By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close
Kasz216 on 28 August 2012
Edit Thread
ithis said:
Chris Hu said:
ithis said:
Kasz216 said:

A) Not... really related to a single thing in my post.

B) The biggest US hanidcap is Summer break.

C) The average Belgium/Netherlands person speaks 2 or 3 languages, becuase they pretty much have to by default due to being so close to so many foreign speaking countries, and the fact that belgium has like 3 official languages if i recall correctly.  That and it's way easier to learn languages if you have to when your younger and you have a lot of people speaking said language around.

Additionally, there really is a less pressing need for Americans to learn a second language, because English happens to be the most important language in the world.  It's the international language of buisness, and as I believe the leading taught second language in the world.

Why is that? Others have Summer break too.

But not for twelve weeks

Wikipedia to the rescue. Summer vacation lasts from 2 to 3 months with few exceptions in Europe, just like in the US.

I can tell you from personal experience. Summer vacation has nothing to do with it. In Romania we have 3 months now and it was 3 months 20 years ago. The percentage of kids that know stuff that comes out of High Schools today is much smaller than it was then. YAY for western style education.

Actually, if you look at the research.  In the US....

the knowledge gap between students... increases during the Summer.

In most places the biggest problem with the American School System isn't the Amercian School System.

It's American parents not being active in their kids lives, forcing them to join clubs, do reading lists and go to muesuems.

It's crazy how much a little attention can bring  a child.


As an extreme personal example... before I entered Kintergarden (pre first grade).   I could read,  use addition, Subtraction AND multiplication.

This was because my parents would read to me, I used to play videogames before I ever stepped foot in a school, and my parents went through math with me further then that.

The points in videogames going up nd down being important back then, so i'd see addition and points, and sometimes subtraction and even multiplaction trhough bonuses... so of course i'd ask about it and be taught it.

 

I could never quite grasp division until later on though.