Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Failing education system in america
Ways to improve the U. S educational system
Failing education system in america
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Failing education system in america
"A world-class education is the single most important factor in determining not just whether our kids can compete for the best jobs but whether America can out-compete countries around the world. America's business leaders understand that when it comes to education, we need to up our game. That's why need to work together to put an outstanding education within reach for every American child"-President Barack Obama, July 18, 2011
Even though everyone agrees with the president, and most are aware that the current system is out of order, not everyone agrees on what course of actions should be taken to fix it. There are those who believe that approaching the issues through a government control department of education and a standardized mandated curriculum is the answer. Others are dead set against it, claiming that more government involvement would do more harm than good. Furthermore, there are those who believe that parents or the individual should decide on their own education. What is not being debated is that in order to come to a common understanding all sides will have to put aside their politics, religious beliefs, moral differences and personal ideologies and that, is easier said than done.
When analyzing the efficiency of the American education system the focus tends to be on the consistent decline of our testing programs; but what is more alarming is how American students stack up against students from other industrialized countries. American students fall far behind their counterparts in almost every educational field in both Asia and Europe, especially in math and science. Moreover, evidence suggests that American students are progressively on a decline and keep falling farther behind each year. Whichever side is ri...
... middle of paper ...
...etent bureaucrats that do not appear to have our best interest in mind. Let me be clear, let there be no doubt in your mind that if the education system in America dies, the American dream dies with it.
Works Cited
Chabot, Leo L. “A U.S. Department of Education? YES - It is time to give education the status that it deserves" Interview with Daniel B. Taylor, West Virginia State Superintendent of Schools U.S. News & World Report 29 May1978; Pro and Con; Pg. 75
Deeptha thattai “A History of Public Education in the United States” http://www.serventfree.net/~aidmnejournal/publications/201-11/publiceducationinthe unitedstates.html.WEB
Flores, John. “Keeping America Competitive Globally” Deseret Morning News 6 August 2011
Gordon, Howard R.D. “The History andGgrowth of Vocational Education in America”. Tappan NJ: Allyn and Bacon, Prentice Hall, 1999. Print
America has not changed it’s educational system in over two hundred years. For this reason, our students and population are falling further and further behind. Our society has done nothing but move forward, so why hasn’t our learning? Everybody has a story, opinion, or response to education. We need to invest in refining our tools to succeed, to create a better sense of self, and a stronger, more well-rounded nation. The American educational system is hurting students by passing them without merit and relying on standardized tests; however, many are now running back to these hollowed halls to ensure better futures.
The American school system is no stranger to criticism, but everybody seems to have a distinct idea of what should be done to improve it. It was not too long ago that we had no public schooling system at all. A man would change that forever, immortalizing himself as the “father” of American education. It was surprising to me that I had never heard of this man, especially considering I had finished my journey through free and compulsory education two years ago. The man who went on to change American education, was Horace Mann, the first Secretary of the Board of Education in Massachusetts.
In the United States, the history of Career and Technical Education evolved within four major periods. First, the Awakening period which began in 1776-1826, when the right to a free public education was expressed. During this era, educational opportunities in labor and industrial education were being demanded. The rising working class began to press for an education that were more appropriate for their labor and industry’s needs (Awakening 1776-1826, 1976). Even Benjamin Franklin who represented the Awakening middle class was on board with the rise of technical and vocational education which were taught primarily by private masters or contracted apprenticeships (Cohen, 1976).
Jeynes, William. American Educational History: School, Society, and the Common Good. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, 2007.
...s a faulty system and needs to be completely done away with or the decline in education will not only be impacted but a decrease in the way an entire country thinks and processes information.
The United States of America has placed low on the educational ladder throughout the years. The cause of such a low ranking is due to such heavy emphasis on standardized testing and not individual student achievement. Although the United States uses standardized testing as a crutch, it is not an effective measure of a student’s ability, a teacher’s competency, or a school’s proficiency.
For far too long, people have regarded vocational schooling as a second class option to a traditional college. Some believe that only under achievers will attend this type of school...
“Vocational Education in Finland.” Ministry of Education and Culture. Ministry of Education and Culture, n.d. Web. 2 Oct. 2013. .
“If you would just get up and teach them instead of handing them a packet. There’s kids in here that don’t learn like that. They need to learn face to face. I’m telling you what you need to do. You can’t expect a kid to change if all you do is just tell ‘em.” Texas student, Jeff Bliss, decided to take a stand against the lack of teaching going on in his class (Broderick).
Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, the American educational system has undergone much transition in response to our changing society. Though there have been many problems raised throughout the years in regard to what our school systems should be teaching our children, there have also been many developments.
Any number of vocational education programs have been targeted to solve the education and employment problems of the nations high-risk populations--the dropout prone, persons with disabilities, educationally and economically disadvantaged persons, and so forth. Some have realized successful outcomes; others have not. This publication examines vocational educations role in the success of high-risk populations.
The United States is a never-ending battleground for issues to fester. We as a group of people seem to only be happy when we are unhappy, and everything is open for conversation of improvement. Others can classify our society’s constant need for change and enhancement, as a curse or a blessing. Nonetheless, the education system in the United States is always a hot topic for people to discuss, as it has not been a success with all of its parties. Yet we strive for perfection as a society and as we do, we look at the groups of people that control the decisions made that influence the masses of students that progress through the system. Who can we blame? Is it the teachers union? Or, are the administrators failing these children? How about the school board? Well if it’s not any of these groups it has to be the government, right?
... to changes to the current United States public schools. However, the people in charge of making the changes are the ones who profit and will probably never change their mindset. The school system needs to be changed entirely, but solutions to this problem simply aren’t out there. Experimentation needs to be done in certain school systems to determine the most successful method. Until then, the United States of America will continue to support a failing school system and will continue to produce uneducated adults.
President Ronald Reagan once described America as, “A Nation at Risk,” He was addressing this statement to the education department thirty years ago and meant it as a wake-up call. He was aware that the United States was falling behind in education and needed to take action in order to prevent the demise of the country. Reagan correctly predicted the grim fate of America if education did not see improvement. Today, research finds that American education is failing to provide the necessary skills to succeed in college and various careers. The quality of education in America is a growing issue and every year graduate students are finding it more difficult to obtain high paying jobs and start his or her career. According to studies conducted globally, the curriculum in America is not as advanced and years behind international schools in countries such as China and Japan. There is much controversy in government over what can be done to reverse the situation in public schools but possible solutions that have been suggested are hiring more qualified teachers, more classroom time, and investing more money into education.
A real education is something that everyone should value, and all of us should strive to live up to our true potential. Contrary to popular belief, heading off to a four-year college to reach that true potential may not necessarily be the right choice for everyone. Vocational training is not only less expensive than college, but it is also a better use of time and provides students with skills critical for their job of interest. In six months, the class of 2014 will put on their caps and gowns and walk across the stage with their diplomas. All of those graduates will be excited to move onto the next chapter of life. But what path will they choose? Will they go with the flow, or will they take a walk down the unbeaten path?