What Happen to the US Elementary and Middle School Education?

If you are raised in other countries and completed your high school there before coming to US for your higher education, most of you will find out why it is so easy in US, and most of what you are learning in US perhaps the first 2-3 years of colleges, were what you learned back to your high schools. Well, of course, most students in US don't admit that they are behind, but you know that you are ahead of them. For example, in High School, if you are taking Chemistry, you will have to study Physical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Lab Experiment in your 2-3 years High School if you are in Science Stream, and another 1-2 year in Pre-college (12-13th grade). The Exam consist of about 10-20% MC, 40% Free respond, 40% Essay, and 10% lab,o which is very different from the US AP Chemistry format which usually consist of about 60% MC.

The question is why students in US always find out AP is difficult and yet they have very High Esteem even they may not know their subjects very well. When there is something a little more difficult, they will stress out. US always accuse the East put too much stress on students, which I agree 100%, but on the other hand, US has spoilt the students here!!!

The past 30 years, US has moving backwards in terms of education, that's why the education, especially the teachers who are in their 20-40s, they are not equiped to teach. MOST (not all), which is about 90% of the teachers, are not well prepared and are not aware of what outside this countries, and yet they often claimed themselves educators and received awards and recognitions that may be just overestimate their abilities as compared to the "GLOBAL STANDARD".

Students are students, and they are still kids, and adult must be able to guide them, not helping them to find EXCUSES for not able to learn or study. I personally am not going to deny the efforts the teachers have been putting in because I have met great teachers, but it's just a handful of them.

In order to help building our next generation, teachers MUST BE able to build themselves too, academically and personally! Right attitude is the key! Learning from the world instead of always thinking within the box.