Americans Should Be More Serious About Education, Essay Example

The American education system has been under increasing scrutiny from concerned parents. Schools seem to be failing students in so many ways, yet it is difficult to assign blame to a single theory or practice within the schools themselves.  Students are emerging from 12 years of schooling unable to locate the middle east on a map, unable to speak a second language and barely able complete complex math equations. When compared to students in other developed nations around the world, it can be seen that U.S. students are indeed lagging behind. The 2007 Programme for International Student Achievement showed that “the average scores of 15-year-old American students were below the international average in math, science and reading (Lindstrom).” What is worrisome about these findings is that it is a reflection of a society that has ceased to truly value education and has passed those values onto its youth. Books have been replaced by video games, and magazines filled with product advertising have replaced books, and are threatening to take over school curriculum. It would appear that Americans have decided that education just really isn’t that important, a belief that could undermine the future of the United States.  America should become focused on changing the public school system and increasing the level of education in students in order to allow America to catch up academically to other developed nations because American education is floundering and taking the future of America with it.

The education system in America is just that, a system. Whether or not students choose to do well in that system is another story. There are always excuses as to why students are flailing in school, ranging from overcrowded classrooms to the rise in learning disabilities. However, the problem may go deeper than that. It is apparent to some that American’s have, in general, an aversion to learning. This anti-intellectualism stems, perhaps, from the frontier mentality that dominated early America. It could be due to the fact that most immigrants to America were not intellectual’s themselves, but typically farmers and craftsmen. In 1963, Richard Hofstadter, a historian at Columbia University, published a paper entitled “Anti-Intellectualism in the American Life. In it, he wrote that he saw American Anti-intellectualism as a “basically cyclical phenomenon that often manifested itself as the dark side of the country’s democratic impulses in religion and education (Jacoby).” If Hofstadter were alive today, he would be sad to see his suspicions confirmed.

The lack of general enthusiasm about education can be witnessed in the classroom and in the popular media. In colleges, it is not the top academics who receive popularity and notoriety, it is the athletes. In college, students hope to gain entry into prestigious fraternities and sororities, not based on their stellar academic backgrounds but based on their looks, their clothing and the type of car they drive. While there are still those that value education, of course, it is not generally so. Students lack motivation to succeed in school because schools are dominated by peer groups and the general mentality is that school is something you have to do, but don’t want to do. The problem is compounded if the student does not get positive reinforcement at home. If the parents to not value education, then they will be less likely to encourage their children to do better in school, or less able to help them academically.

Another educational issue that Americans should be concerned about is the school curriculum itself.  Students in China are in classrooms learning from 7:30 AM until 10 PM (Lindstrom) and are often up late studying. While this seems a bit obsessive, it shows a deep respect and value for education within the society. School is taken very seriously by students, parents and teaches. In contrast, American schools are more relaxed. This can be a good thing for students, who are more relaxed and typically less stressed out than their Chinese counterparts. However, the curriculum is obviously lacking  substance and is failing to hold students attention. Some teachers, desperate to find curriculum that will hold the attention of the video game generation are turning to Structural Educational Materials, or SEM’s. SEM’s are an educational menace hiding behind a benign sounding name. Unbeknownst to many parents, corporations are targeting kids with advertising messages disguised as school lessons. Corporations such as Revlon, Campbell Soup, K-Mart, Pizza Hut and Target provide teachers with course materials, “which include colorful texts, entertaining videotapes, and detailed lesson plans (Kanner)” free of charge. Kids react to the brand recognition, and many teachers feel that SEM’s offer them a way to make learning more fun. The more insidious side, however, is that education has been reduced to commercial. Kids are being targeted with ad campaigns when they are at school and away from their parents influence. SEM’s are a chillingly tell tale sign of the ongoing degradation of the American educational system.

The lack of focus that typifies the average American child is quite obvious to anyone who takes the time to observe them. Children have difficulty sitting still for lessons, and psychological problems such as ADD are prevalent among school aged youth. Lack of attention and focus inhibits children from learning since it takes discipline in order to listen thoughtfully and learn. In China, students are often 70 or more to a class, but no one talks or goofs off. Students are tightly focused and taking notes (Lindstrom). The average U.S. classroom has half as many students but teachers still often have problems getting everyone to focus. While there have been numerous suggestions put forth as to why American students have a short attention span, one stands out and that is the fast rise of the video culture. While there are many positive benefits to electronic media, it cannot replace print for educational purposes (Jacoby). This is because as the brain watches video, it goes into a dreamlike state whereas when reading print, brain activity increases and cognitive thinking skills are utilized as well as imagination. Filling class-time in school with watching movies, or time after-school playing video games instead of reading may seem harmless, but they act to prevent students from developing important studying and critical thinking skills that are essential to a successful future in college and beyond. While video and electronic media have their place in the world, it is important for educators and parents to realize that they cannot replace a more traditional education.

Many American’s lack an outsider’s view of the American educational system because they have not traveled and seen how the educational systems of other countries are structured. They have not compared the typical American student to the typical Chinese student, for example. This can create a false sense of security and hide the fact that in reality, American students are falling behind in the international stage. Rick Piercy, president of Lewis Center for Educational Research in Apple Valley is quoted as saying “Our kids better understand and our parents better understand that if they don’t catch up and get ahead again, we’ll be a Third World nation and we’ll be working for China (Lindstrom).” This is a grim and shocking future that most American’s don’t want to contemplate, but it may be the future if steps are not taken to infuse new energy and insight into America’s educational system. To do so will take not just money, as throwing more money at the problem has yet to fix it. While funds are desperately needed to keep schools open and teachers in classrooms, it is a change of society’s attitude toward education that is desperately needed.

Americans need to begin to view the intrinsic value of education and its importance to the future of America through its ability to create educated citizens capable of critical thinking. American students will have to compete with those from China, Europe and other developed nations for jobs and if American’s are unprepared educationally, they will not be able to compete successfully. To remain competitive in the international world of today, it is necessary to be able to use critical thinking skills to come up with creative and innovative ideas and solutions. The educational system currently in effect in America is failing a vast number of students by leaving them unprepared and without a competitive edge. Its time to re-think the American educational system and take it much more seriously.

Work Cited

Jacoby, S. The Dumbing of America. Washington Post Online. Feb.2008. Web. 6 Feb. 2011.   http://incurable-insomniac.blogspot.com/2008/02/how-dumb-can-we-get.html

Kanner, A. D. Today’s class brought to you by… Tikkun 2008. 23(1):24-25. Web. 6 Feb. 2011. http://www.tikkun.org/article.php/Kanner-todays-class-brought-to-you-by

Lindstrom, N.  American Students Stagnate while International Schools get Smarter, Better. VV Daily Press Online. 23 Oct. 2010. Web. 6 Feb. 2011. http://www.vvdailypress.com/articles/smarter-22535-classroom-stagnate.html