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It seems like High School is alot harder now days than when I was there 20 years ago. Back then you could be academically lazy but still make it through with C's and D's and still graduate. Those students usually went to work at a low skilled job and survived.
Now days there is so much pressure to pass tests, do tons of homework and take all kind of hard math, science and foreign language classes. Those students who are not interested in learning usually just reject it and drop out. I see a link between impossible standards and drop outs.
What do you think?
Yes - most definitely the work load causes many students to become frustrated to the point of dropping out. I believe that those in academia - however well-intentioned - tend to lose sight of the fact that many students are not great test-takers, or "booksmart" if-you-will.
I don't necessarily think that it's done with any type of malice, I just think that sometimes we humans think too much. Some of the most intelligent and talented people I know literally can't spell "mud," but could build a structure that would last for a century, or work circles around a more learned colleague. "Hands-on" students who used to be able to rely on vocational high schools to teach trades, now need to pass similar, if not the same, "standards" as college bound students in many states. Some of these students wouldn't be able to color in the right bubble if their lives depended on it, but would absolutely thrive in a "trades" technical high school. Society misses out when these kids get frustrated to the point of dropping out IMHO.
It seems like High School is alot harder now days than when I was there 20 years ago. Back then you could be academically lazy but still make it through with C's and D's and still graduate. Those students usually went to work at a low skilled job and survived.
Now days there is so much pressure to pass tests, do tons of homework and take all kind of hard math, science and foreign language classes. Those students who are not interested in learning usually just reject it and drop out. I see a link between impossible standards and drop outs.
What do you think?
Oh, there's some of that... and then there is of course grade inflation so that the impossible standards don't result in failure rates that make teachers get called onto the carpet by their superiors. Furthermore, there are "alternative" programs that are really easy by comparison... most of the kids who drop out of the high school where I teach go to one of those alternative programs that'll get them their GED faster than they'd have gotten a real high school diploma.
If our standards are getting higher than why are our kids still some of the dumbest when compared to other industrialized nations?
Probably because one can't compare our kid's testing scores to other industrialized nations in a "true picture" way. Take China for example: Not only are they on the polar opposite end of America in terms of culture, they also have a tendency to only reveal what they want us to see in the first place.
If one were to consider the 8 foot high wall that they built around the slums of Beijing to hide them during the Olympics, one could reasonably conclude that we don't have the whole picture. China selects it's high acheivers and presents their scores to the world (much like their high performing athletes) IMHO. Humans are humans. No one can tell me that they don't have kids who struggle with academics. I suspect those are the ones who are responsible for our "Always low prices!"
Interestingly, I just finished reading about Finland (students who also kick our academic rears in testing scores). They basically do what America used to do - that is, they focus on developing social skills up until age 6 or 7, and then begin to teach them with a structured curriculum from my understanding of the limited info I read. The thought is that it's not anymore beneficial to begin to teach children younger than 6 or 7 to read. I've always believed (based on basic observation) that maturity plays a major role in the successful assimiliation of information in terms of reaching "standards." I also think that when we focus, focus, focus on getting the kids to color in the right bubble, we've pretty much taught them to get the right answer without much deep thought.
If we are truly so focused on Math and Reading, then any time left for Science, Literature, and basic History (which we as a collective society seem to enjoy repeating - frequently IMO) is negligent at best. Perhaps that's why our students appear to be..."some of the dumbest when compared to other industrialized nations." Food for thought I suppose.
Last edited by cebdark; 02-26-2009 at 08:51 PM..
Reason: typo
It seems like High School is alot harder now days than when I was there 20 years ago. Back then you could be academically lazy but still make it through with C's and D's and still graduate. Those students usually went to work at a low skilled job and survived.
Now days there is so much pressure to pass tests, do tons of homework and take all kind of hard math, science and foreign language classes. Those students who are not interested in learning usually just reject it and drop out. I see a link between impossible standards and drop outs.
What do you think?
I disagree with you. I have a son in HS and the leeway and breaks they give these kids is unbelievable.
What pressure to pass tests ? They can take retakes or take home and correct and get additional points.
I think they've dumbed down the curriculum to the point of where illiterate students make it into college.
Take a look at how many "developmental" courses are offered in college - these are HS level classes needed to pass before they move onto college level courses.
I disagree with you. I have a son in HS and the leeway and breaks they give these kids is unbelievable.
What pressure to pass tests ? They can take retakes or take home and correct and get additional points.
I think they've dumbed down the curriculum to the point of where illiterate students make it into college.
Take a look at how many "developmental" courses are offered in college - these are HS level classes needed to pass before they move onto college level courses.
I do see some of this myself, but I have to wonder why that is.
Could it be that we seem to be pushing younger grades (K - 5) with work that is by appearances 2 grade levels above what it was before (say 5 or so years ago)? I think that maturity plays a large part in how children learn in general, and I've observed many young kids get frustrated with the level of curriculum to the point of not wanting anything to do with it.
I'm thinking along the lines of spelling words for 3rd graders such as the ones that are linked to stories they are reading vs. building on phonetics.
An example of that would be the word "pharmacist" which is literally one that my 3rd grader brought home on her list 3 weeks ago. Clearly some children are quite capable of learning words such as these, but the ones who struggle will most certainly fail if not for certain accomodations with spelling lists, etc.... I think it's a very complex issue to say the least.
Our principal used to threaten us by saying "If they's too many F's, they's somethin' wrong with the teachin'." So many teachers never gave an F, even if the student had done no work whatsoever. In the science department we tried to maintain high standards and it was not unusual for most of the students in a given class to get F's.
The top athletes rarely tried at all, and then they'd bring their parents on the last day of school to raise heck about their grades, like they had never seen a report card or a progress report. They received one or the other every 2.5 weeks in the mail. Often the principal backed down and changed the grades himself.
When you know how it really works, there are no wonders in the schools.
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Some of the most intelligent and talented people I know literally can't spell "mud," but could build a structure that would last for a century, or work circles around a more learned colleague. "Hands-on" students who used to be able to rely on vocational high schools to teach trades, now need to pass similar, if not the same, "standards" as college bound students in many states. Some of these students wouldn't be able to color in the right bubble if their lives depended on it, but would absolutely thrive in a "trades" technical high school. Society misses out when these kids get frustrated to the point of dropping out IMHO.
China selects it's high acheivers and presents their scores to the world (much like their high performing athletes) IMHO. Humans are humans. No one can tell me that they don't have kids who struggle with academics. I suspect those are the ones who are responsible for our "Always low prices!" 
