American Education Has Been Hindered

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Multiple-choice testing does not teach us anything we need to know, unfortunately, though, that’s the way our teachers are forced to teach. Think about it this way: when you have a problem with a case when you’re a lawyer, there will not be a multiple choice answer to fix it. You will have to figure out a way to win the case with the information you know, it will not be given to you. There will be no multiple choice answer to paint an original picture. In 1999 the United States was NUMBER ONE in education IN THE WORLD, now we are number 25. After 14 years, No child left behind has destroyed critical thinking and our education in general. No Child left behind means no child gets ahead.

Every country in the world right now is reforming their education, and some have already succeeded. We have tried with No Child Left Behind but failed miserably. Schools right now are trying to educate children using the same systems we have in the past, which is completely outdated. My generation doesn’t believe that a college degree really matters anymore. All generations before us would have no problems getting a job with a degree but it’s not a guarantee anymore. The problem is that our education system is modeled after the enlightenment, but in the economic circumstances of the industrial revolution. This was the first instance of public education and it has been what we have stuck with for 150 years. Deep inside public education you see that there are really only two types of people, academic and non-academic. . So people are being subjected to equal education when some people are just naturally smarter than others. I know some eighth graders that are much smarter than some sophomores, but equal education hinders their ability and holds them on a level they are way past. Education should not be grouped by age, education should be grouped by ABILITY. Our education system is modeled on the interests of industrialism and in the image of it. Schools are still working by factory lines, separate subjects, bells; we still education children by batches, by age groups. But why? Why is there an assumption that the most important factor kids should be grouped by is how old they are? Apparently the most important thing about them is their date of manufacture. I know some kids that work better in smaller groups than in larger groups, at different times of the day, or with their friends than not. Education should not have this production line mentality. Equal education is based around standardized testing and conformity which leads to standardization. Education should be individualized so it teaches creativity; equal education destroys individuality with everything it has. According to carelton.edu, in the past years, more and more schools have been identified as “in need of improvement” than in previous years, so obviously No Child Left Behind is not working. Formal Education teaches you to permanently work under the influence of a "teacher", presuming this will prepare you for working for a boss in later life, thus, education teaches no leadership, and is preparing you to live a meager life instead of an assertive and fulfilling one.

So the first thing that we need to do is stop standardized testing. If we were to model our education system around one country I would chose Finland over any others as they dominate education completely. A good, quality education cannot be met with our current system of education. It is outdated and the changes they have made have been for the worse. Equal education obliterates individuality and hinders talented peoples’ ability to advance. No child left behind means no child gets ahead.

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