STEM programs are on the rise in schools. So, why are kids still testing poorly?

What’s really to blame for kids’ poor test scores? Teachers, tests, or STEM itself? More kids are stressing over standardized tests while other countries succeed. (Photo by Getty Images)

Now more than ever kids and teens are gearing towards engineering, programming, and scientific fields. Parents and schools aim to encourage this desire with STEM-based education. While the number of students involved in these programs has increased over the years, the US still isn’t doing well in testing when compared to other countries.

According to the most recent Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) results from 2015, the US ranked 15^th in reading, 23^rd in science, and 31^st in math among the 65 participating countries. While it’s an improvement than it has been in the past, it’s still not great when compared to countries like Shanghai, who have drastically increased their scores over the years. It doesn’t help that US results see little to no change from year to year.

Why are kids still testing poorly even with a broader-based curriculum like STEM? Analysts and teachers point out several different areas that could be the case of the problem: testing curriculum, teachers, and even the STEM programs themselves.

Many of the countries that score high, like China and the East Asia region have higher standards when it comes to their teachers. For instance, in Shanghai teachers are constantly monitored in the classroom, and they continue to meet with their mentors throughout their career. No matter which subject or what school level they teach, they must have a master’s degree. This concept can feel quite foreign for American teachers who may only get monitored during the start of their career.

In China, teachers have to meet similar high expectations. Helen Raleigh, senior contributor for The Federalist, discusses her experience with the Chinese K-12 systems and notes the no-nonsense demeanor of the teachers. “Teachers always expected each one of us to give our best effort. They never talked about learning being fun. Instead, they emphasized the merit of hard work. Thus, they do not dumb down the content to ensure that kids at the bottom of the class understand. Instead, they did everything they could to ensure the content was challenging even for the best in the class.”

She also notes how both their performance and that of their students is tied to their salary. The better their students perform, the better their compensation. Good teachers will even receive performance bonuses and special allowances. In the US, teachers are constantly fighting for an increased pay and better benefits. It was only three years ago that the teachers went on strike in Chicago.

Having teachers who know what they’re doing and can properly teach the curriculum is bound to have a positive effect on students. Think back to when you were in school. How many of your teachers were reading straight from the textbook? Having the best teachers ensures students can get the most out of their education. But this is easier said than done. In the states, these teachers are often in high in demand meaning they often won’t work at low-income schools, who need better teachers the most. But the teachers aren’t all to blame. Some believe standardize testing itself is doing students no favors and doesn’t fairly rank their skills.

Every year we hear the paltry results of standardized tests in the US. While many are quick to student’s lack of understanding the material or the teachers, other say the tests are the problem. Parents and teachers feel these tests take away from the important learning material and force a curriculum that’s test focused. In a sense, they are taught the test but don’t gain any knowledge from it. Not only that, it stresses them out. Which such a heavy emphasis on scoring high, it can be hard to perform well.

These tests also don’t consider how students learn at different rates and in different ways. Some students grasp concepts quickly, while others need more help. This doesn’t make them bad students, but this can’t come across on these tests.  More and more schools are fighting to cut back on the number of tests students are required to take.

Recently, school districts of North Carolina fought to take advantage of the new federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which reduces the focus of tests to determine how well schools educate their students. Back in August, Senator Jon Tester introduced the Student Testing Improvement and Accountability Act for the second time In Montana to cut the number of standardized tests to only three. In Massachusetts lawmakers looked at bills that would temporarily stop test scores being used for teacher evaluations and graduation requirements. While it’s easy to point the blame to test aggravating tests, another part of the problem could be STEM itself.

In recent years, STEM programs have received a big push in schools as a way of keeping up with today’s students and trends. It’s especially been used to encourage young girls to join engineering and tech fields, which are predominantly male. Many praise these programs, but they’ve come under fire in recent years for being too narrow. Some believe it doesn’t provide a well-rounded education. With students focusing so much on STEM courses, they may miss out on other courses and opportunities. There’s also the issue of finding qualified teachers for these programs and lack of STEM education in low-income schools.

Some believe we’re pushing STEM too early on students. One teacher, Annette Jacobson, points out how encouraging STEM too early can put unnecessary pressure on students, especially teens, to choose a career and stick with that path. And for those who are “undecided” they feel they are falling behind and further stress out about their future. Rather than encouraging kids to explore and learn what they want to pursue in life, it forces them on a rigid path.

So, what’s really to blame? More than likely it’s a combination of all these things and more. There’s no doubt changes need to be made to the education system, but this isn’t so easy. A lot of these changes require money, which isn’t easy to get, especially for public schools. Often coming up with a curriculum that teachers, parents, students, and officials are happy with seems impossible. Unfortunately, sticking with these traditional methods can be easier across the board. This doesn’t mean we should give up on the future of education. As long as we keep trying and fighting to make things better, change will eventually happen.

See more about stem in element14's Stem Academy!

Have a story tip? Message me at: cabe(at)element14(dot)com

http://twitter.com/Cabe_Atwell