Because the fundamentals of science are always a constant. Formula's do not change, concepts do not change, laws of physics do not change etc. My dh sees what is happening in class as limiting the kids. You can show a kid an experiement and test him on the vocab, but if they don't have a general understanding of what is actually going on in that experiment what is the pointGive my dd a textbook to bring home, let the kids read it themselves so they can learn it their own way, or be able to have their parents help. Its no different than giving a student a math book to take home every night, or a history book. For the students who can't learn it from a book, are they really learning it from the teacher then? I doubt it. (Again, nobody is advocating a non-hands approach).
And if you ask my dh about the limitations put on students as far as the sciences go he would say "there is a reason why Americans are really lacking in mathmatics and the sciences, it because our public education system does a disservice to us, and society doesn't have a problem with it. We'd rather make sure the kids feel good and have fun at school instead of pushing them and expecting the best from them, textbook or not."
While a lot of science is constant (when I was a kid Pluto was a planet), the learning styles are not, and thank goodness the teaching methods are not. Textbooks can be written poorly and unless you can point to any study that children can only learn via a textbook curriculum your points have nothing to do with or with out a textbook. There are at least a dozen ways to go about teaching any concept and no one way is going to work for every child.
Do you think the only place to locate everything you mentioned is only accuired through textbook based curriculum? You really should look around more at the various rich resources that are avaliable. Google any concept with lesson plans and you will find a number of various ways to teach a concept and most them are from teachers who deviated from the textbook.
DD math text was just a work book they couldn't write in. I ended up teaching her myself as the textbook had no examples or explinations. I know public school is failing but making everyone learn via one method is probably a contributing factor.
I think it is odd that you think your children can only learn from a textbook curriculum. Your DH might know a ton about science but it doesn't make him the expert on teaching. My Dh is an Electrical Engineer but I wouldn't trust his judgment on teaching math to a classroom of 30, 11 year olds all with different learning styles even though he knows it very well and is successful in his career. The teacher is not just trying to teach your child they are teaching everyone and with differnt learning styles:
Visual (spatial). using pictures, images, and spatial understanding.
Aural (auditory-musical). using sound and music.
Verbal (linguistic). using words, both in speech and writing.
Physical (kinesthetic). using your body, hands and sense of touch.
Logical (mathematical). using logic, reasoning and systems.
Social (interpersonal). to learn in groups or with other people.
Solitary (intrapersonal). to work alone and use self-study.
Most kids are a combo of the above and no one is ever just one type of learner.
The human beings in the room are the variable. The formula of text book education you are clinging to does not work for everyone. If some one is not the type to learn from a textbook then you think they are incapable of learning at all. That just shows that you don't know much about teaching or the way people learn.
Maybe you and your DH should put down the formulas for a minute and read about the art of teaching and the different ways children learn. If there were a magic formula for every child I am sure there are a lot of teachers that would love to know. You seem to be giving very little credit to teachers in general.
If you want your children to learn it all on their own via a textbook and your help than you should look into educating them yourself. This has more to do with your mistrust of the teacher's ability and you somehow think a textbook would be some sort of insurance againtst a teacher you feel is unqualified.
I am not one to sit and watch a school fail my child or any child for that matter. It is why I homeschooled my oldest up to 6th grade and placed her in the most challenging school I could find. My younger one is still homeschooled. They are both different learners.
I agree that U.S. schools in general are not challenging but I don't think a textbook curriculum is the golden egg. You should not only trust one way of teaching for your children. Regardless of how great or bad the teacher is it sounds like you suplement the education. I am just saying no textbook in the class room would not have me concerned unless I had serious doubts that the teacher were qualified.
Just because there is not textbook does not mean your children will not learn. I am trying to help you feel better about the situation by explaining that learning can very well take place with or with out a textbook. I haven't met the teacher he may be terrible but a textbook won't fix that.