As in, education done. Not on track to graduate. Not making progress.
Many blame the Common Core framework, which has - so far - mostly affected Math and ELA (what educators - as opposed to teachers - call English Language Arts). I've mostly seen the results at second-hand, when the kids come into science class woefully deficient in basic math skills.
I taught Chemistry and Physics my last 4 years in teaching. Before that, I taught Physical Science as well. In upper-level science courses, those students who are enrolled have a base competency in math - not necessarily proficient, but not coming in clueless about fractions and decimals, as too many of the Freshmen taking Physical Science do.
I will say that MOST high school students are purely awful at writing in their native language. Not only is their grammar confused and lacking, but the logical flow of their PARAGRAPHS - not full-on essays, but paragraphs - is quite deficient, if not completely absent.
This MIGHT be bearable, if their handwriting was clear enough to be read. Their printing more nearly resembles hieroglyphics than the English alphabet - and, I'm not even mentioning the MANY kids who incorporate 'gangsta' pseudo-letters into their writing. In that urban script, E is formed by a stylized 3, among the other alternative forms of the script, and the print is often quite elaborate, using a font that looks similar to Olde English or Germanic type.
I'm not even going to talk about their answers - some of them apparently believe that preceding a phrase by "because" transforms what follows into an evidentiary reason.
Which, it does not.
But, Common Core does not appear to have lived up to the hype that introduced it. Jay P. Greene (who is the endowed professor of education reform at the University of Arkansas) has written on the fallacy that led to this effort to impose a national standard/curriculum.
He does make some points about the lack of agility inherent in a national system. If changes are needed, it will be like stopping an 18-wheeler - it's NOT gonna happen fast.One thing that should be understood with respect to nationalized approaches is that there is no evidence that countries that have nationalized systems get better results. Advocates for nationalization will point to other countries, such as Singapore, with higher achievement that also have a nationalized system as proof that we should do the same. But they fail to acknowledge that many countries that do worse than the United States on international tests also have nationalized systems. Conversely, many of the countries that do better than the United States, such as Canada, Australia, and Belgium, have decentralized systems. The research shows little or no relationship between nationalized approaches and student achievement.
So, what's the answer to this problem?
First, parents need to take responsibility for getting their kids ready for school. That means involving them in a variety of REAL-LIFE activities, such as:
- Learning to count by handling buttons, coins, beans, or other cheap objects that are identical/similar.
- Same as above for identifying colors, size, and shape. All of these are things the PARENT can do. You don't need fancy pre-school or tutors, just a parent who is willing to sit down with the kid, and work with them.
- How to clean up after oneself - pick up your own mess, assist others with their messes, handle a broom and dustpan, use a sponge and towel, put trash away in a bin.
- Teach your kid to show respect for other humans. Using Please and Thank You, not snatching things that they desire out of other peoples' hands, and "using their indoor voice" - i. e., not screaming like a demented person. In short, basic manners, which a 5 year old should have mastered.
- How to sit down and shut up when necessary.
- How to carry on a simple conversation, without curse words, or screaming. Displaying an interest in other people - whether or not they actually ARE.
That's just a quick list.
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