"Americans barely reach the international literacy average set by advanced democracies, according to a report issued by the Educational Testing Service after looking at the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS). Unlike the math and science surveys, the IALS was given to a cross section of adults aged 16 to 65. Despite the high expenditures on education in the United States—and the large numbers of students enrolled in colleges and universities—the United States ranked 12th on the test." Hoover Institution Stanford University
I found it horribly shocking that we barely reach the international literacy average. And yet, I know most of us read these statistics without full attention. The reality doesn't sink in. The problem seems too big for us, to overwhelming to fix... like our economy or world hunger. We see that America's education problems have become political, with teachers unions and lobbyists fighting for their fair share of educating our children. And, while many teachers are wonderful and see that there are severe issues, they hit a wall when they attempt to be different, to change things.
I find it ironic that, when there is a good teacher that inspires his or her students, despite the school system or the challenges in the students' lives, a movie is made. Some are true, some are fiction, but inspiring teachers hit a spot in the psyche of Americans. Stand and Deliver, Dangerous Minds, Mr. Holland's Opus, Dead Poet's Society, Lean on Me, and the more recent Freedom Writers have touched many and leave an indelible imprint on our hearts. But I don't want some teacher to inspire the greatness in my child that I can inspire myself.
We have greatness inside of us, or we used to think so. The problem is that, when it comes time to face our own government, we are divided on how to institute change. We cower to the "experts" and ignore our gut instinct that says the way we have been doing things for the last 60 years does not work. If it worked, we wouldn't be 14th in Reading, 17th in Science, and 25th in Math compared to other nations in the world!
I think there are many factors that have led to the decline in American education. As a Christian, I truly do believe that the removal of God from our schools has had a drastic impact. I also believe, after reading some books and articles on the subject, and seeing the blatant proof of it all around me, that our literature has been dumbed down and we expect a lot less of our children.
The politicians look at the dismal testing results and call for education reform. I think it is with the best intentions that things such as 6 day school weeks, more days per school year, and longer school hours per day are being brought out. But, as homeschoolers have proven over and over, those things don't really matter. They won't lead to better long-term results. It might cause scores to rise short-term, but in the long term we will only have a bunch of burned out students that will rebel even more from education.
I'm a homeschooling mom. I have tried the different methods, the different curriculum. I've read the articles, books, and studies. I pray about what to use with my own children and how to teach them. I have dealt with the homeschool mommy fears, where I wonder if my children are getting a quality education and developing a close relationship with Christ. I feel that God has led me to many of the things I have discovered in order to calm those fears and to give me direction. I feel the urge to share what I have learned, if only to ease the fears of others that are beginning their own homeschool journey.
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