In class on Tuesday, we discussed the topic of “How We Learn” and the flaws in the education system today. I am not going to lie; education here is pretty messed up. There is both pressure and slack in the system. Believe me, I’m going to go through the terrible issues that I did not talk about in class. So be ready.
First, let me say this: I will NEVER work as a teacher at any level… EVER! Now that we have that clear, let’s continue.
One thing that has changed and is destroying the value of learning is the teachers. I do not know about everyone else, but when I was in middle school and high school my teachers were descent and it was a respectful student/teacher relationship. Now, my little sister (who is in 7th grade) tells me that she is friends with her teachers. Last year, on the last day of school, she was allowed to curl her math teacher’s hair (please note she was in 6th grade at the time). Does anyone else see how messed up that is?
Another issue with the lovely education system of the United States is the new pressures they put on the students. My class was the 1st class to go through a program known as the individual graduation plan (IGPs). Every year, we would have to go into our guidance counselor’s office and sign up for classes. In addition to this, we had to pick a major that we were interested in. For me, IGPs were the most stressful decisions of my life! To this day, I am not dead set on being a biology major. So for me back then, there was a lot of pressure to pick a major and be in a particular track.
As you can probably tell, I am FED UP with the education system. But fear not, I have suggestions and hopefully solutions to this crisis. For the teachers of today, START CARING AGAIN! Please do not give up on teaching the fresh minds that walk into your classroom. And do not let those kids walk all over you. Also, for testing, throw a curveball to students and have tests that apply the information they have learned, instead of just memorizing facts that they will most likely forget the next day. I do think testing is good because it challenges students to truly understand the material they have learned, but tests that apply the material would be more beneficial. As for IGPs, if a student cannot decide on a major, please do not pressure them like their lives depend on it (especially when it is in 9th grade). I think tracks are great, but for students like me, something as simple as picking out a schedule can turn into deciding your life plans.
In case you have not noticed, I love movies. So for the rest of these blog posts, the titles will be quotes from movies! So get used to it. This week’s quote is from the movie, Accepted!