Why are American kids so poor at reading, writing, and doing simple arithmetic; what's wrong with our schools?

Question

Of college and university entrants:

60% have to take bonehead English, and
45% have to take remedial math courses.

And this is just so that they can be minimally effective doing first-year work!

I was in the store the other day and this bright, attractive young lady was handling the service desk; I'd had a problem at the register so the cashier had sent me over to see her.

Problem: Discount didn't ring up properly.
Further Problem: The young lady didn't have a calculator handy.
The Real Problem: She COULD NOT add up a short column of numbers representing the prices of the items I'd bought. (Doubt she could have done the percentage discount calculation even if she'd gotten that far.)
Solution: Stand there and whine "I can't do math!" I kid you not - she actually uttered those words!
Real Solution: Get the manager, that's what he's there for.

This young lady was a recent graduate of a perfectly fine high school in this area.

WTF is going on in these "schools"?!?

Answer 1

The NEA Teachers Union makes it impossible for bad teachers to be fired. That is one main problem with our schools.

But the REAL problem is with our parents - why aren't the parents of the school children making sure their kids are learning? Why aren't they taking responsibility for their kids' education?

My daughter is in 1st grade, but since we taught her to read when she was 3, she is reading on a second grade level already. We help her with her school work and see what she is understanding and what she needs more help in, then we give her the help. Her teacher has 21 students. Our daughter only gets 1/21 of her teacher's attention. But we only have one child, and she gets 100% of our attention.

She is our top priority, period.

Answer 2

The problem is that the government got involved in out education system and made all these mandates. Instead of pushing the kids to do their best, they are teaching down to the lowest level.

Also, parents are not getting involved in their children's education. I don't mean they have to volunteer at the schools. But they need to be involved in what their kids are doing. Our kids come home from school, and the first thing they do is homework. Then they do their chores, then they have time for themselves. Even if they don't have homework assigned, if there is an area they are having a difficult time with, we have them do some extra study time at home. For example, one of out daughters is in 4th grade. She has a harder time with spelling than most kids her age. They get a list of spelling words for the week, and she has to write them 5 times each every night. It's helped her out a lot, and her grades on her spelling tests have greatly improved.

Answer 3

Its not the schools. Because society has decided that it is the job of people with no vested interest in a child other than a paycheck, to teach their children.The parents,who SHOULD
have a primary role in a childs education have bottomed out.
I learned to read and add BEFORE I went to any school. They
were taking no chances. Laziness on the part of parents are what is wrong with the training of American children. From discipline to training and on even to demanding accountability.

Answer 4

Classrooms are over crowded and not enough help in each room. So if there is too many students per one teacher then that one teacher can't pay enough attention to each student. This could mean over looking one students weakness whether it is math or English. Then they graduate.
That is why parents should be more involved with their children and their school work. Its not just the schools fault.

Answer 5

i replaced into immensly poor as a toddler, my mum drank mmost of her earnings help and as we didnt have any uniforms i continually had to positioned on tracksuit bottoms what have been in many cases too short for me, they maximum inexpensive running shoes nike or addidas had to grant (identity be bullied much greater if i didn t) , we've been all technically poor at our college yet i replaced into between the greater severe off. the 1st day i've got been given talked approximately as elvis through fact my mum bought me a pair of $5 running shoes (1997) what have been created from blue suade. I even have those days moved faraway from Niddrie, Edinburgh (neighbour to Greedndykes - 4th maximum deprived area in scotland) over 2 years in the past and that i like it in wolverhampton, the persons are a superb crowd!

Answer 6

Too many parents are treating schools as babysitters. Lack of parential involvement. The standards have been lowered for students as well as teachers.
Teachers are far too underpaid and have too much admin work to do rather than teach.

Answer 7

It's because our education system is so tightly controlled by the libs. They are more concerned with being politically correct and allowing students to express their individuality than they are with teaching them how to be productive members of society. I know there are good teachers out there who are trying to make a difference in regards to this. I wish they weren't the minority.

Answer 8

Our schools cater to the lowest common denominator. I recently read something that said in 2006, US schools spent 10 billion dollars on special ed., and less than 10% of that on gifted programs.

Answer 9

Education begins at home. If education is not supported at home, schools will fail. The parents are the main problem. Just look at how many parents are functionally illiterate, they pass down this tradition to their children.

Answer 10

Try paying teachers a wage other college graduates expect & receive. (also police & firefighters) I have a teaching degree & earned more working for the post office for 20 yrs.