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Kathleen Porter-Magee explains how failure to improve student's critical thinking can make employers hire outside US borders
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Hey welcome back guys in my film double there is a new report from the Thomas B Fordham institute say that a majority of that.
The State's science standards are rated as mediocre to awful.
I implications a terrifying student deficiencies.
In understanding of critical thinking -- also a huge problem for employers make sense who are outsourcing.
High paying science and engineering jobs to China.
In India in throws we keep hearing those stories that Kathleen Puerto McGee is here now to senior director high quality standards program.
At a Bernard -- Swartz policy fellow.
Kathleen good to see this morning.
Thanks for me.
Kathleen can you hear me.
I -- -- -- me I -- you know what I have my volume turned down -- forgot that I didn't show for well I mean let's go here why are the science standards so bad Kathleen.
Absurd number everything's.
First of all -- -- safety standards are QB.
They just a really broad generalities I could never possibly used to guide instruction curriculum development -- assessments and all of it.
I'm sure many standards undermined.
Important content like abolition.
I run into -- standards particularly at the highest levels in high school physics and chemistry.
Failed to make the critical link between math and science and therefore Obama or complicate.
Some of the important contact or just leave it out completely.
And -- standards.
Don't make the link between -- sexual -- students need to alert an important scientific process skills magnetic.
Go ahead answering.
The result I mean the -- really just can't provide that roadmap that teachers need.
Police that a lot -- -- let's go with this you're saying that what -- expound on that they'd be -- lack of students' understanding of evolution how bad evolves into future problems.
On the education road tell us -- Absolutely well evolution really laid the foundation for a life science as it is you most if not one of the most critical -- Wi-Fi access.
And it many standards its own needed completely they just don't even touch on the -- you know because the political correctness.
It is absolutely they're -- political reasons that it gets question aside Arab -- completely.
Mean is this important scientific contact whatever you think about it from religious standpoint -- the science -- -- It needs to be dealt with in a very just passionate and forthright manner so that -- at least understand that.
-- how do we get everybody you're talking about basic standards that are lacking.
Who is responsible for getting in these basics.
Up to par.
Absolutely I'll start right at the state Department of Education -- and essentially every state had set standards for science.
But some of the season just I'm really I'm really poor job of doing it right as a couple different things that -- can do.
The first thing is that -- to actually explain needs to reinvent the wheel we have models excellence there are states that have set really clear and rigorous standards for science.
And other states could you worst thing to look to those models adopt.
He's in their states and just adopt them from -- -- It's OK couple things then first of all why have we veered so far from those models.
-- those standards that you say that it that aren't had been in place and for some reason we.
We've got away from them and also the next question which should not be the question when it comes to education.
How much money does it take.
Absolutely it's a great question all the signs something it's not a bureaucrat -- -- standards -- that they never happen.
Some states like California and Massachusetts and actually.
68 -- standards -- being pretty clear and very very regressed.
Other states have have set standards and me being -- from the -- this is actually our third time reviewing state standards for its.
Enroute and won't be state averaged are you know how hard it was just as bad as it is now -- a -- a lot of anti.
Understand if you're talking about the various Education Department since.
In various states I mean I really how how to big beef up their knowledge and -- abilities to.
Make sure that their standards are there any information will trickle down to the students how to how do you do that -- you know I mean it's it's -- with a complicated situation but I don't know that I'm hearing.
A specific suggestion from you.
Also the first Asian news you should bring in scientific experts.
Okay well bureaucrats and not be the one -- state standards you should really bring in scientists and science educators to write the standards.
At those sites at -- and scientists and -- educator again.
These and he -- an example look at they think they actually really can be a model for the country.
Argued state standards they had among the worst standards for science in the nation.
And this time there one moment you see that resort group that received a perfect way especially when they get between our -- from you -- want.
-- they look to the model also -- -- state Department of Education brother and his district Department of Education brought together experts in the field they look at some of the best states in the state in the nation and they adopted and we got some of those standards.
I get California has won Indiana has another Massachusetts is another and I actually think he has great standards -- -- Okay so.
It hey I guess -- the next question would be is it too late I mean.
Are we behind the eight ball in this thing to where we can even improvement in in the America's education.
-- education is a doomed.
Absolutely not for -- never QE I mean it it should never give up on a new generation of students.
-- -- constantly reevaluated and revising their standards.
In all content area than science in particular so.
-- -- revision cycle comes on the high state have a chance to get it right.
Can you -- -- cyclones are am and the slow and time instead are -- inside but I have to ask you mentioned the word cycle.
-- how do you you know how do you get this cycle to where we as a country.
Where you would have to stop outsourcing jobs to -- to China and India how do we get our our education pool.
And the base strong enough and fortified to where we can keep those jobs here how long is it gonna take.
It's a great question.
It.
Obviously it take a couple of years to make sure that we're educating all students and holding the ball to the same level of burger.
I'm but it starts setting really clear rigorous standards and if -- you're not you can start implementing those in the classroom right away.
Play you know a lot of kids think that why do I need you know I wouldn't be at this that or the other thing not a tennis not why do I need to know about science why don't I need to know and really been about -- -- it just pop it on their computers and do the math.
Beer.
-- great question yeah I said.
For -- -- it's education at all.
How that knowledge helps inform everything else that you suffered -- you're reading comprehension is going to be -- you don't have the content knowledge across all fuels science including.
So it's important not just provides education but for literacy for -- -- -- -- just for becoming literate Americans.
Well I'm not gonna disagree with you and hopefully the teachers can find a way of by the way -- teachers and the ones were good they're great and hopefully they can find a way to get this students.
Excited about science and excited about math and in a comeback let's say be interesting to find out what you have to say about this may be in in five years in five -- and one year even.
Because we have to accelerate the progress I'd imagine Kathleen Porter McGee thank you very much for your -- here and --
