National science test scores disappoint
This article talked about how low the 2009 national science test scores were. It showed that many schools are focusing on Math and Reading, but taking time away from Science. There was a major gap between ethnic groups (African American and Hispanic students scored 30 points lower than White and Asian Americans). There was also a gender gap males averaged around 153 points while females averaged around 147 (out of a 300 point scale). President Obama plans to address this issue in his State of The Union Address.
This showed that many of the students failed to achieve a basic level of achievement in grades four (as much as two-thirds), eight, and twelve (as much as 79%). These percentages are WAY too high. There is no reason that over 75% of students should not have the basic level of achievement. There definitely needs to be a few changes in our schools if this same result shows up in the next age group that takes the test. I know in my high school we had to take four years of English, three years of math, and three years of science. Maybe four years in all of these should be required in order to make sure kids know the basics. In my experience, I have noticed that if a student is doing poorly in math or English, teachers are more apt to pull a child out of their science studies in order to give more focus to the other two because science can be learned at any time, whereas you need to know the basics of math and English in order to progress. This may be true, but I think that the child should still be learning the same level science that their peers are, but may mean taking time out of the more fun activities or some of their free time. I will not claim that I know the answer to this problem, all I do know is that some change needs to take place there should NOT be 75% of students below the basic level of achievement.
I find this very interesting. We keep changing our focus on subjects after each test results come back. Before we had low scores in math and english. I think that this is cycle that will continue to repeat itself. I feel that many schools may start considering expanding the school year into the summer. This way they can teach each subject with the same amount of emphasis.
ReplyDeleteI think year long schools are a definate option, another one is switching from five day to four day schooling. This provides more instruction time in the day for each indivual subject, and I have gotten positive feedback from the teachers I have talked to that have worked in a four day week school. It not only gives them more time with the kids per subject, but it also gives them that extra day(typically Mondays) for meetings, appointments, lesson planning, correcting etc.
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