Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Few Students Show Proficiency in Science, Tests Show - NYTimes.com

Few Students Show Proficiency in Science, Tests Show - NYTimes.com:

"On the most recent nationwide science test, about a third of fourth graders and a fifth of high school seniors scored at or above the level the federal Department of Education calls proficient, according to results released on Tuesday.
Only one or two students out of every 100 displayed the level of science mastery that the department defines as advanced, the government said."

Apparently the future will not belong to the United States. This actually is appalling, if not surprising since we've been going down hill for a while.

Interestingly enough, the highest ranking state for fourth graders was ... Montana. 40% reached proficiency. So our best state has over half illiterate in science!

Personally I think science education for the very young -- rational thinking, "how do we know what we know?" -- is more important than self-expression and the arts, which can come later more easily than science. A child's natural curiosity easily plugs into science but it's harder later. Self-expression doesn't die as quickly as curiosity. So science first, arts second, for kids. This is an artist speaking, though one who began in science and math.

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