Thursday, October 28, 2010

The Answer Sheet - Why are we failing in history, science education?

The Answer Sheet - Why are we failing in history, science education?

Why are we failing in history, science education?

This was written by Joy Hakim, a former teacher, journalist and now an author of award-winning textbooks in history and science. By Joy Hakim I keep a list. The story out of Virginia—that cities and hamlets around the state recently spent school funds on a book for 4th graders with an agenda that most Americans reject–-is the latest entry into what is becoming a catalog of schoolbook outrages. The Washington Post broke that story on Oct. 20th. Almost immediately some school districts began pulling the book from classrooms. A few days later the New York Times told us that the World Economic Forum ranked the U.S. 48th, out of 133 developed nations, in the quality of math and science instruction. “48th is not a good place,” said the Times.