I have a friend who is an extremely talented medical professional. She is the lead radiologist at a huge hospital in the City of St. Louis. You would have never assumed that she would be in this type of career if you knew her in high school. She was constantly late, never studied much for classes she didn’t care for, and always cracked jokes when the teachers were trying to lecture. After high school we all thought she would become a career “goof-off.” Everyone was surprised when she took a couple of radiography courses, got a certification, and started making more money than those of us who took detailed notes
The current education system doesn’t promote or even tolerate individualism and creativity.
Public school administrators are more interested in herding children and getting them through the proverbial gate than actually educating and preparing students for life after school. Here are some of the things that are holding the education system and our schools down:
Cronyism Isn’t Just for Grown-ups
Office politics and political corruption plague the adult world. It’s often hard to break through glass ceilings if you are not kissing up to at least one boss. Teachers tend to pick out favorites in class and cater towards their needs. This might leave students who don’t personally get along with the teachers stranded in the classroom.
No Child Left Behind
In 2001, George W. Bush enacted the No Child Left Behind Act which rewarded schools for scholastic achievement. This didn’t mean that the schools with the smartest students got the most money, it meant that the schools who did the best on standardized tests received the most. The NCLB Act forced teachers to teach according to how the tests would work instead of to each individual student. Some school systems went as far as to teach the actual answers to the tests.
Outdated Subjects
When was the last time you used algebra at work? Students are forced to learn subjects that they won’t use after they get out of school. If they fail to achieve acceptable grades, they may be held back and dissuaded from attending college or a trade school where they will not have to take courses like algebra.
Outdated Technology
Windows 8 will soon be upon us, but most public school children have no idea what that even means. There are stories of children who want to go to college being forced to use pen and paper for completing homework in classes that are supposed to teach Microsoft Office. Teachers need to be on top of the latest technological trends and communities should focus on bringing in more technology than about the football team or a new building.
The education system is a complicated web of bureaucracy and endless red tape. It will take the efforts of many and a great deal of time before things start running more efficiently.
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