American Achievement Culture: The Dark Side Of American Achievement Culture

The Dark Side of American Achievement Culture At the start of the semester each year, students of all ages are asked the same questions. What kinds of classes are you enrolled in? I am in five AP classes. And? I am also playing varsity volleyball. And? I go to music lessons every Wednesday and Saturday for violin. Well, how about community service? There must come a point when society needs to step back and really focus on the damage that words have on the young mind, and on the fact that children are simply incapable of juggling all of these demands, both physically and mentally. Instead of expecting so much out of a child when they are already involved with plenty of (and in most cases, too many) activities, it should cross the mind to offer

However, parents need to educate themselves about the fact that homework is not going to make their child any smarter. Parents go from helping their child with homework to even completing the homework themselves. If the teacher is using homework as a gauge for understanding, that is simply not going to work. When it comes to homework load, teachers must review the options of homework and evaluate what is developmentally appropriate, what their students can handle, and what the goal or point of the homework actually is. In reality, school is in session for seven hours a day, and that should be plenty of enough time to impart the knowledge students need to learn. There is so much more to a child’s life than what is happening in

All over the country, parents are fighting this issue and many schools have already taken action. “One-third of colleges in America have eliminated the SAT or modified its use. There is even a school in Wyoming that has abolished homework for K-5” (Levs). However, for society to follow these bold footsteps, the first task is to make people realize that stress on children due to overscheduling is a very serious problem and that the well-being and economic future of the US depends on addressing this issue. Secondly, there is no quick solution. What overwhelms people the most is the complexity of the problem and the need for a complete turnaround of society’s expectations. One college professor comments, “We have an opportunity to change how we conceive being successful, and it takes bravery. I mean, you’re swimming against pop culture” (Abeles). So, instead of ignoring the diversity amongst children by directing the focus toward the narrow group of high-achievers, express the importance of individuality. A bell curve illustrates that “smart” has many different meanings: children who are academically smart, those who are incredibly creative, and those who are totally