GordonDelano... Wow, big surprise that our kids are sinking in science...not really.  With the NCLB related testing focusing on math and language arts, more and more elementary school administrators are demanding the teachers at their schools abandon the teaching of art, science, social studies, and music so they can spend more time teaching the tested subjects.

ProgressivePete...figuring out what's to blame may be the first step toward correcting the wrongs inflicted upon our young. So, where do we start?

       1)  Proximity to Mexico?  Partly to blame.  We are doing an amazing job helping the children of immigrants assimilate, but the testing, with its reports based on school level results and not individual student results, will never show that.

      2)  Teachers?  Again, partly to blame.  Instead of standing up to lawmakers and administrators who pick the textbooks, set the mile-wide standards, and put big groups of low ability students in the same classes as the highest ability students instead of leveling, we tuck our tails between our legs to save our jobs.

     3)  Students?  Partly to blame.  The work ethic is disappearing, though I suppose that is not surprising in a place where the highest paid individuals include star athletes and entertainers.

     4)  Parents?  Definitely part of the problem.  I think many parents see how Human Services is called upon to interefere in what used to be normal parental discipline and have become too afraid to spank or punish their child when they need to be.  As a teacher, I am no longer amazed when I'm sitting face to face with a couple of parents who say they feel powerless.    Then there are the other parents, the ones who have split up and are working against each other, much to the delight of manipulative kids who have learned to play parent vs parent vs teacher.  What ever happened to parents working together as a couple and with the teacher (at least in front of the kids)?

     5)  Lawmakers?  Probably a big part of the problem.  How many of them do you think talk to actual teachers (not just union leaders) before making decisions?  How many do you think make decisions that sound good to the public but are a nightmare to the schools?  How many of them really understand the statistical approach used right now?  What is so hard to see about this basic error in statistical interpretation?  Reports are generated at the class and school level.  The only individuals who see individual student results are parents.   Even trying to account for that by using the "similar schools" mod is not creating a reliable indicator of student achievement.

     6)  Life?  Definitely.  Kids have a lot on their minds now.  Yes, more than we did growing up.  I never wondered if the bully at the school would bring a weapon.  I never saw a peer make a death list.  I didn't worry about what would happen if my parents split up.  I didn't see the blood and gore of a video game, and my parents sheltered me from the news until I was old enough to handle it.  In fifth grade, my school gave "girl lessons", so I wasn't surprised by natural events and parents actually talked about sex (even if it was just to say premarital sex is a sin).  There wasn't a televised sex show on my favorite channel (MTV and Real World); I was shown Little House on the Prairie. 

I have been reading with much interest the posts concerning poor achievement in our schools. Jack O'Connell laments California education failures. California at 34th. position in the USA. However, the ranking of the USA Education system World Wide paints a picture of our education system that leaves much to be desired. Check out the rankings of a survey of math and science scores of 38 countries. The report shows that the, DUMBING DOWN, of curriculum, has produced results that any educator should have been able to predict. Where to look for solutions? How about the top ranked nations instead of wringing hands and wondering, what do we do....Link below.

http://4brevard.com/choice/...

Unfortunately, the NEA does not run an education "monopoly" Libbuster.  If anything, the NEA has been effectively shutout of important policy decisions at the federal level and many unions are shut out in red areas. 

Libbuster, why do you seem to think it is better for education decisions to be made by people who may never have stepped into a classroom after graduation instead of by people who are in the classroom on a daily basis?  Teachers are given directives by the state and federal government and held accountable for meeting standards, but are given very little say in the actual decision-making process.   Even at the school level, teachers are often ignored by administration. 

The Powerless Teacher

Note that the study shows it's those "handouts" that are lacking in those states.

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You've entertained us many a time, Mucus, glad we can return the favor.  Hope you were sufficiently entertained by the November election.

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I'm with you on opposing "condoms on cucumbers" education, though.  It really sets the girls up for a lifetime of disappointment.  They really should use more lifelike models.