Parents want content guide. The content of American math courses and the quality of the teachers partially explain why U.S. students score below average in international comparisons, according to a new report issued by the U.S. DoEd's National Center for Education Statistics. We have bright, dedicated, well-educated teachers, but compared to Japan and Germany, they get little practical training or mentoring, and a little opportunity to work closely with other teachers to improve teaching. The study also reported that the content of U.S. math classes requires less high-level thought than classes in Germany and Japan and that U.S. math teachers' goal is to teach students how to do something, while Japanese teachers' goal is to help them understand math concepts. According to the report, American teachers generally are familiar with the rigorous standards prepared by the National Council of Teacher of Mathematics, but teachers in other countries, especially Japan, are doing a better job of actually teaching tougher material.
Major differences exist in teacher training among the countries.
The report found that new Japanese and German teachers receive a long-term structured apprenticeship in their profession, which is not available for American teachers. According to a DoEd press release, the commission has called for high standards, more opportunities for apprenticeships, mentoring by master teachers and work schedules that permit ongoing professional development. A summary of the report will be distributed to business and education leaders and the nation's local PTA chapters, notes the release. The report is based on exams given to students in all of the participating countries, teacher surveys, a review of each country's math and science curricula and classroom videotapes that show how teachers instruct in math and science. Participants showed decreases in drug abuse and truancy as well as increases in grade point average and school involvement.