U.S. Drops Out of TIMMS
I recently learned that the U.S. has quietly decided to withdraw from TIMSS. (Hat tip: Extreme Wisdom) TIMSS is the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study, which is an international test designed to compare 4th and 8th grade students.
Americans took note when Bill Gates said last spring that American schools needed to beef up science and math standards if the country was going to maintain a competitive edge in the new century. So did Congress, which last week approved legislation called the America COMPETES (Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education and Science) Act, which carves out a whopping $43.6 billion for science education and research.
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Conspiracy theorists suggest that the U.S. government withdrew from the study without making any announcement because it anticipated another poor showing. “Maybe they don’t want to hear more bad news,”
Hi! I’m a teacher & am often disgusted with the various textbooks we have to use. Choices are
so limited and always expensive. Textbook publishers are where the money is. Our schools
could & should go for something like Math Matters or Singapore Math (wins international
competition all the time) or other back to the basic programs. Dumbed down is right. Our
kids can do more currently required but with all the falderall in each school day, there’s
no chance to really teach. Also, why should 1st graders use calculators to add 3 + 4?. My
apologies yet, the waste of these minds is extensive & ridiculous. We are capable of being
so much better in Math & Science & all other subjects. For a long time America was one of
the top educated nations (of immigrants) around the world and now look at us! Tthanks.