"...and fix the ecomony."
Posted on 12/10/2013 6:00:46 AM PST by SeekAndFind
When it comes to flushing billions down the toilet and relentlessly aggrandizing Washington's power, nothing, absolutely nothing, outshines "fixing" our supposedly woeful schools. This disorder conspicuously erupts every three years with the release of the international education performance data on reading, math, and science issued by the Program for International Student Achievement (PISA).
PISA has been around since 2000 and the 2012 results are typical: U.S. students are generally mediocre, especially compared to our economic rivals in Asia. Though hardly unexpected given past outcomes, the findings always elicit a sky-is-falling as if economic doom is eminent. Education Secretary Arne Duncan called the results, a "picture of educational stagnation." A December 4th, 2013 Wall Street Journal lead editorial exemplifies this near panic:
Such results should trouble anyone concerned about America's economic future and the human capital produced by the K-12 system. Economies grow by exploiting scarce resources, people most of all. The ultimate source of wealth is ourselves and the PISA findings suggest that U.S. schools are failing tomorrow's labor force. Too few students are being prepared with the skills they'll need to compete in a worldwide market and sustain America's economic dominance.
It is easy to dismiss this editorializing as the usual cliché-ridden boilerplate that always bubbles up when the topic is education. Such pronouncements undergird such ill-fated Washington initiatives as Bush's No Child Left Behind and President Obama's Race to the Top that erode American federalism. Predictably, when confronted with the PISA scores, Secretary Duncan said that we must invest in early learning, redesign high schools, raise standards and support great teachers, all expensive nostrums that have repeatedly failed.
Worse, the prestigious "conservative" Wall Street Journal insistence to "do something" gives cover to all the radicals intent on capturing America's public schools
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
Our educational system actually SURPASSES world average — IF YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT STATES.
See here:
Most States Surpass Global Average in Math, Science
http://dcschoolreform.org/news/most-states-surpass-global-average-math-science
EXCERPT:
________________________________
A new analysis of how all U.S. states stack up against countries around the world shows that 8th grade students in 36 states outperformed the international average in math and those in 47 did so in science.
The federal report, released today, showcases the academic prowess of high-achieving states, such as Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Vermont, which outperformed all but five of 47 countries, provinces, and jurisdictions abroad in mathematics. The top performers in that subject were South Korea, Singapore, and Chinese Taipei (Taiwan).
At the same time, the study also highlights some states’ scholastic weaknesses. Alabama, Mississippi, and the District of Columbia, for instance, were the lowest-performing domestically in math. Countries such as Italy, Lithuania, and Hungary outperformed those U.S. systems in the subject.
The findings come from a National Center for Education Statistics study that uses the scores of states’ 8th graders on the 2011 National Assessment of Education Progress, or NAEP, to predict their performance on a test that most students didn’t take: the 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, or TIMSS. Only nine states participated in TIMSS as separate entities in 2011.
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Now I won’t make anymore comments but simply make an observation ( for fear of being called the “R” word ) — WHICH GROUP IS THE ONE THAT IS PULLING DOWN OUR PISA TEST SCORE AVERAGE?
A very interesting question. Some comments:
1) Overspending on education the way the US does it doesn’t change the number of smart, productive, educated people. THere are relatively few enrichment classes for the gifted, while a lot of money is spent mainstreaming the retarded (e.g., with assistants that follow them around all day).
2) It is possible to have a mismatch between the education level and the ability of the society to absorb it, although that’s better than the reverse. Two examples: The first is fictional — “Brave New World” discusses the problems of designing a utopian (or dystopian) society and the division of intelligence and labor. Second, many Soviet ex-SSR’s had an extensive pool of highly trained intellectuals who could not be usefully employed.
3) That said, I think the idea of a “smart fraction” (for those of you familiar with the “Griffe du lion” website) has merit. You need a minimum level of educated professional grade people. We aren’t really encouraging that in popular culture. Intellectual accomplishment, separated from compensation, isn’t particularly revered or encouraged.
4) Finally, the hysteria that the author refers to is the oft-repeated liberal idea that if we encourage everyone to go to college we will somehow be better off. That’s silly. We’ll just produce a lot of indebted, poorly educated college graduates who haven’t learned a trade. These Democrat “initiatives” are laughably counter-productive. “Health Insurance” spending by government is confused with actual improvement of medical services; education spending benefits the NEA, but isn’t aimed at those who will most benefit from it.
I’ll answer that, easily -
ZERO.
All we need is an ambitious culture where each individual works to the best of his ability to further his own self-interest.
That produces a successful, prosperous nation, with no “super smart” people necessary to fulfill that goal.
smart? super-smart?
is a degree/education any of these things...or just a head-of-the-line work permit?
does common sense decline as education (indoctrination) increases?
does technology decrease common sense, even//!
Semper Watching!
*****
Both of my parents were educators. After 4 decades teaching the great unwashed, they were of the opinion that we waste a lot of time and money trying to educate children beyond their ability.
They were of the opinion that at some point in their educational career, every child hits a “wall” where no additional effort will result in further understanding. They thought that it would be better to then direct those children towards careers for which they would have an aptitude, like a trade. Too many children were forced onto a college track, which wasted money and frustrated the student.
Parents were the real problem. They always insisted that Little Bobby was a genius and that the teachers just were inept (which was probably sometimes true). Mom and Dad just didn’t want to face the fact that their precious child was best suited to be a plumber.
Our educational system actually SURPASSES world average — IF YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT STATES.
See here:
Most States Surpass Global Average in Math, Science
http://dcschoolreform.org/news/most-states-surpass-global-average-math-science
EXCERPT:
________________________________
A new analysis of how all U.S. states stack up against countries around the world shows that 8th grade students in 36 states outperformed the international average in math and those in 47 did so in science.
The federal report, released today, showcases the academic prowess of high-achieving states, such as Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Vermont, which outperformed all but five of 47 countries, provinces, and jurisdictions abroad in mathematics. The top performers in that subject were South Korea, Singapore, and Chinese Taipei (Taiwan).
At the same time, the study also highlights some states’ scholastic weaknesses. Alabama, Mississippi, and the District of Columbia, for instance, were the lowest-performing domestically in math. Countries such as Italy, Lithuania, and Hungary outperformed those U.S. systems in the subject.
The findings come from a National Center for Education Statistics study that uses the scores of states’ 8th graders on the 2011 National Assessment of Education Progress, or NAEP, to predict their performance on a test that most students didn’t take: the 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, or TIMSS. Only nine states participated in TIMSS as separate entities in 2011.
__________________________
Now I won’t make anymore comments but simply make an observation ( for fear of being called the “R” word ) — WHICH GROUP IS THE ONE THAT IS PULLING DOWN OUR PISA TEST SCORE AVERAGE?
“The ultimate source of wealth is ourselves . . . “
An idolatrous generation speaks this way. This creation will soon enough fold up like a tent. Until one recognizes his place as a creature receiving life and all good from the Creator, the priorities will be screwed up. This creature-Creator awareness is not something to take for granted or brush off lightly, but yields great benefit by placing into better perspective what truly constitutes wealth.
One will not find public schools imparting such wisdom, but this is what fathers and mothers are first and foremost to teach their children. To the extent they neglect this duty they, and society as a whole, will suffer. Bitterness, anxiety, and hatred: all of these stem from believing we are our own to do with ourselves as we please; from believing we are the source of our own wealth.
And yet I understand the gist of the author’s assertion, insofar as the commandment has gone forth from the beginning to fill the earth and subdue it. This is a directive that applies only to mankind, so we may with much thanks make use of our faculties and the wealth that begins and ends solely on account of the grace of God.
You need an educated citizen to keep a republic
http://www.krusekronicle.com/kruse_kronicle/2013/04/gene-veith-on-vocation.html#.Uqco3-LBP6E
This article nails things fairly well.
I guess the definition of “super smart” wasn’t given.
Of course you’re going to have citizens a few standard deviations above (and below) average IQ, and it would be best that everyone be educated (separate issue from “smart”) with the truth,
but you don’t need “super smart” people “running” things in order to have a successful nation, society, and economy.
Well....A plumber’s **assistant**. ( maybe)
Certified plumbers are smart. They need to be well grounded in basic arithmetic , have superior problem solving abilities, and have a high level of reading skills. The training program is rigorous. Besides the technical skills, there are also many laws and building codes to learn and master, and they have demanding licensing exams to pass.
Like Little Timmy Geithner the brilliant financier aka criminally inclined jerk-off who helped destroy the economy?
That’s what usually happens when you let humanist elitists get enough power.
They’ll always screw things up, because NO ONE has enough smarts or information to make the number of decisions necessary and in time to keep an economy of this size prospering.
Alternatively.... how many people of below average intelligence does it take to ruin the prosperity of a nation ?
"...and fix the ecomony."
The true wealth of a nation is the minds of its citizens. How much history do you have to read before you discover that we are not smart enough to govern without destruction. It’s that simple. We are not smart enough to solve our political problems. Leftists control media and academia- we were not smart enough to stop them; bankers tanked the world’s economy- we were not smart enough to stop them; organized crime keeps our youth in a drug stupor- we are not smart enough to stop them, a marxist in the White House- we were not smart enough to stop him. It really does come down to smarts, people. Without them we get tricked, bamboozled, flim flammed and grifted into a fascist New Dark Age.
People confuse having a strong opinion with being smart. That’s stupid. All we have to do is let facts speak for themselves minus the ideology, the dogma, the knee jerk reflexes. Being smart requires an accurate game map (MAP not ideology, map is upgradeable, ideology is not) which confers the ability to penetrate camouflage. Once we reveal the camouflage, we win. Be prepared to fight and die to protect the Internet. Pray that Snowden is the lead element of an emerging universal movement to reveal all that is invisible.
ping
Seems the states with the strongest averages have the fewest black students. This is NOT a dog whistle - I’m saying black students pull down academic averages.
That was not meant as a dis to plumbers. I apologize. It is my experience that college educated parents cannot conceive that their Precious will work in a trade someday.
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