We have a math crisis in the US.
Maybe that's the least of our problems. But maybe not. Consider this:
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80% of US 8th grade students cannot calculate decimals, fractions, and percentages
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40% of US 4th grade students cannot tell SW from NE on a map
The US Math Crisis
It's really just us. The world does better.
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In Germany, 35% of teens take and pass advanced placement exams; it's 4% in the US
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In Japan, kids start algebra two years ahead of those in the US
What are the repercussions?
- 40% to 60% of freshman are required to take remedial math classes, trapped in classes that only cover high school content
- 75% of students required to take remedial college classes fail to graduate
- One in five adult Americans cannot:
- Calculate the total of a purchase w/tax & tip
- Locate an intersection on a road map
- Enter background information correctly on a form
- MIT economist Lester Thurow says that only 20% of Americans have the work skills and education to be competitive in the global marketplace
And no one believes it! In a recent study 71% of high school parents say that they are satisfied with the math education their children are getting. Ouch.
The US has a math crisis. And the repercussions are serious. Join ShillerLearning and the Rising Stars Foundation in creating better outcomes for our children and country.
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Larry Shiller
Larry Shiller is President of ShillerLearning, whose mission is to help kids learn and fulfill their potential. Shiller has degrees from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Harvard Business School and is the author of Software Excellence (Prentice-Hall).
A father of three, Shiller is active in non-profits and his hobbies include working with local startups, music (Shiller is an accomplished violinist who - when not helping children learn math and language arts - performs in the NYC tri-state area), tennis (Shiller's team made it to the USTA national finals in his skill bracket), Quoridor (Shiller is a former USA Champion), backgammon (Shiller is the Voice of Backgammon, doing commentary on backgammon tournaments worldwide), table tennis, and flying (Shiller holds a private pilot's license).