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[quote=Anonymous][quote]PP here whose kids use EDM in FCPS. Thankfully, our kids aren't allowed much if any calculator use with EDM - I do completely disagree with that part of it. Their teachers do not follow it lock step but they do seemed trained in it. It would be nice if they could spend a bit more time on each section but I believe that has more to do with state standards covering way too much ground in the early years.

Here's what I believe is the main reason US kids are behind in math. Our elementary teachers are not math majors and do not just teach math exclusively as a subject. Most other nations pick teachers from the cream of the academic crop and have them specialize in math if that is what they are going to teach. I would love to see elementary school teachers have a degree in their subject field that they taught (eg. only Eng. ed majors teach English, science majors teach science etc.) supplemented with some educational theory. I guess having 4 teachers for the 4 core subjects would be unrealistic in smaller schools but it seems like subject expertise would be best for the kids. However, school has really never been about what's best for the kids, has it?[/quote]

I don't think the problem is with American schools.  The problem is with American citizenry and the idolatry of sports and athletes with multi-million dollar contracts; and other non-intellectual pursuits (many elementary school teachers may not see a single million dollars over a cumulative lifetime!)

How many of your sons and daughters with a degree in mathematics will teach American elementary school students in American schools for a career?

Many here spend less than 1/20 th of the time and effort cultivating mathematics knowledge as they spend with their kids tossing around a lacrosse ball during their child's formative years.

American anti-intellectualism and dumbing down while enriching ball players, thieves and cheats...misplaced values preferring continual bail out of Wall Street and professional athletes but not a penny of support for teachers who are mentoring the next and likely dumber American generation.

The days of our having our cake and eating it in America seem numbered.

The problem is with the American citizenry.
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