Shifting To The NGSS Case Study

Following the passing of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2002, US students have slipped from being ranked 18th in math in 2000 to 27th in 2012, with a similar decline in science and no change in reading. Standardized tests are unfair and discriminatory against non-English speakers and students with special needs [E. (2011, January 01)]. A 2007 national study conducted by the Center for Education policy revealed that since 2001, 44% of school districts had reduced the time spent on science, social studies and the arts by an estimate of 145 minutes per week in order to focus on reading and math while neglecting the other areas of study.

Social Studies, History, and for all intents and purposes, Science, are ignored, while topics such as advanced mathematics and English are elevated far above their real world relevance. Science, while technically included in the ACT, is reduced to reading complicated graphs and interpreting their results–– a tiny portion of what the field of science really amounts to. Important standardized test such as the ACT or SAT should rely more on aesthetic subjects than just the basic subjects so students can be more interested in it, and they can actually show what they are capable off. Also, having to sit in a classroom for hours, with people you may not even know and having to re-read an article because you can not focus can put a lot of amount of stress on a student. Which, can also make students fail at taking a standardized test even if they are an intelligent person. “it’s important to remember that standardized tests don’t measure intelligence. What they measure is how well a student can sit and take a test. They measure how well students can learn the tricks to beat the system.” (Lee 2015) The most important circumstance of taking a standardized test is how well someone can memorize the steps and tricks not how intelligent someone

As a SETA member I have participated twice as a workshop presenter for the annual STEM Workshop Conferences, “Expanding Your Horizons,” and the “Latino Youth Leadership Academy.” These conferences entitle grade school students to expose themselves to science workshops; raising awareness of higher education in the STEM field, which is an important advocacy I

In America, the state of education has always been a pressing concern, perhaps now more than ever. Improving education has been proven to strengthen the nation time and time again, specifically with regard to science, mathematics and technology. Ten years after the start of the Cold War on October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first ever man-made satellite, Sputnik-1. This action by the Soviets caused immediate concern for the educational system in the United States because this launch proved that the Soviet Union had superior technological capabilities (SOURCE 1). America’s first action was to improve education, and this was done through the National Defense Education Act, which provided large amounts of funding to American schools, and supported American students who showed particular skill in math, sciences or foreign languages (SOURCE 2). During the Cold War, supporting education was used to support the nation as a whole. Today the United States faces a similar problem, mainly due to the declining focus on science and math in schools. Students have been losing interest in these subjects, and as a result, America has been falling behind in the global education ranks. This decline has been hurting America’s ability to continue to be a successful global competitor. Now the government is working to reverse this trend by supporting STEM programs. STEM is an acronym for the academics concentrations of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The purpose of

STEM integration within America’s schools is a necessary requirement to adequately prepare students to compete in our future society. Although growth in STEM related jobs is quite apparent, knowledge of STEM capacities is necessary to function in the 21st century.

Remember when you were in 5th grade? Your teacher went over the material in class, you went home and had some sort of homework paper to do, you took a test in class later that week, and you either passed or you didn 't. Do you remember comprehending any of that material? Or did you simply just memorize the material and move on with your life? The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) not only standardizes education, but it makes comprehension and intricate tool of the learning process. When it comes to American public education, the diagnosis has been offered that our schools suffer from a lack of consistent standards from coast to coast about what our kids should leave school knowing. The fix that has been adopted in a number of states in the last few years is a set of standards called the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), which have become the most contentious issue in American education in the last generation with disputes about who drew up the standards, whether they result in kids being over-tested, and even whether standards make sense that they have to be common. Are we fixing the right problem (Donvan, 2015)? Throughout the U.S., more and more states have been enacting the Common Core State Standards. Despite opposition from politicians and educators alike warning of dismal results, these standards appear to persist as a result of mostly positive outcomes.

Ever since the establishment of modern schooling in 1911, experts have debated on the best ways to educate a child. Whether it be through teacher lectures, group discussions, or individual study, the importance of educational methods cannot be understated. Yet, contrary to our emphasis on education, the United States is ranked 35th in mathematics and 27th in science out the of the 64 countries examined by a Pew Research study in 2015. George Bush tried to counteract this historical trend in 2001 with the “No Child Left Behind Act”, which paved the way for the establishment of Common Core State Standards throughout the country. These standards aim to improve education through “common” assessments and

Benchmarks for Science Literacy is a part of project 2061. It outlines that what all students should know or be able to do in science in K-12 setting. It is a companion report to Science for All Americans (SFAA). Benchmarks are put together in a way that is similar to textbook. It is divided into chapters just like SFAA. There are comments on the ideas to be learned in the chapter along with general terms. Each chapter has sections like introductions on pacing, clarification of ideas, and common difficulties and they are broken down into grade spans. There are statements of what students should know at the end of each grade span: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12. It can be used to explore the concept of science literacy in

The STEM academy is an educational program at Plymouth Canton Educational Park that includes one class each year of high school, and all other required classes are geared toward STEM. This created a small community within an extremely large school that I enjoy, because I have made very close friends who share my love for the sciences and encourage me to grow and advance in my passions.

To participate and enter the field of STEM, students must have an adequate accumulation of knowledge from their K-12 schooling. Students that consider majoring in the STEM field prepare themselves in high school by taking Advanced Placement (AP) courses specifically in math and science. Therefore, the development of basic math and science skills gained in school (K-12) is crucial for a student that desires to pursue a STEM major in college. In high school, students are allowed and given the opportunity to take certain classes that interest them or correlate to their learning speed. Ideally, high school shapes the students’ educational opportunities and interests through their course offerings and most importantly, access to AP math or science courses.

STEM drives the world. It sparks change (Science), drives innovation (Technology), provides jobs (Engineering), makes us think (Mathematics), and puts us where we are, as the most advanced species on Earth, and possibly even in the Milky Way. The STEM Academy at Landstown High is one of the few advanced academies preparing students for the 21st Century, to go forth and explore more science, create and shape new technologies, engineer new wonders, and think and ponder it all, advancing the human race. I would like to apply to the STEM Academy because I would like to be a part of this innovation, and I hope to gain new hands-on experience which only this academy offers bountifully.

R., & Fairlie, R. W. (2003). Does immigration induce ‘native flight’ from public schools into private schools? Journal of Public Economics, 87, 988-1012. Doi: 10.1016/S0047-2727(01)00164-5

In our ever evolving society we seem to be having a greater affinity to technical jobs and careers more integrated with our technology. It appears that we are heading into a world of Science, Technology , Engineering, and Mathematics or STEM. The STEM fields that are rapidly increasing relate to jobs that deal quite a bit with our newer technology and the creation and development of new and more efficient technologies. To compliment this increase in STEM careers, we need to focus our time, energy, and most of all capital on the lackluster STEM program in our school systems.

5th-grade teachers, have several challenges to overcome as they will need to not only work to minimax or eliminate this achievement gap but will also need to ensure they themselves better prepare their students for the 5th Grade Science SSA. Last spring Palm Pointe’s 5th-grade science scores dropped 10% (see figure 6), this is the largest drop in the school’s history and with more level one’s than ever before, 5th-grade educators will have to work to implement new strategies to prepare their

Geographic neighbors, the United States and Canada have education systems with many similarities in structure and policy, yet there are significant differences in student performance and achievement. Canadian education is the responsibility of the provinces and territories, just as US education is intended to be overseen by each state. Another similarity shared by the US and Canada is a diverse student population, especially in large cities. The differences between the two countries are evident when measuring student achievement (Levin, 2011). Results from the 2003 PISA indicate that US performance in mathematics literacy and problem solving is significantly lower than that of other countries, including Canada. PISA scale scores for the US and Canada were 483 and 532, respectively, for a difference of 49 scale points (Lemke, 2004).