Opinion
Education Letter to the Editor

Is More Rigor the Answer For U.S. High Schools?

March 15, 2005 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

I read with interest your front-page article “States Take Steps to Put More Rigor Into High Schools” (March 2, 2005). My current job involves tutoring college applicants who have failed a placement test, and this gives me a vantage point that many in public education may not have.

Here are some of the comments I’ve heard from recent high school graduates. After a demonstration of problems that involve adding and subtracting negative numbers and using a number line, two students told me, “We never learned anything like this.” Another recent graduate I showed how to multiply and divide with positive and negative numbers said, “I don’t know any of this. Not one thing.”

While I was teaching a free SAT-preparation class for high school juniors, one young man approached me almost in tears. “I know I am in real trouble here,” he said. “I want to go to college, but my teachers have not shown me one thing on this test.”

On my sample test, he had answered few questions—nowhere near the level required by the National Collegiate Athletic Association for the sports scholarship he hoped to receive.

The problem is not students who don’t want to learn. Perhaps there are some like that, but I rarely see them. I see students who need more teaching, not more wasted class time. I see students who need hope and support, not more high-stakes tests.

Gerald Hawkins

Single-Subject Credential Student (Math)

Santa Clara, Calif.

A version of this article appeared in the March 16, 2005 edition of Education Week as Is More Rigor the Answer For U.S. High Schools?

Events

Budget & Finance Webinar Leverage New Funding Sources with Data-Informed Practices
Address the whole child using data-informed practices, gain valuable insights, and learn strategies that can benefit your district.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Classroom Technology Webinar
ChatGPT & Education: 8 Ways AI Improves Student Outcomes
Revolutionize student success! Don't miss our expert-led webinar demonstrating practical ways AI tools will elevate learning experiences.
Content provided by Inzata
Classroom Technology K-12 Essentials Forum Tech Is Everywhere. But Is It Making Schools Better?
Join us for a lively discussion about the ways that technology is being used to improve schools and how it is falling short.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: May 31, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: May 17, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: May 3, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: April 26, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read