Shop by Topic
Shop by Product
ExchangeEveryDay Past Issues
<< Previous Issue
| View Past Issues | | Next Issue >> 
Education: The Biggest Issue
August 4, 2008
Every minute a chance to change the world…
-Dolores Huerta
-Dolores Huerta
In ExchangeEveryDay for July 29, 2008, I included a quote by President Bush on child care as a contrast to the lack of attention this issue has received so far in the Presidential campaign. That very day in the New York Times (July 29, 2008; "The Biggest Issue"), David Brook observed that the biggest issue in the campaign should be education. He commented on how for decades America had dominated the world in education, and that this edge “boosted productivity and growth”.
Then Brook observed… “But the happy era ended around 1970 when America’s educational progress slowed to a crawl. Between 1975 and 1990, educational attainments stagnated completely. Since then, progress has been modest. America’s lead over its economic rivals has been entirely forfeited, with many nations surging ahead in school attainment.
“This threatens the country’s long-term prospects. It also widens the gap between rich and poor….The pace of technological change has been surprisingly steady. In periods when educational progress outpaces this change, inequality narrows. The market is flooded with skilled workers, so their wages rise modestly. In periods, like the current one, when educational progress lags behind technological change, inequality widens. The relatively few skilled workers command higher prices, while the many unskilled ones have little bargaining power….
“America rose because it got more out of its own people than other nations. That stopped in 1970. Now, other issues grab headlines and campaign attention. But this tectonic plate is still relentlessly and menacingly shifting beneath our feet.”
Exchange Resources on Brain Research
Brook's article cited above leans heavily on the analyses of economist James Heckman, who in turn cites recent brain research to make the case for the developmental importance of the preschool years. Exchange has two popular Beginnnings Workshop units on brain research – Brain Research and Applying Brain Research – with insights from experts such as Pam Schiller, Ron Lally, Linda Gilkerson, and Bettye Caldwell.
ExchangeEveryDay
Delivered five days a week containing news, success stories, solutions, trend reports, and much more.
What is ExchangeEveryDay?
ExchangeEveryDay is the official electronic newsletter for Exchange Press. It is delivered five days a week containing news stories, success stories, solutions, trend reports, and much more.
Put a sink where it’s needed most
In the classroom, or on the playground, it’s portable, self contained and very affordable. Plumbing is NOT required. Have hot & cold running water when you need it where you need it. Ideal for hand washing with young children.
In the classroom, or on the playground, it’s portable, self contained and very affordable. Plumbing is NOT required. Have hot & cold running water when you need it where you need it. Ideal for hand washing with young children.
Comments (2)
Displaying All 2 Commentsbeltsville, md, United States
As a nation we are not faring well in preparing our young children for their own future. Laggging behind in education since 1970? Surely, we have debated and demanded money, trained teachers , built schools , devised numorous ways to measure sucess of school systems and still we are behind in education?
By now we should know what went wrong and why?
Perhaps there are other factors we need to examine with our hearts not intelligencia.
Debates has been made, money has been poured. What will it accomplish by repeating them again?
Untill we focus on a drive for Love of learning in our children and assist our families, support & strengtenghen parents
in bringing up youngsters early on long before ,during and after school, education will end of only a dream, something to debate during camphain. however with love of learning instilled, children will want to learn, and schools can help! let's first ask: Do we really care for our children,
and so we strive to prepare them for their future ?
Fairfield, CA, United States
I agree that education in this country should be part of the campaign and needs lots more attention and resources. However, when we look at what we are trying to do compared to other countries, we need to take into consideration that we have the goal to educate EVERYBODY. Further we want to give everybody the same education. Before 1970 lots of kids just dropped out of school and they grew up and found jobs doing something. Some of them learned skills and some of them found unskilled jobs. All that changed. Further, we began to focus on changing the dropout rate, which is a worthy goal, but we haven't yet figured out how to do it successfully. We also haven't figured out how to give everybody what they need and still keep equity as a goal. We also haven't figured out that education alone can't cure all the ills of society. Once we address all these issues and solve the problems in equitable ways, we'll be a leader again.
Post a Comment