EDUCATION

America's Kids Say School Is Too Easy

But they're still not acing tests

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Jul 11, 2012 by Mary Noble

Senior Editor t

Image: AP

If we take their word for it, America's children aren't being challenged nearly enough in the classroom.

Education Dept. statistics reveal that swathes of students say their schoolwork gives them an easy ride. For instance, 37% of fourth-graders say that math is "often" or "always" too easy, and 57% of eighth-graders say that history class is "often" or "always" too easy.

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Jul '12

Bobolinsky

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Part of the problem with this is "detracking"

By my senior year I was talking all college level and electives to fill out the schedule. I was tracked starting in 7th grade and each student tracked differently. Students with a harder time in math slowed down and others kept the same pace. Other students changed tracks to adjust to their abilities. But the idea was always to "track" the kid according to where they are best able to learn.

I say free up "tracking" even more. Start mixing grades in junior and senior high more. Put the 10th graders who just got to algebra with the 8th graders who just got to algebra. The idea should be to teach the kids who are at similar levels to study together... The smart kids will be an advantage to the slower kids and it will help everyone socialize more.
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Jul '12

Bobolinsky

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Also... since the Center For American Progress is mentioned...

"The Center for American Progress was begun in 2003 with funding from philanthropists Herbert M. Sandler and Marion O. Sandler[1]"
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php...

25 People to Blame for the Financial Crisis
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/ar...

"In the early 1980s, the Sandlers' World Savings Bank became the first to sell a tricky home loan called the option ARM"

"The couple pocketed $2.3 billion when they sold their bank to Wachovia in 2006."

Saturday Night Live made fun of them back in 2008... can't find the video anywhere... NBC has pulled the skit from it's archives and forbidden people from posting it.

October 7, 2008
NBC pulls video of SNL skit embarrassing Dems
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/10/p...

Here's a transcript with screenshots though.

The forbidden skit: Full transcript and screenshots of SNL’s Soros/Sandler bailout satire
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/10/07/the-forb...
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Post @Bobolinsky
Aug '12

SSP

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Consider this idea in the olympics. Do you think it would work? Slow down the excelling ones to help the challenged? While, I agree with you in that the challenged onesdo appreciate the help, what happens to the "free and EQUAL education" rights of the excelling ones? The American way is to centralizethe focus of education towards the center intellect, whereas the Asian approach tendsw to cater to the strengths of the individual and track them accordingly. In my 33 years of teaching, I've seen it done both ways, and, honestly, I saw more people graduate with jobs and a prominate way to financially survive in the world with tracking. I may be getting old, but I'm still open to suggestion.
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Post @SSP
Aug '12

Bobolinsky

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I think you missed the whole point of my post. What I'm in favor of is freeing up the "tracking" so that each individual student could progress more freely at their own pace. In other words, I think we're on the same page.:)
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Post @Bobolinsky
Jul '12

LAMolitix

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Seriously, I am so over these education articles. I mean, there is just nothing to say about them (or rather, there is so much to say that everyone just ends up going in a circular, never-ending, never-productive pattern). Blargh. Blech.
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Jul '12

Bobolinsky

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That's the idea. Keep us squabbling while government throws more money at the symptoms to the problems.
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Post @Bobolinsky
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Jul '12

intrance210

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How about,Lets just make the work non-challenging,in hopes of getting kids to actually go to school,oh,dont let me forget the part that each public school gets federal money based on attendance! Ahh.Back to the root of ALL Evil ...
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Jul '12

Thunderchicken

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Depends on the school. My kids went to the third best public school in the state. By high school I could no longer help with their homework. Now one's in engineering school and is doing pretty well. The other will start nursing school soon. School works when the parents are involved and the school board cares about the kids.
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Jul '12

jimmy

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If you are not happy with the failed public indoctrination system, send your children to private school or homeschool them. Saying you can't afford it is horse shit. (Priorities people- no cell phone, cable, internet, cigs, etc.).My kids will not be attending public schools, I care too much about their future.
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Jul '12

BigD1391

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You got a good point. But you should not cut them off from internet. Instead, teach them how to use it as a tool for furthering their education.
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Post @BigD1391
Jul '12

BigD1391

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The internet is to good to dismiss.
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Post @BigD1391
Jul '12

jimmy

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I was talking about cutting out internet along withi other non essentials f you couldn't afford private school
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Post @jimmy
Jul '12

autiger

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The School kids say its too easy??? lol Sure couldn't tell by the national testing scores..
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Jul '12

FRitzKlenner5

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You aren't lying. I guess school itself is easy,("Obama GOOD, Capitalism and Freedom BAD") but when it comes to the actual tests to determine what they've learned beyond that, something is lacking...
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Post @FRitzKlenner5
Jul '12

BigPoppaPhat

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+1 Fritz
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Post @BigPoppaPhat
Jul '12

BigPoppaPhat

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You forgot big oil is our sworn enemy.
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Post @BigPoppaPhat
Jul '12

autiger

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First, please stop being hateful. I am a teacher..(not English..lol)
Not everyone needs to go to college.. but they do need to be able to read/ write & do basic math. I know its important to know American History. What is wrong with giving a basic competency test?
We're talking about making a 50 out of a 100. I teach at a "High Risk" (educational talk) school, so I know it can me done.
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Post @autiger
Jul '12

autiger

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Also.. everything is not about "Obama".. its not about him..
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Post @autiger
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Jul '12

Marichu

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The Common Core Standards are just the tools or benchmarks delineating concepts that should be mastered. The problem is how those concepts are taught and implemented that is the crux of the matter. There is no easy solution, no “one-size-fits-all” to education.
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Jul '12

autiger

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Tell me about it.. It use to be "open door classrooms"..Then, "Standard Base Testing" and Today, its all about "Collabration".. They are always forcing teachers to teach a certain way. In 25 years.. I've heard it all. No matter what new method the Adminstrators/ School System/ State wants.. It ALWAYS comes back to who that teacher is in the classroom.
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Post @autiger
Jul '12

Bobolinsky

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Judging from these two pages from CCS's website... I have to agree. There doesn't seem to be any legislative aims of this group. Process and results oriented and not concerned with policy aside from the freedom to try their ideas. While I'm always skeptical, I'm skeptically optimistic of CCS :)

http://www.corestandards.org/about-the-standa...
http://www.corestandards.org/about-the-standa...
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Post @Bobolinsky
Jul '12

Marichu

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Autiger,
I agree, unfortunately in their misguided quest to improve testing scores, their solution was more student testing all under a barrage of different test acronyms. I don’t know about your state, but here even the republican governor has stated there are far too many tests being administered to children as early as first grade. There has to be educational reform, including accountability on all levels, but with an important caveat: teachers should be given the time to teach------ not to the test.
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Post @Marichu
Jul '12

Marichu

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Bobolinsky: Don’t get me wrong, the Common Core Standards serve a purpose. For one thing, it lends uniformity to educational concepts across state borders. A student moving from one state (those that have adopted the CCSS) should encounter a continuation of the same educational concepts (all things being equal). Also if you compare our CCSS for math to the highest-achieving nations, it strongly resembles their standards. According to what I’ve read the CCSS have more focus, coherence, and rigor than most of the state standards they replaced. But like everything else, it looks good on paper. It has to be implemented, teachers have to be trained, schools have to “sell” the CCSS to their shareholders (parents and students). And most importantly------ keep politicians out of education!!!

Thanks for the links.
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Post @Marichu
Jul '12

Decent-Dissent

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No child left behind, only whole classrooms.
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Jul '12

blacklist88

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Completely change the education system.instead of a drone manufacturing facility that resembles a prison, have a place where kids learn critical thinking ,actual history, and completely cut federal interference.the schools curriculum should be based on what that particular comunity feels is best for their children.
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Jul '12

Keyjo

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If school is non-challenging, boring, the students' minds tend to wander. I think one problem is overcrowded classrooms where slower learners hold the rest back. Yes, I agree that very often private schools provide a superior education.
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Jul '12

marine1

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Thats because the grading curve is more like a happy face smile and when these kids graduate, they realize their sack is only half full and there are NO refunds.
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Jul '12

alientech

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Everything is easy when you're simply attending school and not actually learning and mastering the material. Test scores prove it.
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Jul '12

CommonSense

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Kids should be allowed to choose specialization much earlier. Some careers don't require any math.
This should be done with an academic advisor with the student given information and time to think it over, but in case they make a mistake there are opportunities for adult education later in life.
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Aug '12

DanielZ

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Stop teaching to the test! Check cellphones at the door, like guns in saloons. Teach grammar and style.
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Aug '12
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Aug '12

tomincali

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it has been dumbed down.
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What should be done to challenge kids more in the classroom?