An update on education

Last night I went to a screening for the documentary Race to Nowhere that I discussed awhile back. And it was terrific. I realize we're all busy and for those of us who already have a few causes that we support, whatever they may be, it may be hard to think of adding another. But I implore you to consider adding this one.

In less than 90 minutes you will learn more about the challenges children face in the education system than you ever imagined, and unfortunately, the results of an education system that continues to fail us - results that turn children into mini-adults who never have the chance to really be children.

As a non-bio aunt, it really troubles me to know the pressure children are under to perform in schools, and now, to understand that this pressure does not lead to greater success.

What stood out to me:

1. The suicide rate for children and adolescents has increased significantly over the last ten years - especially in girls.
2. Homework in elementary school is NOT correlated with success, homework in middle school that takes longer than an hour is NOT correlated with success, and homework in high school that takes longer than two hours is NOT correlated with success.
3. The countries with students who out-achieve American students give less than half the homework American schools give to students.
4. The use of drugs in schools has gone up - primarily the use of non-prescribed stimulants - and the reason is so that students can stay up later to finish homework.
5. School children report more anxiety now than psychiatric patients reported in the 1950's.
6. Despite all this work to get our students prepared for college, 40% of college students now have to be remediated b/c high school did not prepare them sufficiently, and the US has one of the lowest rates of college graduation among industrialized nations.

You can find screenings in your area here.
If you want a quick overview of research findings, look here.