Canada scores #3 on math tests (USA not in top 20)

[Darth Wong]

Behind only Hong Kong and Finland:

International math test scores Canada third

Exam measures skills at age 15
Rich-poor gap also lower than most

LOUISE BROWN
EDUCATION REPORTER

Canada has scored third out of 41 countries on a global test of math skills, partly because it does so well helping children of all backgrounds to succeed, a study shows.

Only Finland and Hong Kong did better, though seven other countries tied with Canada on the second international test of 15-year-olds, administered last year by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The test emphasized math but also measured reading and science literacy.

Test results show the gender gap wraps around the globe, with girls gradually catching up to boys in math, but boys remaining behind girls in reading.

"If I had one real concern from the whole report, it would be how to get boys reading more, because reading is the basis of learning all disciplines, " said Pierre Reid, Quebec's minister of education and chair of the Council of Ministers of Education in Canada.

"But over all, the test is a very encouraging sign for everyone in Canada who works with children, that we are targeting the right ways to make sure we give everyone a chance, regardless of their socio-economic background."

Canada is one of a handful of countries where children from more challenging backgrounds — lower income, less-educated parents, single parents, new immigrants — score near their more advantaged classmates.

Experts link this to the fact each province spends more to support students with higher needs and also that Canada's broad social safety net, with public health care and tax breaks for poor families, helps lower some of the demographic barriers to learning.

Among provinces, Alberta scored highest in math, reading, science and problem-solving, with Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and Manitoba at the national average.

Ranked on its own against other countries, Alberta came second only to Hong Kong in math and to Finland in reading.

"Ontario and Canada have shown themselves to be world-competitive in this test, but we do believe Ontario has the potential to do better, and we'll be looking at ways to unlock that," said Ontario Education Minister Gerard Kennedy.

Canada also is one of a handful of countries that raised its math scores from the first test, held in 2000. While Canada slipped slightly in science skills, it held its second-place spot in reading.

In over-all math performance, the United States ranked nearly 20 places behind Canada. It also showed dramatic gaps between its richest students and those from disadvantaged homes.

The Program for International Student Assessment surveyed almost 250,000 students in 41 countries last year. Each wrote a two-hour test that was part multiple-choice and part creative answers. Canada had one of the largest samples, with 28,000 students, compared with the typical 5,000.

The PISA test measures students in four types of math: geometry, algebra, arithmetic and statistics. Canada scored ninth in geometry, sixth in arithmetic, fourth in algebra (up from last time) and third in statistics.

Math consultant Stewart Craven believes Canada's scores are rising because new curriculum introduced over the past decade has made math teaching more hands-on, more language-based, more centred on student learning rather than the teacher's lesson, and uses technology and concrete materials more than ever. That's a trend that has met with resistance south of the border, he notes.

The test also shows that students of the same socio-economic level do roughly as well in Canada's public schools as in private schools, in contrast to many other nations, including the United States, where private schools outperform public.

While Canadian students on the whole experience less math anxiety than their peers in other countries, Canadian girls consistently described themselves as more anxious about math than boys. In contrast, boys were more interested and confident in math, and more convinced that math is practical.

Yay for Canada!

Mind you, from the tests it would appear that our American neighbours need to work on their system, but the decay of the US public education system in favour of private education is a trend that shows no signs of stopping in the current right-wing political atmosphere. No one really seems to be upset in the US about the fact that if you're rich, you get better health care and education, and if you're poor, you get screwed in every conceivable way. As far as the right-wing is concerned, it's some kind of fair reward for being rich.

[Keevan_Colton]

The UK isnt in the listings, due to students not turning up.

[phongn]

Grr! I saw that in today's Wall Street Journal.

[Durandal]

The poor people are obviously bringing America's rank down. We should nuke poor people. GO USA!!!!!!

[Wicked Pilot]

Screw math, we only care when our basketball teams lose in the olympics.

[Darth Wong]

Screw math, we only care when our basketball teams lose in the olympics.

As an added benefit of falling US math scores, within 10 years the young people won't be able to figure out which team won, because the scores are given only in those danged number-thingies. So you'll have cheering crowds in Times Square celebrating the US team's crushing victory of 86 points over the other team's mere 113 points.

[Wicked Pilot]

As an added benefit of falling US math scores, within 10 years the young people won't be able to figure out which team won, because the scores are given only in those danged number-thingies. So you'll have cheering crowds in Times Square celebrating the US team's crushing victory of 86 points over the other team's mere 113 points.

Taunt all you want, but your fancy long division ain't gonna stop the Abrams rolling through Ontario.

[Darth Wong]

As an added benefit of falling US math scores, within 10 years the young people won't be able to figure out which team won, because the scores are given only in those danged number-thingies. So you'll have cheering crowds in Times Square celebrating the US team's crushing victory of 86 points over the other team's mere 113 points.

Taunt all you want, but your fancy long division ain't gonna stop the Abrams rolling through Ontario.

We'll just change all of the highway road signs to use only numbers. They'll get lost and attack Montana.

[Admiral Valdemar]

We'll just change all of the highway road signs to use only numbers. They'll get lost and attack Montana.

I thought road signs were an endangered species after hicks found out about guns and that devilish metric system.

Taunt all you want, but your fancy long division ain't gonna stop the Abrams rolling through Ontario.

Until they try to load 233mm shells into the 120mm cannon and fail to see why 5.7mm rounds won't work in their GPMGs.

[aerius]

We'll just change all of the highway road signs to use only numbers. They'll get lost and attack Montana.

We won't even have to do that. Remember, all our signs & distance markers are in metric, so they'll see "Toronto 100km" and end up in the boonies somewhere because they don't know how to convert kilometers to miles.

[Coyote]

The poor people are obviously bringing America's rank down. We should nuke poor people. GO USA!!!!!!

"Efficiency and progress are our once more
now that we have the neutron bomb
it's nice and quick and clean and gets things done....

Away with the useless enemy
at no less value to property
all systems go lets kill the poor tonight...

kill, kill, kill, kill, kill the poor..."

YAY, Jello Biafra and the Dead Kennedys!

Li'l known fact. I had green hair once.



- but seriously, folks, we need to do what Canada's doing. Wait, that's fund the schools equally and promote learning for all. Damn, sorry, hit CTRL+ALT+DEL....

[Wicked Pilot]

We won't even have to do that. Remember, all our signs & distance markers are in metric, so they'll see "Toronto 100km" and end up in the boonies somewhere because they don't know how to convert kilometers to miles.

If an Abrams rolls north out of Detroit at 35mph, and a Leopard rolls south out of Toronto at 15m/s, they will engage at.... um..... uh.... fuck!

Curses, you and your metric system! No wonder God hates you and gave you frenchies and socialized health care!

[Oberleutnant]

There were no big regional differences here. Schools throughout the country did equally well.

From the official OECD website

Top-performer Finland Improves Further in PISA Survey as Gap Between Countries Widens


06/12/2004 - Finland once again came out top in the OECD's latest PISA study of learning skills among 15-year-olds, with high performances in mathematics and science matching those of top-ranking Asian school systems in Hong Kong-China, Japan and Korea. But some low-performing countries showed only small improvements or actually did less well, widening the gap between the best and poorest performers.

More than 250,000 students in 41 countries took part in PISA 2003, the second three-yearly survey of its kind. The survey involves pencil and paper tests lasting two hours, taken in the students' schools. The main focus in PISA 2003 was on mathematics, but the survey also looked at student performance in problem-solving, science and reading and at students' approaches to learning and attitudes to school.

Finland already led in the PISA 2000 reading assessment, and in PISA 2003 it maintained its high level of reading literacy while further improving its performance in mathematics and science. In mathematics, where the PISA 2003 tests sought to establish how well students can develop and apply mathematical models to deal with real-life tasks and interpret, validate and communicate the results, top-performing OECD countries also include the Netherlands.

Most other countries' relative positions in the PISA 2003 survey remained broadly similar to those in PISA 2000, but some showed notable changes. Poland's overall performance rose thanks to big improvements among lower-performing students in the wake of a major reform of the education system in 1999. Smaller but still noteworthy improvements in at least two assessment areas also occurred in Belgium, the Czech Republic and Germany.

Overall, wealthier countries tend to do better in educational terms than poor nations, but there are exceptions: Korea's national income, for example, is 30 per cent below the OECD average but its students are among the best performers in OECD countries. Nor is high expenditure necessarily a key to success: a number of countries do well in terms of "value for money" in their education systems, including Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Japan, Korea and the Netherlands, while some of the "big spenders" perform below the OECD average. (Data for the United Kingdom are not included, due to insufficient response rates of students and schools. In PISA 2000, data for the Netherlands were excluded for the same reason).

The results of PISA 2003 suggest that both students and schools perform best in a climate characterised by high expectations that are supported through strong teacher-student relations, students who are ready to invest effort and who show interest and lower levels of anxiety with mathematics, and a positive disciplinary climate. In most of the countries that performed well, local authorities and schools also have substantial responsibility for educational content and/or the use of resources, and many set out to teach heterogeneous groups of learners.


PISA also benchmarks educational quality against other important dimensions:


- Students whose parents have better-paid jobs, are better educated and have more "cultural" possessions in their homes perform on average significantly better in all countries than those without such advantages. However, the degree of difference varies. Australia, Canada, Finland and Japan stand out for high standards of both quality and equity, with above-average mathematics performance and below-average impact of socio-economic background on student performance. In contrast, results for Belgium, Germany, Hungary and the Slovak Republic reveal large socio-economic inequalities in the distribution of educational opportunities.

- In Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland and Sweden, parents can rely on high and consistent standards across schools. By contrast, variations in student performance in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and Turkey are largely accounted for by performance differences between schools. In Poland, the differences between individual schools' performances have shrunk since PISA 2000, possibly reflecting the introduction of a more integrated school system in 1999.

- Since some countries allocate students to schools according to their prior educational performance, some differences in average school performance are there by design. However, it is worrying to find large differences between schools, particularly in the countries with highly stratified and early selective systems, that are linked to socio-economic inequalities in learning opportunities. Peer-group influences may be one factor helping to raise the performance of pupils attending schools with higher socio-economic status. But better school resources and a more positive school climate also seem likely to play a part.

- While girls outperform boys in reading in all countries, gender differences in mathematics tend to be small. Most countries have more boys among top performers, resulting in a slight overall advantage for boys over girls in average terms. But boys and girls tend to be equally represented among the low-performers.

- Gender differences are larger within schools than they are overall. Girls attend the higher performing, academically oriented tracks and schools at a higher rate than boys but, within schools, girls often perform significantly below boys. Of more concern, girls consistently report lower interest in and enjoyment of mathematics, lower levels of self-confidence and higher levels of anxiety with mathematics, all of which continues to be reflected in subsequent study and occupational patterns. If girls are to be encouraged to go on to study mathematics and related subjects at a higher level, schools will need to do more to build their interest and confidence in mathematics from an early age.

- Student interest in mathematics is far lower, across countries, than in reading. Among OECD countries, about half of the students report being interested in the things they learn in mathematics, but only 38 per cent report that they do mathematics because they enjoy it. On the other hand, the great majority of students believe that studying mathematics will help them in their future.

- At the upper end of the scale, in Belgium, Japan and Korea between 8 and 9 per cent of students - more than double the OECD average - were able to perform the highly complex tasks required to reach Level 6, the top performance level, in mathematics. At the other end of the scale, over a quarter of students are not proficient beyond Level 1 in Italy, Portugal and the United States, over a third in Greece and over half in Mexico and Turkey.

[Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi]

We'll just change all of the highway road signs to use only numbers. They'll get lost and attack Montana.

We won't even have to do that. Remember, all our signs & distance markers are in metric, so they'll see "Toronto 100km" and end up in the boonies somewhere because they don't know how to convert kilometers to miles.

Since 100 miles is longer than 100 kilometers, wouldn't they just roll through the city along the way, destroy it, and keep going to look for Toronto?

[Darth Wong]

We'll just change all of the highway road signs to use only numbers. They'll get lost and attack Montana.

We won't even have to do that. Remember, all our signs & distance markers are in metric, so they'll see "Toronto 100km" and end up in the boonies somewhere because they don't know how to convert kilometers to miles.

Since 100 miles is longer than 100 kilometers, wouldn't they just roll through the city along the way, destroy it, and keep going to look for Toronto?

They'll think it's Buffalo and assume that they haven't reached their target yet.

[Ma Deuce]

They'll think it's Buffalo and assume that they haven't reached their target yet.

Nah, they'll quickly realize they made a mistake when they see the CN Tower, Canada's world-renowned phallic symbol...

Not that this matters: The US Army already uses metric to measure distance anyway, so we're all fucked regardless...

[cyclonefever]

.... the decay of the US public education system in favour of private education is a trend that shows no signs of stopping in the current right-wing political atmosphere. No one really seems to be upset in the US about the fact that if you're rich, you get better health care and education, and if you're poor, you get screwed in every conceivable way. As far as the right-wing is concerned, it's some kind of fair reward for being rich.

Pardon me, but how does a private education hurt you or anyone else specifically? If someone wants their child to have a better education, and can afford it, who are you to say this shouldn't get it?

[Darth Wong]

.... the decay of the US public education system in favour of private education is a trend that shows no signs of stopping in the current right-wing political atmosphere. No one really seems to be upset in the US about the fact that if you're rich, you get better health care and education, and if you're poor, you get screwed in every conceivable way. As far as the right-wing is concerned, it's some kind of fair reward for being rich.

Pardon me, but how does a private education hurt you or anyone else specifically? If someone wants their child to have a better education, and can afford it, who are you to say this shouldn't get it?

It hurts because it provides less incentive to improve the public system. If all of the wealthy and upper middle-class people put their kids in private school, then they don't have to give a shit what happens to the public schools, and that's a big chunk of powerful voters who just lost any incentive to vote for improvements in the system that everyone else has to use.

[cyclonefever]

.... the decay of the US public education system in favour of private education is a trend that shows no signs of stopping in the current right-wing political atmosphere. No one really seems to be upset in the US about the fact that if you're rich, you get better health care and education, and if you're poor, you get screwed in every conceivable way. As far as the right-wing is concerned, it's some kind of fair reward for being rich.

Pardon me, but how does a private education hurt you or anyone else specifically? If someone wants their child to have a better education, and can afford it, who are you to say this shouldn't get it?

It hurts because it provides less incentive to improve the public system. If all of the wealthy and upper middle-class people put their kids in private school, then they don't have to give a shit what happens to the public schools, and that's a big chunk of powerful voters who just lost any incentive to vote for improvements in the system that everyone else has to use.

Living in America, I would tend to say that every time funding comes up on a local ballot, it passes easily. I assume your talking on the federal level then.

However, this seems to be borderline socialism to me. Do you also think that homeschooling shouldn't be allowed? If a parent can teach their child better than a public school, shouldn't they be allowed to? How is it the government's job to tell each and every person where they have to get their education, and if they desire a better education, they can't have it because it's "not fair?"

[Darth Wong]

However, this seems to be borderline socialism to me.

No shit. Now explain why that's bad.

Do you also think that homeschooling shouldn't be allowed?

Only if they can show compliance to public education standards.

If a parent can teach their child better than a public school, shouldn't they be allowed to?

Sure, in your theory. In practice, most homeschoolers do it so they can teach their child LESS, not more. Specifically, they do it in order to keep things which offend their religious ideology away from their kids.

How is it the government's job to tell each and every person where they have to get their education, and if they desire a better education, they can't have it because it's "not fair?"

See above.

And results speak louder than bullshit: US performance in education is pathetic, as demonstrated by this study. You can spew right-wing apologist bullshit all day long, but you can't change the facts: these policies are generating the results predicted by MY view on education, not yours. Ergo, my view on education is more accurate.

Or were you not aware that accuracy of predictions is how a rational person judges the performance of a theory?

[Keevan_Colton]

However, this seems to be borderline socialism to me.

I'm sorry, are you among the retarded fuckwits that treat the word socalism as some kind of rebuttal/insult?
If so, please be aware your time here will likely be very short and very harsh.

Do you also think that homeschooling shouldn't be allowed? If a parent can teach their child better than a public school, shouldn't they be allowed to? How is it the government's job to tell each and every person where they have to get their education, and if they desire a better education, they can't have it because it's "not fair?"

Ah, the dreaded "big government" boogey man...did it occur to you that if the system works right everyone should be getting the best possible education rather than the children of the rich getting the best education and the children of the poor getting the worst and thus increasing the gap between the classes in society as the poor stay poor due to poor education and oppertunities.

[Keevan_Colton]

Or were you not aware that accuracy of predictions is how a rational person judges the performance of a theory?

Give him a chance Mike, he might be a sociologist for all we know!

[cyclonefever]

However, this seems to be borderline socialism to me.

No shit. Now explain why that's bad.

Do you also think that homeschooling shouldn't be allowed?

Only if they can show compliance to public education standards.

From past experience, all people I know that take their children out of public schools and teach them at home do so because they believe the education they're receiving is inadequate. If anything, it should be based the other way around. The parents should have the say on what is taught and how much is taught.

If a parent can teach their child better than a public school, shouldn't they be allowed to?

Sure, in your theory. In practice, most homeschoolers do it so they can teach their child LESS, not more. Specifically, they do it in order to keep things which offend their religious ideology away from their kids.[/quote]That seems to be a harsh generalization. I know plently of families who homeschool and don't care one bit about religion, it's just that they believe the education they are receiving is subpar.

And results speak louder than bullshit: US performance in education is pathetic, as demonstrated by this study. You can spew right-wing apologist bullshit all day long, but you can't change the facts: these policies are generating the results predicted by MY view on education, not yours. Ergo, my view on education is more accurate.

Or were you not aware that accuracy of predictions is how a rational person judges the performance of a theory?

Excuse me, but I think your twisting certain things to fit your views. Public education is failing miserably in America. That is not the effect of private schooling and homeschooling, rather, private schooling and homeschooling are the affect of subpar teaching. You've got the cause and effect mixed up I believe.

[Darth Wong]

That seems to be a harsh generalization. I know plently of families who homeschool and don't care one bit about religion, it's just that they believe the education they are receiving is subpar.

And how does this appeal to personal anecdote refute the fact that all of the homeschooling advocacy websites have a Christian slant to them?

Excuse me, but I think your twisting certain things to fit your views. Public education is failing miserably in America. That is not the effect of private schooling and homeschooling, rather, private schooling and homeschooling are the affect of subpar teaching. You've got the cause and effect mixed up I believe.

I didn't say that private schooling CAUSES bad public schooling, so don't put words in my mouth, fucktard. I said that the prevalence of private schooling for the privileged classes weakens the incentive to FIX public schooling: a point which you have utterly failed to address.

[cyclonefever]

However, this seems to be borderline socialism to me.

I'm sorry, are you among the retarded fuckwits that treat the word socalism as some kind of rebuttal/insult?
If so, please be aware your time here will likely be very short and very harsh.

I see that the climate here is more liberal, so perhaps I shouldn't use that as a rebuttal, and I apologize. But yes, I am of the opinion that socialism has some major flaws and that as a whole, it makes for a lacksadasical (sp?) society.

Ah, the dreaded "big government" boogey man...did it occur to you that if the system works right everyone should be getting the best possible education rather than the children of the rich getting the best education and the children of the poor getting the worst and thus increasing the gap between the classes in society as the poor stay poor due to poor education and oppertunities.

Well that's the problem. The system doesn't work right. The education system is fundamentally flawed. If government had stayed out of education and left it to the parents I don't believe we'd have near the problems we do today.