Learning Can Be Fun

1661 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: An essay on confucianism and its impact on modern education

I hear I forget, I see I remember, I do I understand.” These wise words said by Confucius himself may be one of the most fundamental tenants to education and learning there is. The concept that Confucius lays out in this quote is that students learn best by taking an active role in their learning. There is no point in telling students information they need to know, as it is usually just forgotten. At the same time, just visualizing a situation is not enough for some students; it is vital that hands on and interactive experience is incorporated into learning. The idea of “interactive learning” is commonly misinterpreted and undervalued, as it should be incorporated significantly into the day-to-day classroom activities of children of all ages, especially those primary learners.
When compared to international peers, the United States education system is lacking in all aspects. In a recent test, “American students ranked 25th in math, 17th in science and 14th in reading” (US Students Still Lag Behind), while students in Shanghai outscored every other school system in the world. This statistic is telling of the fact that the way the school system is run here in the United States is flawed, and major changes must be addressed and made in a timely manner. The first step to fixing a problem like this is to look at how students learn most effectively.
The question of how children learn most effectively, and what environments are most advantageous to learning has been a widely debated, discussed, and researched topic for years. However, the idea that taking charge and being interactive in one’s learning – presented by Confucius – is essential has been proven time and time again. Many studies have been conducted and show that movement and ...

... middle of paper ...

... and Patricia
McKeever (2012). "Children’s Movement in an Integrated Kindergarten
Classroom: Design, Methods and Preliminary Findings." Children, Youth and Environments 22 (1): 145-177. 18 Nov. 2012 from http://www.colorado.edu/journals/cye/ Rieber, Lloyd P. "Seriously Considering Play." Lloyd P. Rieber. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. .
"Stella Vosniadou." University of Athens. N.p., Oct. 2004. Web. 5 Dec. 2012. .
"U.S. Students Still Lag Behind Foreign Peers, Schools Make Little Progress In Improving Achievement." Huffington Post. N.p., 23 July 2012. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. .
Vosniadou, Stella. How Children Learn. UNESDOC. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. .

Show More
Related

  • Persuasive Speech On Chicanos And Chicanas Education

    1344 Words  | 3 Pages

    2. “Mexican Americans as a group fail to achieve well on standard tests of academic achievement, and they do not do as well as their Anglo counterparts in the more subjective evaluations of achievement.” (Carter, 17).

    Read More

  • It's Educational System In I Can T Read By Russell Baker

    1237 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Why America's Educational System is Failing

    1116 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • It's Time to Get Rid of Standardized Tests

    1416 Words  | 3 Pages

    Since the release of the report by Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) in December of 2010 many in the government and community are searching for ways to reform the American education system to give American students the greatest opportunity to succeed. According to the report, American students are not testing as high as other nations in the world (Duncan, 2010). There are many contributing elements that have brought America to her knees in the education system, however, the obsession with standardized testing is found to be one of the most influential downfalls.

    Read More

  • Closing the Achievement Gap

    2009 Words  | 5 Pages

    The first issue that has been identified as a significant problem involved in the Achievement gap, is that it is partially the fault of America's educational system. Because of the suffering economy that has spurred the increasing lack of basic necessities in schools across America, there are an increasing number of children who are not being properly educated. Whether it is a deficiency in supplies, poor teacher selection, or administration and staff who are indifferent to the students at their sch...

    Read More

  • The Differences Between Schools And The United States And How They Are Run

    886 Words  | 2 Pages

    Annu using test results from each country on how they score, turns out the United States isn’t even close on the ranking in the list. She uses sources from test scores, to college financial problems, examples on how the system teaches their students. It’s quite convincing because as a student who use to attend high school here in the U.S., I can stand by what she says as in she’s right. We are terribly taught and need to be looked as equally regardless who we are, or where we come from

    Read More

  • The American and Finnish Education Systems

    3133 Words  | 7 Pages

    Education is one of the cornerstones and pillars to the establishment and preservation of democracy. In history, countless scores of philosophers and political thinkers believed that only an educated citizenry can take on the quintessential task of upholding democracy. Thomas Jefferson, the primary writer of the Declaration of Independence, stated that “an informed citizenry is the only true repository of the public will.” A renowned defender of public education, Jefferson proposed plans for an education system that included grammar schools in his presidency. As a result of these relentless policies for education, the United States expanded on the concept of public instruction through the establishment and upkeep of a practical education system. The United States continued this tradition and established a reputation as one of the best education in the world. Currently, this is no longer valid as other countries such as Finland, China, and South Korea are competing for the dominant position through rigorous reforms that aim to boost student performances (“Best Education”). Meanwhile, the American system is inefficient, inhibited by political obstacles and gridlock while Finland, the top ranked country in terms of schooling, is continuing to improve. According to the PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) examinations that tested pupils across a variety of subjects such as reading, mathematics, and science of 2009, Finland’s students were ranked among the top (“PISA 2009”). The American students were ranked below average for industrialized countries in the world, revealing the reality of the educational crisis in the country. Finland’s education system, compared to the Americans, offers major differences that greatly ...

    Read More

  • The American Education

    1841 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • American Education: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

    1469 Words  | 3 Pages

    The United States has proven to be a world leader with their powerful military, democratic government, and stringent foreign policies. There is one category however, the United States struggles to be number one in, education. As shocking as this may sound, the public school system in America is not superior to other developing countries. I have witnessed this scandalous phenomena firsthand, engrossed in the public school system from kindergarten to freshman year of high school. The student body and the school administration is morphing into a nonproductive system with a zombie-like attitude. American students lack academic drive and curiosity compared to European and Asian countries because the standard for academic success is constantly lowered. Americans must reform the school system and change their perspective on how important an education is to the rest of the world.

    Read More

  • Early Childhood Philosophy Essay

    822 Words  | 2 Pages

    I believe that learning is a journey that both child and educator set out on together. This journey is a privilege that I take seriously, realizing that a child’s early years are a key formative time in their life. I believe that it is during this time that important foundations are being set in place that will not only impact them in the present but will also influence them later on in life.

    Read More

  • 2 Million Minutes Essay

    524 Words  | 2 Pages

    “2 Million Minutes” is an interesting film that shows the portrayals of high school students from the United States, China, and India. It follows two successful students in each country and describes their hobbies, work habits, and life goals as they prepare for college and beyond. One would expect that the American students would seem more intelligent, better prepared for college, and have more tenacity than the Indian and Chinese students since the United States is rich and can prepare its students with a quality education — but the movie shows that this is not the case. “2 Million Minutes” raises a very troubling idea that I find very interesting: are American students falling behind?

    Read More

  • Failing Urban Schools

    1882 Words  | 4 Pages

    Education is an integral part of society, school helps children learn social norms as well as teach them how to be successful adults. The school systems in United States, however are failing their students. In the world as a whole, the United States is quickly falling behind other countries in important math and reading scores. The United States ranked thirtieth in math on a global scale and twentieth in literacy. This is even more true in more urban, lower socio-economic areas in the United States. These schools have lower test scores and high dropout rates. In Trenton Central High School West, there was an 83% proficiency in literacy and only 49% of the students were proficient in math. Many of these students come from minority backgrounds and are often from low income families. There are many issues surrounding these urban schools. There is a severe lack of proper funding in these districts, and much of the money they do receive is sanctioned for non-crucial things. Schools also need a certain level of individualization with their students, and in many urban classes, this simply does not happen. While there are many factors affecting the low performance of urban schools, the lack of proper funding and distribution of funds, the cultural divide between teachers and students in urban districts, along with the lack of individualization in urban classrooms are crucial reasons to explain the poor performance in these districts. Through a process of teacher lead budget committees and further teacher education, urban schools can be transformed and be better equipped to prepare their students for the global stage.

    Read More

  • How important is Education to the Economy and Where Are the Funds for Education Going?

    1844 Words  | 4 Pages

    Strauss, Valerie. "Where U.S. Stands in Education Internationall." Washington Post. N.p., 25 June 2013. Web. 15 Mar. 2014.

    Read More

  • The Decline of Education Standards in the United States

    1664 Words  | 4 Pages

    There are many important things children gain while growing up; the most important thing children gain growing up is their education. The educational skills children learn in school teach them the skills they need to perform outside of the classroom and in the workforce. With education being one of the most important gains in the lives of children, it has come to light how in recent years the United States has fallen further and further behind its peers in international rankings. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 2009 educational scores, the United States ranks “33” (1), which is lower than the 2002 ranking of “18” (CNN). With such a decrease in the United States ranking, parents wonder why American students are falling behind.

    Read More

  • Education is Life

    640 Words  | 2 Pages

    Learning initially begins with one's attitude toward themselves, others, and the world we live in. It is our attitudes that play a major role in shaping our experiences, which in turn affects the way in which we learn. We must first be able to interpret the world using information we already know, in order to understand something entirely new. As a teacher, I could only hope that I can provide children with a positive educational experience, one that will broaden the scope in which they view themselves, others, and the world on a larger scale. Children already acquire a desire to learn, however, it is up to us to sti...

    Read More

More about Learning Can Be Fun

Open Document