't seem so overseas to them. whilst will they take an entire Algebra one million course? someplace between seventh and 9th, counting on whilst they bypass a placement try try for it. i could trust you on one factor, that the yank college equipment is a large number, and desires to alter.

Answer 8

though american schools are easier than other countries' american education is rated as number one in the whole world....it can give u better job with better salary no matter where u go.