The rest of the First World thinks that Literature,
Math, Science, and Languages are the most important subjects
in school. Americans think Football is the most important subject
in school
In the 1950s America's educational system was the envy of the
rest of world. In the 1950s the rest of the world was still defusing
unexploded munitions from WWII. Once they finished that job,
they went about creating educational systems that kick ours in
the kiester (except for one or two countries that were
on strike).
Europeans typically
begin learning algebra when they are about 9 years old. Americans
begin learning
algebra when they are 15 years old. Many European high
school students are doing what we consider college level
work when
they are 15. Over 75% of incoming freshmen at the California
State University of Sacramento need to take remedial courses
in English and math. hmmmmm
Shall we then conclude that Americans indeed know nothing?
Not so fast there fella. The European Union is pushing an agenda
which would make European universities model themselves on
the American system. What's going on here?
It would seem that while many U.S. state primary educational
systems want to pass kids even if they don't know the subjects,
the state university systems are actually improving their
curriculum. For example in the California State system, teachers
must go through a 7 year trial period where they are watched,
reviewed, and held to a teaching standard that some prestigious
European universities could hardly hope to match (they
might go on strike, burn cars, and/or put up barricades or
just
take an 8 hour lunch instead of the usual 2).
So while professor hoppy is "en grève"
protesting against the application of (any) academic standard,
we Americans
are doing what we do best, focusing on results, getting rid
of what does not work and working hard to have the best universities
in the world.
The information and photographs on this web site are Copyrighted material
and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of
the owner.
