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Grandfather Education
Report
TEXTBOOKS and TEACHING METHODS
Should we ignore top professors & Nobel
laureates who say:
- science textbooks are 'riddled with basic errors - terrible
books' -
- math teaching methods ''horrifyingly short on basics and dangerous' -
- 'honors high school science texts no more difficult
than eighth grade reader before World War II' -
by Michael Hodges (email)
https://grandfather-economic-report.com/education.htm
This is a sub section of the Grandfather Education Report, a
chapter of the comprehensive Grandfather Economic
Report series of mini-reports with dramatic pictures on critical subjects proving
serious threats facing the economic future of our young, compared to prior generations. Poor
education quality is a major threat to our nation, partly caused by error-laden science
textbooks and unacceptable math teaching methods.
You are at the section on textbooks & math
teaching methods - a very serious issue
Quick Links >
Introduction - - Error-laden Textbooks - proven
- - Dangerous Math - proven - - U.S. students
below international students - chart - - Teachers speak - - Parents speak - - Comments to Parents
- We have heard many horror stories regarding textbooks,
especially in hard sciences, math and history, which contain volumes of errors
and misinformation.
- This is one of the many reasons impacting unacceptable education quality in public
schools, and one of the reasons U.S. students score behind most other nations in math
and science.
- Unlike the old days (a time of superior education quality)
when more rigorous school textbooks were developed by real authors who
were widely recognized as top experts of the subject, in recent years too many
textbooks have been developed by committees with questionable agendas not
controlled by subject experts. As a result - - many textbooks today contain seriously
wrong and misleading information.
- Many textbooks appear more aimed to political and cultural correctness as a priority
instead of aimed only to 100% accurate AND relevant information and disciplined learning
of the subject. As a result, student mastery of a subject is not only diminished or
partly destroyed but it's often skewed to information that is plain wrong (or slanted,
or one-sided) due to major text errors and other objectives - - a form of child abuse.
- Some have said a way to dumb-down education quality, and use public schools more
as means of teaching cultural and political correctness than world class subject mastery,
then the education establishment should operate so as to dumb-down text books and teaching
methods - - and slant accordingly. To use the socialistic approach of non-expert
committees, instead of a free market form of authorship only by recognized subject
experts, is a guarantee to education mediocrity. One need not call it an
intentional conspiracy to dumb-down quality, but in reality the facts on the ground have
the same result - - a terrible disservice to our students and nation.
3 Questions:
- If 200 mathematicians and scientists, including four Nobel Prize recipients and two
winners of a prestigious math prize, the Fields Medal, deplore math teaching methods
saying they are 'horrifyingly short on basics' - should we care?
- If the president of the American Association of Physics Teachers and his review
committee say, 'none of the 12 textbooks used by 85% of middle school students have an
acceptable level of accuracy' - - and that 'honors high school texts are no more difficult
than an eighth grade reader was before World War II.' - - should we care?
- Additionally, are too many teachers of math and science so inadequately educated
in their subject as to be unable to identify error-laden text books and inadequate
teaching methods to keep same out of the classroom? Many make excuses, trying to deflect
blame. What action is being taken to protect students?
Two of the more recent powerful studies proving unacceptable textbooks and teaching
methods follow,
including a dramatic picture-chart showing dismal U.S. math & science performance
compared to other nations.
REPORT NO. 1
ERRORS RIFE IN SCIENCE TEXTBOOKS - powerful proof
85% of middle school students use inaccurate science textbooks
and, honors high school texts are no more difficult than an eighth grade reader was before
World War II
- Twelve of the most popular science textbooks used in middle schools nationwide are riddled
with errors, a new study found.
- Researchers compiled 500 pages of errors, ranging from maps depicting the equator
passing through the southern United States to a photo of Linda Ronstadt labeled as a
silicon crystal.
- None of the 12 textbooks has an acceptable level of accuracy, said John Hubisz, a North
Carolina State University physics professor who led the two-year survey, released earlier
this month.
- "These are terrible books, and they're probably a strong component of why we
do so poorly in science." He said.
- Hubisz estimated about 85% of children in the U.S. use the textbooks examined. "The
books have a very large number of errors, many irrelevant photographs, complicated
illustrations, experiments that could not possibly work and drawings that represent
impossible situations," he told the Charlotte Observer.
- The study was financed with a grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. A team
of researchers, including middle school teachers and college professors, reviewed the 12
textbooks for factual errors.
- "These are basic errors," Hubisz said. One textbook misstates Newton's
first law of physics, a staple of pure science for centuries.
- Errors in the multi-volume Prentice Hall 'Science" series included an incorrect
depiction of what happens to light when it passes through a prism was probably the most
error-filled. Pretence Hall acknowledged errors, partly because states alter standards at
the last minute and publishers have to rush to make changes.
- Textbooks are generally reviewed by teachers, administrators, parents and curriculum
specialists before the books are used in the classroom. But Hubisz, president of the
American Association of Physics Teachers, said many middle school science teachers have
little physical science training and may not recognize the errors.
- Hubisz said educators need to pressure publishers to get 'real authors' for textbooks.
- "They get people to check for political correctness - - they try to get as much
cultural diversity as possible," he said. "They just don't seem to understand
what science is about." Source: Associated
Press - January 15, 2001 - Raleigh, North Carolina , and published Bradenton Herald,
1/15/01, page 9.
The above is exactly from the AP news release. Following are additional excerpts from
the report itself
- "Some might suggest that corrections can come later, but
evidence shows that many students are turned off by their Middle School experience and
most never choose to take another physical science course. There is also clear evidence
that it is very difficult to overcome early established information.
"Hardwiring" is the common term used to describe how rigidly students (and
adults) hold on to early conceptions.
- The general reading level has deteriorated markedly over the last 20-40 years.
The publishers, as noted later, have responded to this by dropping the level of science
texts. Cornell professor Donald Hayes on results of sampling 788 textbooks used between
1860 and 1992 said, "Honors high school texts are no more difficult than an eighth
grade reader was before World War II."
- On further reading, "
the language difficulty of textbooks has dropped by
about twenty percent during the past couple of generations.
Perhaps the best
measure of what has gone wrong is the fact, attested to by textbook authors and editors,
that publishers now employ more people to censor books for content that might offend any
organized lobbying group than they do to check the correctness of facts.
- From a business point of view, that makes sense. A book is far more apt to be struck off
a purchase order because it contains terminology or vignettes that irritate the
hypersensitive than because it is erroneous. Publishers are much more interested in
satisfying a group of selection committee members who typically have little knowledge of
the subject matter, but are impressed by pretty pictures and seemingly up-to-date new
information which for the intended audience is not at all relevant."
From the internet I found a copy of the full review in WORD format click here - - for ADOBE
pdf format click here.
Also, the email address of John L. Hubisz, Ph.D. [note > Dr. Hubisz, North Carolina State University in Raleigh, on
1/23/01 reviewed this page and said, "you may certainly use my name and the
link." What a valuable contribution he has made]
REPORT NO. 2
Dangerous Math Methods being used by schools - -
powerful proof
related to Dumbing-Down Textbooks
(if when reading the following summary you wish to visit one of its links, click your
back button to return to this page)
- Eight of the 10 curriculums recommended for nationwide use by an influential Education
Department panel teach the New New Math called "Connected Math," or
"Everyday Math."
- 200 mathematicians and scientists, including four Nobel Prize recipients and two
winners of a prestigious math prize, the Fields Medal, published a letter in the
Washington Post (Nov. 18, 1999) deploring the reforms, saying that 'programs of the
sort picked by the federal panel turn out to be horrifyingly short on basics.' Their letter to the Secretary of
Education
- Further stated in their letter, "it's time to acknowledge that continuing to
teach these skills to our students is counterproductive and downright dangerous."
- Another statement, "Astonishing but true - - MathLand does not even mention to
its students the standard method of doing multiplication."
More on this in the Wall Street Journal Lead Editorial, January 4, 2000 -
"New Math will take its casualties adding to the already mounting costs of
the decline in national educational standards." An archive of the subject is at Math Wars.
2003 - the American Association for the Advancement of Science
reported 90% of math books and 100% of science text books are unacceptable.
Additionally, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reported that 85%
of 12th grade students were not proficient in math and science. (Imprimis,
Feb. 2005, page 4)
A college math professor further discusses the New-new math in a section below, saying
it is doomed to failure.
U.S. STUDENTS BEHIND FOREIGN
STUDENTS
Author
note >
- The problem reported on this page regarding unacceptable and error-laden science
textbooks and math teaching methods correlates with this chart, showing that U.S. 12th
grade students score at the bottom in the International Math & Science
Test Series, compared to students in other nations.
- In this chart, the U.S. position is marked by the red bar.
- You will note the absence of Asian nations in the above chart. In prior international
exams, like this one, the more industrially advanced Asian nations (such as Korea and
Taiwan) scored above most of the other nations shown, but opted out of the latest exam.
Had they participated in the exam shown in this chart the relative position of the USA
would have looked even worse - - since the average of all nations (the right blue bar)
would have been higher.
- Also shown in the above link are charts showing the U.S. scored last in physics and
next to last in advanced math.
- For additional data presented in similar graphic form regarding international comparison
of education costs, hours per year in class, percent taking science & math, etc., see
the International Education
Report.
- In 2000, the International Math & Science Study reported that U.S. 12th
graders were out-performed by 90% of other nations in math and 76% in science. In
advanced math the US was out performed by 94% and in science by 100% of other nations.
(Imprimis, Feb. 2005, page 2)
A WARNING
The U.S. challenge is clear, especially now that our young will face the most
globalized economic competitive challenge and better educated foreign students, than ever
before in our history. Future freedoms, national security and living standards are at
stake - - compared to prior generations.
We must produce the best educated young people in the world by world standards, bar
none - - especially in mathematics and the hard sciences of physics and chemistry !! We
are sadly lagging - - most significantly - - proven by hard evidence.
Why are so many Teachers allowing
error-laden textbooks in their classrooms?
A discussion of this page occurred in various education internet
newsgroups. No one disputed the findings of the two studies above. Following is some of
that discussion.
- What concerns me is how the heck can a teacher of science or math not be educated enough
in said subject to identify AND correct every single error in a text BEFORE using in the
classroom? It would seem to me that this is also a teacher responsibility, and if errors
are found by the teacher then he or she would take appropriate action to protect the
students.
- Next item: if a teacher of a given subject does not pre-identify (and account for)
textbook errors prior to classroom use, then some might consider it reasonable to expect
that teacher to be dismissed as not sufficiently educated to teach the given class.
- Item: who protects the students in this matter, and what are today's teachers doing to
assure their textbooks are error-free?
- Some teachers call the above -teacher-bashing', and while admitting that books are
error-laden they blame administrators, and their 'experts and publishers' - - as if to try
and fully exonerate teacher responsibility. Some teacher responses said the only solution
is to sue publishers. Others said they had no choice but to use textbooks assigned to them
for class use and errors are the responsibility of non-teachers.
- BUT -- it is only the teacher who presents learning and assignments from the textbook to
students - - and therefore the teacher is the one that must be both sufficiently educated
to recognize all errors and to make sure said errors are not passed to students - - in
addition to so informing the selection committee that said text is unacceptable for use.
- Some teachers said that school budgets do not provide money for ordering alternative
books - - so they are stuck with what the administrators and selection committees provide
them - - errors and all.
- As for publisher responsibility, I would think that perhaps too many so called selection
committees are taking over content decisions and simply having the publisher publish. Such
an approach tends to take the publisher off the hook for zero defect quality control, and
this must not be allowed. If the publisher is made solely responsible for correct content
developed by real authors who are widely recognized as top experts of the subject and zero
defects, then that places the school in the same position as a purchaser of a new T-V from
Wal-Mart - - the customer can return the defective merchandise and get their money back.
So, I see no excuse for a school to on one hand receive texts with errors and then
continue to use said text. Budget restraints are not the problem unless school systems are
the ones that dictated content.
- Some teachers complained that they have no power to influence.
- While it is recognized that often teachers are placed in difficult situations in this
regard, they must accept that they are the ones that must stop error-laden textbooks and
improper teaching methods from entering the classroom. If they try but cannot stop that,
then they should resign in public protest, inform all parents of their students, and
relocate themselves to a school with integrity.
- A response was, "administrators should resign, not teachers."
- One teacher said, "Every math or hard science textbook I ever read has errata. No
news here, it's tough to debug something as big as a textbook." A Response, 'Are you
are saying it's OK for a teacher to allow error-laden texts in the classroom? Is it not
reasonable to say that if a teacher allows students to use error-laden texts without first
correcting same, then either the teacher is insufficiently educated to recognize and
ferret out errors - - or the teacher is unconcerned with education quality for students?
- "Where is the darn administration and its platoons of experts and
specialists?" - another teacher wrote.
Response, Good question, but what are teachers doing about that? Are you are saying it's
OK for a teacher to allow error-laden texts in the classroom - - just because so called
'experts' are lousy at their jobs?
- Bottom-line: what responsibility has a teaching professional to student education
quality to assure no error-laden textbooks in their classroom - - and what action are they
taking? And, if error-laden textbooks are allowed in a classroom then how can parents be
informed so they can act to protect their children? Should school districts be sued for
using such texts and/or continually failing to meet or exceed international math &
science exam scores of students from other nations? We have more lawyers per capita than any nation
- - could they provide a helpful public service?
After reading the page you are viewing, following are insightful emails
from a college math professor, a math teacher and a parent regarding the impact on high
school graduates entering the university.
A College Math Professor - on 'new-new math'
- "My personal view is that the so-called "new-new-math" which is,
at present, very much in vogue within the curricula of many K-12 schools, is the
mathematical analogue of the now-discredited "whole language" fad which
passed through the English language curriculum a decade or so back. The whole language
approach sought to teach grammar and spelling by some kind of osmosis process. Students
were simply encouraged to write, and their grammar and spelling errors were rarely, if
ever, corrected, out of some dim-witted fear that self-esteem would be damaged, or
something like that. Apparently, the hope was that reading would help them to develop a
sense of how English is spelled and written and I suppose supporters of whole language
believed that sooner or later the kids would basically learn how to write and spell on
their own."
- "The NCTM-endorsed new-new math curriculum purports to teach mathematical skill and
critical thinking skill in a similar fashion. In my view it is a double failure,
since it often fails to teach either. Even worse, it positions students in an extremely
weak position when they leave K-12 and seek to enter higher education. We see this
every day at the college where I teach mathematics. Students come from high school
after studying three years of new-new math (which should have taken them through the
equivalent of second-year algebra) and take our mathematics assessment test. Typically,
they test into pre-algebra (pretty much a middle-school subject) or elementary algebra
(ideally, a 9th grade subject). Very rarely we'll get one who actually knows some
mathematics and they will test into higher level courses, but the vast majority are
basically unable to do high-school-level mathematics." (author note: See remedial education report, showing
increasing percentage require many remedial courses due to unacceptable high school
output)
- "Thus, students emerge from years of new-new math courses with neither
mathematical skill or the ability to think critically and logically. This is because
the new-new math favors an approach which often lacks clarity and which leaves many
teachers-- who often don't have much mathematical knowledge themselves-- as confused as
their students. Central to the new-new math approach is discovery and constructivism; the
teacher is the 'guide by the side,' instead of the 'sage on the stage.' Students are
placed in small groups and are left to their own devices to discover mathematical
knowledge and truth via activities which are 'facilitated' by the teacher. I do predict
there will come a day when the new-new math is acknowledged as a failure, just like
whole language. But it could be ten years away." Mark K. Littrell.
Elementary School Teacher
- The answer for most teachers, particularly older teachers who have watched the
trend toward these horrible methods, known as a group as constructivism, they feel
powerless and threatened. The unions are in bed with the academic elite on these
issues, and therefore will not protect a teacher who stands on the principle of
teacher-centered, basic skills methods. Express the views I hold in a teacher education
classroom, either at the undergraduate or graduate level, and you may not pass the course.
Express them at an interview, and you probably won't get a job.
- You are on target with the monopoly nature of government schools. Good teachers
can quit on principle. But then they have no place else to go, AND that good teacher is
replaced with a young, new teacher who's head is filled with the constructivist,
politically correct, "party line". At least in the classroom, that good teacher
can have some impact, since administrators can't be in every room everyday.
- And whistle-blowing gets tougher as the unconstitutional interference from the central
government grows. The fact is, if you don't do what the local administration says, it may
cost them federal dollars. And if it costs a school district federal dollars, you are not
only expendable, you are a liability. What is more, when the school board says at a school
board meeting that your actions may cost federal dollars, citizens will turn against you
as well.
- It is just very hard for teachers to win this one. 1st, just like a
computer, it is garbage in, garbage out. Most young teachers don't know that what they
were taught in college is garbage. So, we get garbage in the classroom. It is not their
fault, they do what they've been taught. 2nd, the dumber the public gets, the
easier it will be for the powerful to control what they think. They tend to trust the
academics like they do doctors (you teach 3rd grade, he teaches college. Who should I
believe?) 3rd, many parents no longer view schools as the place where their
children will gain the knowledge to better themselves. Schools are where kids are out of
their hair for 7 hours, where they are fed 2 meals a day, etc. Don't bother them with
minor details like your 5th grader can't do long division, or your 7th grader can't read.
That's the schools' problem and responsibility!
- I'm sorry to rattle on. I am a teacher, and parent. This stuff matters to me.
High Regards, Jon Schleifer <jonschleifer@rocketmail.com>
A Parent
- It is worth noting that my children, who completed school over 20 years ago, all missed
the "New Math" that was installed in the Elementary schools just after my
youngest child completed school, so my kids all are well grounded in math having missed
the period when "New Math" was the rage.
- However, after years of teaching via the "New Math" method, the Des Moines
school system finally realized that it was a failed method. Sadly, however, thousands of
children paid-the-price of that 'experiment' before the Math teaching returned to the old
'tried & true' method (under which I was taught when I was in elementary school back
in the early-mid 30's)
- As a general comment/observation, it appears to me that the more control that the
teachers Union (AFT) has over the school system -- and the more the Federal Gov't becomes
involved in local schools -- the worse the end-results (i.e. well schooled children).
- I am leaning toward the position that the Federal Gov't should not be involved in local
schools at all... and, for that matter, the Dept of Education should be eliminated. A good
case can be made that the Dept of Education is, in fact, a usurpation of power by the
Federal Gov't that is not within the scope of the powers granted to it by the
Constitution.
- The Federal Government's 'heavy-hand' into the local school systems (with egregious
results) is just 'par for the course' when it comes to most aspects of our lives, i.e. the
more Gov't intrusion, the worse the outcome. Later, Cliff Cofer
<c_cofer@hotmail.com>- West Des Moines, Iowa
from a Parent of a Teacher - in 2006
Bravo on your report. I'm not
directly involved in today's education system, but I agree that everyone should be
alarmed. My step-daughter is an elementary teacher who completed her own
university education a few years ago. While she was taking a mathematics course, she
called me one day for help with her homework. I had recently married her father, so I
wasn't a participant in her earlier education. When she described her math homework,
I was confused. These could not be college level math problems - they seemed more
appropriate for 6th grade!! I thought perhaps she was taking a class about how to teach
elementary mathematics, since she was majoring in education. Sadly, that was not the
case. She was truly calling me for help with simple algebra "word
problems". My reaction angered her, and she never called me for help again.
A few years later, she graduated with A's and B's on her transcript, and now she is
regarded as one of the best elementary teachers in her district. While her classroom
management skills are excellent, I don't see how she can give her students a decent dose
of mathematics. 23 Feb. 2006
A Parent's Answer >
> home school, standards and vigilance
Dear Mr. Hodges,
I enjoyed reading your informative website, but I did find it rather disturbing at the
same time. I was most impressed with your stance on how poorly the textbooks are
written and proofed (error laden) and how teachers don't seek to teach correct
information, but rather blindly follow the book even if it is wrong. The good news is that
there is yet another option...Homeschool. After
dealing with public schools my husband and I chose the home school option for our sons
after the 4th grade. We choose the textbooks, and we decide what we want to
teach. And like you noted, I had a Biology text fresh off the press and my sons and I
could go through and pick out the errors easily. I am an MD and if I ran across
anything that didn't appear correct, I had no difficulty expressing that to my
sons. They have learned that I don't know everything, but I am willing to find out
the answer. They have also learned that the books aren't always correct. They
have learned to ask questions and not be afraid to challenge the status quo. They are
bright with SAT and ACT scores well above their peers in public schools. In fact,
that was part of the problem with the public school. The system couldn't challenge
them, and my sons were vocal about that fact. One child actually read every book in
the elementary library by the 4th grade. They didn't know what to do with him, but
they refused to move him up to the 6th grade. We finally took them all out and they
were so happy and have studied more interesting subjects than I ever had available when I
was in school. They know more about Greek and Roman history than most high school
teachers. The two older boys were taught pre-calculus by their father
who is an electrical engineer, and he ripped the textbook apart each time he found an
error. In closing, I agree 100% with you, but rather than fight a system that nearly
destroyed my sons, I chose to bring them home and educate them myself. It is a
decision that my husband and I will never regret. Sincerely, Caroline McGee, MD
- July 2006 (also see the Homeschool
section)
Author's Comment To Parents
- teachers within a monopoly -
A reader asked, "Are today's teachers who are pointing blame elsewhere part of
the problem?"
- Regarding poor education quality, I am unhappily convinced too many public school
teachers refuse (or for some reason feel powerless) to take prime professional
responsibility to be part of the solution - - bureaucratic mentality and job security
is No. 1. Unfortunately, that's to be expected from anyone who is a part of a monopoly
that does not have to face full, open, free-market competition and the potential loss of
job security as a consequence of delivering poor quality to customers.
- It is recognized in a successful private sector firm that employees not facing
customers directly just follow orders from the top, although they can be easily fired (or
their incomes lowered) if engaging in poor quality practices that impact customers. And,
those employees facing customers are lectured often from the top that 'customer
satisfaction must be No. 1.' Private sector firms recognize they do not control customers
and that customers receiving sub par products or services very quickly will take the money
elsewhere, threatening the firm and income of all employees. Many teachers act as if they
are not charged with prime responsibility for both quality and customers. As you suggest,
"they are part of the problem" - - a huge part of the problem. But - - it's not
all their fault, and many good teachers must feel most frustrated. The question is,
'why are they not the major driving force toward a measurable solution, instead of part of
the problem?'
- Whenever many such teachers are confronted and it is suggested to them that they act as
true professionals by refusing to accept what they know is not 100% in compliance with guaranteeing
measurable world-class quality education in their classroom - - and if they cannot
guarantee this then they should take the honorable action by loudly blowing the whistle,
informing parents of their students and local media, and publicly resigning to seek
employment with a more ethical, customer-first, quality-first organization - - they react
'horrified' - - blaming their customers or saying others should be fired, instead. That
response from those within a monopoly should not surprise us - - it's the nature of any
monopoly. The problem is the system, a monopoly system - - not just its employees.
- In my judgment this lack of quality and customer responsibility mentality can improve
to the better only when their monopoly position is removed, such as to cause public
school teachers (and the non-teaching staff) to face direct outside competition to their
job security and incomes. As reported in the newsgroups, they need to face a Wal-Mart type
of competition where a customer gets his 'money' back to spend elsewhere if unhappy with
product or service received. The very fact the education establishment and its unions
openly fight so vehemently against teacher standards and exams, vouchers, standardized
student tests with world-class content, and private & religious schools proves such
stonewalling is solely aimed to protect & retain their monopoly power position. The
'separation of church & state game' is employed, not to protect religion and students
but to protect their monopoly position. That's understandable for any monopoly.
- There is no clear light at the end of the poor-quality tunnel in sight anywhere
that I can see. In the meantime too many in Congress (and state legislatures, local
school boards, and especially in school administrations) will continue to stonewall
true education reform - - by assuring once and for all clear measurable world-class
achievement standards with monetary consequences for states and school districts and their
employees that do not comply, including transferring money to parents to relocate their
children outside the monopoly. Education-establishment lobbies are perhaps the largest and
best-financed and organized in America, and too many politicians rely on the power and
money of that establishment for their own job security, and are scared to death to
counter. Monopoly defense will continue - - in spades!.
- In the meantime, too many parents are not watching (and/or don't care to know) so
as to take direct action to relocate their children to a high quality education service
provider elsewhere. For a parent to be stuck with a poor quality T-V is one thing - - that
just costs a bit of time to return the merchandise and get your money back, without any
long range impact to his child. But the downstream inability of a parent's child to
recover the 'cost' impact for wasted years of poor education services, because year
after year the parent was even less vigilant or willing regarding the child's education
quality than to T-V quality, is another thing.
- So, dear parents, instead of blindly accepting what perhaps educators or the press tell
you, for the sake of your child's future please become informed and give your child a real
choice to the very best - - and that means, allow your child to attend only a school
system proven by hard data to perform high compared to other nations on the international
math & science exam series - - as well as super SAT scores with a positive trend.
To take any other position may subject your child to a life-long handicap.
- Perhaps you do not agree that teachers will not soon standup and take charge of the
quality situation as professionals, even putting their jobs on the line. And, perhaps you
see a light at the tunnel end that I have missed - - and perhaps you have convincing
evidence that U.S. 12th graders will very soon out-score all other nations in math and
science, compared to today's bottom-of-the-heap status. If so, I would like to receive
your email to Michael Hodges.
- Sorry for taking up your time, but I'm quite passionate about this education quality
issue and parental responsibility - - and that's why I do all that I can to make the Grandfather Economic Report series available to
others as a public service - -
hoping that in some small way this helps a parent here and there help a child gain a
measurably better quality education compared to those in all other nations.
The above comments are presented to promote thought and action on this
subject.
Recommendations
Testing Standards
how many of today's graduates could pass the 8th grade in 1895?
Mell Gabler, RIP - a personal mission to reform textbooks in Texas. The
'little guy against the biggies.'
(see link #41)
RETURN TO THE MAIN PAGE OF
THE EDUCATION REPORT
where you will learn about the definitions and causes of unacceptable education quality
presented in picture form for easy learning
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property of its author; all rights reserved under Copyright Conventions. Permission to
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Grandfather Economic Report and the author, Michael Hodges. Notice appreciated via email.