American education has gone through a lot of changes in recent years, and it is already one of the best ones in the world. It has become more diverse, inclusive, and empowering than it used to be; it gives students better chances at a brighter future. However, despite all the achievements and developments, there are still lots of aspects that have to be addressed in order to improve the education system and bring it to a new level.
Here are the factors that characterize the modern system of education in the United States and some ways to make it better and meet the learning needs of all students.
What Is the American Education System Like Today?
Despite some positive talks on the matter, the reality is not as shiny as some people claim it to be. Since education does not exist independently, it always gets influenced by various social and economic factors. At present, the USA faces a problem of social and economic mobility. The result of this is that many people find it extremely difficult to change their social or economic status.
If they are born to a low-income family, the chances are high that they will spend their life also being financially challenged. Naturally, this problem with a lack of mobility has an impact on education. Namely, students from low-income families have limited options when it comes to education. Apart from the cases when students are impressively bright and get outstanding academic performance, regular students from such families cannot afford tuition.
The usual scenario instructs them to get a job or even two as well as a small bank loan to afford some basic education at a mediocre college. Low-income students find it challenging to get higher education because it is not flexible enough, and they can’t have a balanced life where they can enjoy being students without massive debts.
Different sources give different numbers, but most of them agree on one fact: the American education has been stagnant for decades, leaving students unable to improve their academic performance, despite all the technology and educational opportunities around.
Studies claim that when it comes to reading and mathematic skills, most students are not that proficient, they graduate schools and colleges not being ready to face real life and the employment market that can get harsh at times. Students themselves complain of having trouble at school. Naturally, there is nothing wrong with the children or their mental capabilities; it is the education system that leaves much to be desired.
It appears that most students have to struggle with the never-ending pressure and stress to do well at school and get good grades if they want to get into a good college and get a decent future. This mental strain makes it nearly impossible for them to enjoy the journey. Instead of focusing on the subjects they feel genuinely passionate about, they need to focus on their grades, the scores that will or will not help them during future admission processes.
With all the unneeded theory, students don’t get the skills they will actually be needing soon: stress resistance, creativity, flexibility, social skills, and time management. Those are the things that should stand far above As, Bs, and Cs.
What Changes Should Be Made About It?
To solve the current problems the American education is facing, the government and the local citizens must take part in the process by making studies more affordable. When it comes to low-income students, there have to be more scholarships that target the problems of this group. What is more, it is also important to popularize the very idea of education and personal growth to make it trending in a certain way.
When students think about life in schools and college, they don’t usually think about learning opportunities. As a rule, they focus on the wild student life, spring break, football games, partying, etc. Although those elements are important and should definitely remain a part of the local education culture, it is more important to help students understand how much of their time they should invest in educating themselves and gaining valuable life skills.
There is a need to create something of a “national obsession” around the very idea of personal pride in learning and growing. Such a change will help students feel more enthusiastic about their time in college and be more responsible about how they treat their studies and academic performance. For the change to be noticeable, it has to be done on the national rather than on the local level.
It is also important to reinvent the schooling program and teach students not only theory but also give them an opportunity to gain practical experience. American education needs to take a turn toward skills development. Students need to learn the importance of effective time management, delegation, and communication, as it can determine the quality of their future life.
Some students do take matters into their own hands; they manage their college schedule and learn how to be stress-resistant. Many of them do this by getting external help from services like online paper writing service to keep their studies under control while also having a healthy social life.
There is also a need to get rid of standardized methods that make some students believe they are a failure simply because they cannot meet the demands of conventional teaching practices. All of those standardized tests fail to meet the actual learning needs of a significant number of students, depriving them of further educational opportunities.
Coming up with a customized testing system will empower more students to uncover their talents and reach their true academic potential. It will give a chance to measure their knowledge and not just pressure students into failing their learning outcomes because of overwhelming stress.
