Fellow Teachers: Do you feel that standards in education are being dumbed down? What caused this?

Question

I'm only 23 and I just finished up my first year of teaching in Arizona. I could not believe how little the students were expected to do by state standards and administrators in the high school I taught. I'm just curious to know if you feel the same or have had experience in this area. I'm moving out of Arizona because I do not like their politics and policies when it comes to education. What other states have you taught it? Any advice? What were your best teaching experiences and in what states were they located in? I'm curious because I'm moving back to Michigan in hopes of finding a teaching job there even though I know they are scarce.

Answer 1

Yes and no for where I live. In New York, standards are higher than ever-on paper. Kids have several high stakes exams. The curriculum the city uses relies on high levels of knowledge-much higher than most kids' functional levels. It is all made to seem that they are cracking down on kids academically. However, the kids seem to be dumber as a result of this.

There is such an emphasis on kids being able to do high level thinking at their independence that the basics get glossed over. In essence, many kids here lack the educational foundation they need to do the higher level work. For example, the 3rd and 4th graders are expected to write literary essays. That's a very high level task for someone this age. Yet, they are not explicitly taught grammar. You need to know how to use the language before you can write. That's where many of them become frustrated and fall short. Therefore, the dumbing down of America.

Answer 2

I do  not think so.

Im expected to teach all of biology in 5 months. to 7th graders.

cell biology, genetics, evolution, earth history, structure and function of plants and animal systems, experimentation, as well as selected physical science matters - electromagnetic spectrum etc.

all in 5 months. to kids who have never learned it before.

did I mention I get 5 months>?

Id say thats not watered down.

see the joy in the following link:

http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/scgrade7....

Answer 3

ok, i'm not a teacher or plan to be one, but  was a high school student. Let me just give you my comments on the current educational system.

Bush's No Child Left Behind screws up the whole system, If someone doesn't want to learn, leave it be.

Every state should have like an exit exam, so a student will work harder to try to pass the exam, and get his/hers diploma.

It's kind of like Affirmative action, instead of lowering the bar, we should just train those new employees to meet the standard. In NYC, the fireman exam was revised couple times to make it easier for Black and Hispanic, but it's not working, the passing rate for Black and Hispanic did not went up to meet the expectation.

I think you should look into Connecticut, around Fairfield county, because there are plenty of schools here always hiring. Also this area boasts the highest wage for teacher out of the nation. Although, we do not have an exit exam, students here are very bright. Some public school(wealthy ones) sent like 1/3 of student body to Ivy league schools.

Answer 4

Yes, I do feel that things are being dumbed down.  I think that the emphasis on education at home is lacking, and the students expect it to just happen without much if any effort on their parts. Then, if too many students are failing, the teacher is blamed.  

In addition, this whole concept of entertaining kids to almost trick them into learning is ridiculous.

Answer 5

This is the same in all US schools because of the NCLB law.

The reason the curiculum is dumbed down is so that the work the kids do is easier on them so they can memorize the answers to the state tests so they can get good scores, and the school gets more money.

It's all about the money.

And teachers say it's the students OWN fault that they can't write and read.

Not ONE of them stop to think -- a kid goes thru 13  *YEARS* of school and not know how to read, write, spell, math, etc and not ONE of those teachers even bothered to stop and help that child?!!?

WHOSE fault is THAT !?!?!

Answer 6

As an elementary school teacher currently teaching a 5th/6th grade combo class, I heartily agree that our educational system is messed up.  No Child Left Behind (No Teacher Left Standing), denies the existence of the bell curve.  How dumb is that?  The present "test until you drop" attitude dictates that only academic subjects (reading, math, etc.) are to be taught.  Well, it's obvious that only quantifiable subjects be taught and then tested by means of a multiple-choice test.

     At our level, art and music are discouraged because they take away from language arts "time on task".  Phooey!  I suppose no one has heard of Piaget, either!  When the arts and human expression are not allowed to flourish, connections in the mind are not made.  Working with manipulatives involve a total response and complete brain engagement.  When learning about an orange, students need to feel it, peel it, observe the color and texture, section it, and eat the sections.  Sharing the experience is most valuable for communication styles to develop.  Extend to other sensory activities.  However, there's no multiple-choice, standardized test to determine is you really understand the awesome miracle of the diversity of plants and fruits.

     We teach subjects a mile wide and an inch deep.  Too much, too shallow.  On the surface, it looks like we are advancing our students, with algebra in Kindergarten, but the reality is, nothing really sinks in.  Therefore, students actually know less than they did in the last decades.

     It doesn't help that society has become computer-driven, with students not ever having to think about simple things like figuring out a lunch tab or even making change.  And let's not even go to counting back change!  They can't do it!

     And don't get me started on the parents who "enable" their precious darlings by defending them and supporting them when the work gets a little tough.  Did you hear about the employee who was fired by her boss for incompetence?  Her mother went to the boss's office and berated him for firing her little girl!!  Disgusting!

     The answer is "yes" to dumbing.  But it's the officials who are dumbest of all.  They give us unreasonable classroom situations (overcrowding, combo classes, no admin. support regarding discipline problems, etc.) and expect evermore shining test scores (API, APY, etc.)  Surprise!   We teachers have to make a stand....we are the professionals!  We have studied and experienced and wept for the children.  Let's stop the "dumbing down of American" one classroom, one site, one district at a time!

Answer 7

im a student in canada. In my area the school division disallowed having cumulative finals in school. They say that learning is an "ongoing process" and that we teachers should not test students on material they have already been quizzed on. In this way we are 'dumbing down' so to speak but on the other hand schools are giving out way more homework these days. Kids that are still in elementary school are getting hw all the time and for most high school students having hw every night of the week is the norm and being given hw over holidays like xmas is considered sutable. so i guess my answer is yes and no. ..^.^..