Why are U.S students so far behind in Math and science?

i just think that school days are too short and not enough teaching is done in the classrooms. in europe summer vacations are shorter and there are less days off, also school days are longer. also maybe students here just dont seem to care enough.

I think much of this has to do with the fact that schools aren't all on the same page. If every school, be it public, charter, private or catholic across the U.S. had the same curriculum for every class and every grade it would be easier to say, "ok, this kid here is a little behind." I went to good schools, and was doing work years ahead of some of my friends at the local schools. Also, there aren't really levels in classes. Some kids are just naturally smarter than others, and the kids who don't pick up on things as easily shouldn't be pushed to learn at the same level as the smarter kids. They used to do this, and they didn't have stupid "No Child Left Behind" programs. Some kids just aren't cut out for advanced education, and there should be alternatives for them. (My grandparents only had an eighth grade education, and my grandfather workded at a steel mill.) Plus, the kids have only what, 180 days of school? And lastly, there needs to be more parent involvement. Too many (sad to say, lower-class) parents feel it is only the schools' job to educate their children, and that once their kids reach the age of five, their job is done.

It is hard to attract people who are good at math and science into teaching - they can make a lot more money in other fields. Teaching in the US pays pretty poorly if you're not teaching college. Also, the US thinks every student should be in school until age 18, even if they don't show an apptitude for it - other countries weed out the poor and unmotivated students much earlier and send them into apprenticeships and things like that, so the students we're comparing everyone in the US to are the top students in other countries. That also makes us look poorer overall.

ok, lets not blame this all on everyone else, how about we start where the beginning is, in the home. when i was growing up, my dad hounded me to do my homework, watched over my shoulder, read and checked everything when i was done, and if it was wrong back to my room i went.

teachers can't do everything today, the parents must have a say in what their child does. today most every math and science subject past basic is an elective, not a required.

i was blown away a week ago friday...as a recently laid off worker, i decided at 48 to go back to college as a cadd major. while enrolling, i talked with the 'doctor' about the maths since this training requires major knowledge of algebra, geometry, etc. i told him i believed i may be at a disadvantage to the younger students that have just graduated high school and are now entering college as those subjects are still fresh in their minds...he told me i would be suprised, that many if not all need to start where he was going to place me, in the lowest maths classes they have and i and they would need to move up the maths ladder from there to get where i and they needed to be to pass the course...he said most don't have the needed education in maths to walk right into this.

a few yrs ago when my ex gf was living with me she had a son just entering high school, so we went to the school for a 'parents get acquainted' night...the required maths to graduate were just 2 semesters of basic math and basic algebra...but they had 217, yes 217 elective courses of everything and anything under the sun other than math, science etc....i gotta say, when i saw 'balloon making 101' was considered a graduating credit class i almost puked.

when i went to high school, these were the only electives other than advanced maths and sciences...FAA, FHA, welding, cooking, auto mech...

just try without taking advanced maths and sciences with those few electives to get enough credits as required by law to graduate.

high schools today are offering more "jack off" courses that allow kids to get credits to graduate rather than concentrating on the subjects these kids need to succeed in college let alone society and the changing job market in these economic times...

as my dad usta say, the 3 "R's"...reading, (w)riting and (a)rithmetic...

and as much as u can get...

but again, no one learns anything unless the learning continues at home in the form of homework, not x-box, not texting, not the internet, not junk like that...put the gameboys down and pick up the books.

I wouldn't say that US students are so far behind in math and science. The US constantly scores in the top 3 with China and Russia and occasionally Bulgaria in the International Math Olympiad (IMO). The IBO (International Biology Olympiad) had a U.S. gold medalist along with one from China and one from Korea. The US Physics team won 2 gold and 3 silver in 2007 getting 3rd place after China and Russia.

Because kids learn from an early age that nerds are good at math and science and that nerds are suck ups and babies. So they learn nerds are bad. No one wants to be called a bad name, so they don't do well in science and math. It's a psychology thing. So anyways, once they get into high school and start to become their own person, and learn that being good at science and math really isn't a bad thing, they're already way behind the rest of the world and can't catch up.

I agree. There is a 10 year rule where if a teacher has been teaching for over 10 years it's basically impossible to fire them and they get priority courses.

My AP bio teacher (first year we had AP Bio in my HS) had a major in Biology and was a GREAT teacher who put sooooo much effort into making the class awesome!!!! This year due to budget cuts, they placed our health teacher who has a minor in Biology to teach AP bio, just because she has been employed by the school longer.. The old bio teacher is now teaching low chemistry. It seems like a terrible waste. She had made powerpoints and notes packets for EVERY lesson.. :(

This is bull. This is reported every few years and so people can go into a frenzy about how we have no scientists and engineers. Not true! We have plenty. The big problem is that companies don't want to pay decent wages for what is a tough job, and so we import engineers who will work cheaper. Americans aren't stupid -- they know that if they want to make a lot of money they should be lawyers or financial types.

asia and europe have more than 200 days of school a year and the school day ends later. so, they have longer math and science classes, which gives them more time to learn. my friend is studying to be a teacher, so they learn all about this stuff.