Collaborative Essay
Group #3
Struyk-Bonn
Writing 121
November 7th 2014
Improving America’s Education System
America’s education system is lacking in many areas compared to most other countries. We have incredibly high dropout rates, inadequate funding for schools and teachers, and students are expected to learn large amounts of information at an excessively fast pace. While there are many issues in our education system that appear too difficult to tackle, there are many simple adjustments that could be made to ensure that our students succeed and are fully prepared for their future careers.
One of the many problems in today's education system is the ridiculous number of unmotivated students and hindering adults. For example, an alternative school located in Gresham, Oregon is known for having many students who have a hard time getting up in the morning, or finding a reason to actually attend school at all; their previous teachers are known for often displaying an apathetic attitude toward their students’ attendance and education. In many areas, school is often described as a prison by the students who attend. While some enjoy school, there is an overwhelming number of students who don’t seem to care if they graduate or not. Approximately 1 in every 25 students drop out of high school, and many of those don’t make an effort to further their education. The problem continues as class sizes are becoming increasingly unreasonable, which benefits neither the students nor the teachers, leaving us to ask: “who benefits from this situation?”
Clearly, the best way to fix this issue is to cut class sizes, and hire teachers that are actually dedicated to guiding the youth of today. All that students need is for at least one person to believe in them and their educational potential. Mentor programs could be a large benefit to schools if cutting class sizes isn't a viable option. There is no excuse for making vulnerable students feel as if they don’t deserve trust and respect in a safe learning environment.
Furthermore, students face the challenge of the unreasonably fast pace at which they are expected to learn. Information is being force fed to students and they are barely able to digest it. It makes learning unenjoyable and almost impossible, as they are forced to memorize facts and formulas as quickly as possible in order to pass the next test. Online learning does let you work at your own speed; however you get behind quickly and things pile up. If students were allowed more time per unit, most would find that they enjoy their work more, and may even discover that they like certain subjects that were once difficult to understand. Many students today also struggle with finding a desire or reason to attend school. When students don’t have an advocate and/or a mentor helping them along the way, they quickly lose interest in pursuing education. This often results in students dropping out of school. Learning is beautiful and knowledge is power, yet our education system has a way of taking that away from students by pushing too much work on students too quickly, causing them to lose motivation.
When asked about motivation, many would say that money makes the ‘world go ‘round’. Is this an accurate portrayal of the world? To a certain extent, yes. Without proper funding, educational programs and schools cannot provide the necessary time, courses, and attention to the students. When people graduated from school just a couple of decades ago, they not only had been taught basic reading, writing, and math skills, but had also been trained in a profession. Students left school with the necessary skills to head directly into the workforce. Can that be said of students today? With budget cuts forcing school boards to re-evaluate the necessity of art programs, physical education, AP classes, Home Economics, etc., that question is met with a resounding "no" (Leachman).The only way we will be able to solve this issue threatening our future stability as a society will be to put education as a first priority. It must become first priority to pay teachers what they are due, and to hire dedicated teachers, the teachers that will give personalized help and attention to each individual student. It must become first priority to fund classes that instruct students in art, financing, cooking, etc.; even though they are outside of core classes. This is not merely putting education as first priority, but putting the future of America as our first priority. And this is an investment that will pay off in the future, with a new generation of well-rounded, well-equipped working adults. But what can be said of the youths still in school now?
Some believe the education system is deteriorating, partly because of our young society. Grade schools, middle schools, and high schools are breeding grounds for bullies, gangs, and occurrences of self destructive habits. Teachers often react inappropriately to the behaviors displayed by their student body and principals are failing to provide good reinforcement and management to keep students in line. High schools in low income neighborhoods especially suffer from a large gang problem. Entire school grounds are, more often than not, surrounded by metal fencing with one way metal doors to keep the gangs and drug world away. However, even so, the bullying, verbal abuse, and crime continue to flow through the schools. Many changes must be made in schools all around the nation. While it may take time to completely readjust and rehabilitate the educational system, it will be well worth it in the long run and may even help create some of the greatest minds of the future.
Nevertheless, looking in the short-term, there is a need for large educational reform on a nationwide basis. To that end, our own state education system is in need of dire attention. The state of Oregon comes in as second worst in the nation for graduation rates. Alongside that, we also have the highest number of absentees in our schools. One of the best ways to overcome these numbers brings us all the way back to the very beginning: 1st - 3rd grade. The first three grades in any student’s life is crucial to how they will perform as a student later on in their academic career. The one key learning goal that a student needs to reach before the age of nine, is a third grade reading level. Many different studies have shown that if a student cannot reach a 3rd grade reading level by that time, they will often fall behind as time goes on, which leads to multiple problems such as dropping out of school, and eventually, on a state level, low graduation rates. If the end result is low graduation rates and high absence rates, then obviously an educator's input should be to focus their energies on helping young students reach a higher reading level before moving into middle school, high school and beyond.
For the past few decades, most students have been coming out of school feeling drained and unmotivated, left with no desire to continue their education. Students love learning, but hate school. Many flaws in our education system leave our students feeling this way, yet there are only so many people who are willing to stop debating the issues, and instead take proactive action and find solutions for the problems. The budgeting and funding for education needs to be improved, and more energy needs to be put into encouraging and mentoring our students. When teachers become mentors, funding is improved, and students are given more time and course options to choose from, our national education system will become stronger, fully preparing students for the workforce, and allowing them to enjoy and take advantage of their education as they learn in school.
Works Cited
“Early Warning! Why Reading by the End of the Third Grade Matters” www.acef.org Annie E. Casey Foundation. 1 January, 2010. Web. 28 October, 2014.
Jacoby, Isabella. "Dropout Rates in Oregon High Schools - Oregon Department of Education." Dropout Rates in Oregon High Schools - Oregon Department of Education. Oregon Department of Education, 29 Oct. 2014. Web. 13 Nov. 2014.
Leachman, Michael, and Chris Mai. "Center on Budget and Policy Priorities."Most States Funding Schools Less Than Before the Recession —. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 20 May 2014. Web. 15 Nov. 2014.
"Oregon Blue Book: Public Education in Oregon." Oregon Blue Book: Public Education in Oregon. Oregon Secretary of State, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2014.
Rasmussen, Randy. “Oregon’s High School Graduation Rate Second in the Nation” www.oregonlive.com The Oregonian. 7 February, 2014. Web. 28 October, 2014.
