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1/2/2001 12:15 AM
Our nation’s educational system is in serious trouble. Our standards are crumbling and the world is beginning to
leave us in a cloud of dust.
Read this article: http://www.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/children/12/29/homework.stress/index.html
Ok, this throws up a warning light in my mind.
What the hell? We are
already far behind the world in math and science, but this city is cutting
back on homework hours because it’s causing a little bit of extra stress
upon the lives of students? Homework
is now going to be made easy enough so the children do not have to go out
and search for the information they need.
No more homework on weekends?
What is wrong with that picture?
If this nation is ever going to catch up to the rest of the world
in academic standards, we are going to have to dump more work on the
children. They are going to
have to learn more and do it faster.
Hard work and a good education really do pay off in this world.
Homework also needs to be more than a simple assimilation of facts,
it needs to teach someone how to think creatively and independently.
Here’s some more for you
to read. The following were
responses, by high school students, to an article that Carl Sagan posted
in Parade Magazine about our crumbling educational standards (these were
not edited for content in any way whatsoever):
- Not
a Americans are stupid We just rank lower in school big deal
- Maybe
that’s good that we are not as smart as other countries.
So then we can just import all of our products and then we
don’t have to spend our money on the parts for the goods.
- And
if other countries are doing better, what does it matter, their most
likely going to come over the U.S. anyway?
- Our
society is doing just fine with what discoveries we are making.
It’s going slowly, but the cure for cancer is coming right
along.
- The
U.S. has its own learning system and it may not be as advanced as
theirs, but it is just as good. Otherwise
I think your article is a very educating one.
- Not
one kid in this school likes science.
I really didn’t understand the point of the article.
I thought it was very boreing.
I’m just not into anything like that.
- I
am studying to be a lawyer and frankly I do agree with my parents when
they say I have an attitude problem toward science.
- It’s
true that some American kids don’t try, but we could be smarter than
any other country if we wanted to.
- Instead
of homework, kids will watch TV.
I have to agree that I do it.
I have to cut down from about 4 hrs. a day.
- I
don’t believe it’s the school systems fault, I think the whole
country is brought up with not enough emphasis on school. I know my mom would rather be watching me play
basketball or soccer, instead of helping me with an assignment.
Most of the kids I know could care less about doing there work
right.
- I
don’t think American kids are stupid.
It just they don’t study hard enough because most of kids
work… Lots of people said that Asian people are smarter than
American and they are good at everything, but that’s not true. They are not good at sports. They don’t have time to play sports.
- I’m
in sports myself, and I feel the other kids on my team push you to
excel more in that sport than in school.
- If
we want to rank first, we could all go to school all day and not have
any social life.
- I
can see why a lot of science teachers would get mad at you for
insulting there job.
- Maybe
if the teachers could be more exciting, the children will want to
learn… if science is made to be fun, kids will want to learn.
To accomplish this, it needs to be started early on, not just
taught as facts and figures.
- I
really find it hard to believe those facts about the U.S. in science.
If we are so far behind, how come Michael Gorbachev came to
Minnesota and Montana to Control Data to see how we run are computers
and thing?
- Around
33 hours for fifth graders! In my opinion thats almost as many hours
as a full job practically. So
instead of homework we can be making money.
- When
you put down how far behind we are in science and math, why don’t
you try tell us this in a little nicer manner?
… Have a little pride in your country and its capabilities.
- I
think your facts were inconclusive and your evidence very flimsy.
All in all, you raised a good point.
A good education is
the key to a successful future. If
people do not start taking their futures seriously, putting trivialities
in front of learning, the United States is going to become a third-world
country soon.
Here’s another
interesting read: http://www.xmission.com/~maddox/dumbassjocks.html
What is with the
attitude that a part-time job or holding down a social life so you can do
more shopping is more important than learning?
Hard work does pay off. How
worthwhile is a minimum-wage job compared to the life people are cheating
themselves out of? Is it more
worthwhile for people to play and have a social life when they’re still
kids, or when they are adults?
Source for the quotes:
The Demon-Haunted World, Science as a Candle in the Dark.
Carl Sagan |