Compared to when I was a child, today's children are very advanced in their knowledge about science. My three year old grand daughter, Emily, recently explained to me that the sun is a star in our sewer system which is part of the universe. Other than confusing "sewer" with "solar", I thought it was remarkable that she was learning things like that in preschool. Today, many kids start school when they are three years old and learn algebra and calculus before they get to high school! We hear a lot of criticism of our schools and teachers but it seems to me most of them are doing very well. There is hope for us because of the advancements in education.
Another positive trend is the increase in 'Study Abroad' by our college students. Our national security rests on the foundation of a well-educated electorate with a sophisticated worldview. It is critical to deal intelligently with the emerging economic and military powers of China and India. Also, we must better understand the intricacies of extreme Islam. We should encourage our college students to get a passport and see the world. It's important for American students to become multilingual and comfortable in multicultural settings. Study abroad sharpens these skills and helps keep American workers competitive in these challenging economic times.
Don't worry, Freelance, we are busy turning our solar system into a sewer system even as we speak.
ReplyDeleteWhile the Tsar generally agrees with your vision of the future, we are farther away from it then you admit. Our students continue to compare on tests much worse than our peers in the other advanced countries out there.
Our universities do not produce enough of the skills we need such as engineering.
Too many of our brightest people end up leeching from society (as for instance hedge fund managers)instead of contributing to it .
See http://patrickfero.blogspot.com for more.
The Tsar
Dear Tsar,
ReplyDeleteYou and I, my friend, are well balanced between optimism and pessimism. You are the cynic and I am the Pollyanna. Between us lies the world of the realist. What you say is true but concerning the knowledge of history, our students lead the rest of the advanced countries. Knowing what has happened helps us to avoid trouble in the future!
Dear Polly:
ReplyDeleteDid you know that history is another subject being cut from curricula across the country. Unwisely, of course.
-TsarPat
I did not know! Unwise for sure. I will check modern history to see who is responsible and give them a thrashing!
ReplyDeleteGive 'em one for me. History courses are going the way the arts are: out.
ReplyDelete