<p>In this statistical study, it appears that US high school students are behind roughly 15 countries as far as Maths & Science literacy (scientifically mesured through tests) including Sweden, Switzerland, New Zealand, Hungary, Russia, Czech republic, Lituania, Cyprus, Australia, Canada, France, Iceland, Italy & Norway. This is not very encouraging for the wealthiest country in the world. Situation gets worse when it comes to higher maths.
Can anyone explain this? Schooling is expensive in the US as opposed to other countries where the public system is best.</p>
<p>we waste the talents of our kids who are capable of much more by pitching everything at the low middle. Other countries do a much better job of aknowledging and providing appropriate opportunities for kids with strong math ability. In this country, there is a strong anti-intellectual bias that makes it difficlut to do that. God forbid we should be “elitist”, or make anyone feel like they aren’t as smart as others (even if they aren’t).</p>
<p>Our very top math kids do as well as the top math kids anywhere in the world. It’s the rank and file who don’t do well. You might be interested in the book Countdown by Olsen. It follows the US team to the int’l math olympiad 4 years ago, and along the way has a lot to say about mathematics education in the US compared to other countries. It’s a fascinating, easy to read book.</p>
<p>Our math program is just out of step with what and how they teach in the ROW. We teach each and every concept every year. Thus, beginnng algebra, statistics, and geomety concepts begin early and are repeated each and every year. Our standard for Alg is still HS Frosh, whereas in the ROW is it 7th/8th grade. So, the US will definitely (and always) score lower. </p>
<p>However, let’s ignore 4th and 8th grade test scores for a moment, and ask how US kids compare at the top math/science & engineering colleges such as MIT & CalTech, and top engineering programs like Stanford, Berkeley, Cornell et. al. Clearly US-educated kids fare well in these institutions; otherwise, they’re reputations would diminish.</p>
<p>bluebayou, out of curiosity, what is ROW?</p>
<p>Another surprising/scary fact is that about 22% of Canadian adults have serious problems reading any printed material, and an additional 24% can deal only with simple reading tasks. One would think that a country as well of as Canada would have a higher literacy rate. I’m not sure what the stats are for the US</p>
<p>sorry, shorthand for Rest of the World (learned in an econ class, if I remember correctly)…but, the grey matter is rapidly disappearing. :D</p>
<p>In fact, scores for US are worse at higher level maths (above 12th grade) page 128 TIMSS Book 1998
Ranking:
France
Russia
Switzerland
Cyprus
Lituania
Greece
Sweden
Canada
Czech Republic
Germany
Australia
Austria
Italy
US
I don’t think any college in the US measures up to the best maths schools in France like “Ecole Polytechnique” and others. System is free. Admission is done via a selective exam; exam only. </p>
<p>See :</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.polytechnique.edu/page.php?MID=169&LID=1&PID=172[/url]”>http://www.polytechnique.edu/page.php?MID=169&LID=1&PID=172</a></p>
<p>for a schedule of equivalence.</p>