Education Is A Privilege, Not A Right

Rachel G.
English II- 4th hour
September 2, 2013
Problem/Solution Essay
Learning is a Privilege, Not a Right Nationalized tests are tests that students are forced to take at the end of every school year for the classes that are required to be passed in order to graduate high school. Failing a nationalized test will result in a student having to either take the same class the next year, or the student being held back and having to repeat the grade. Because these tests are such a huge deal, the students are put under a lot of pressure and that usually causes the students to develop test anxiety if they do not already have it. Also, the fact that not all students are on the same intelligence level can prove the nationalized tests as inaccurate because all of the tests are the same and are set to a certain standard that not all students can achieve. However, with that being said, I do believe that some of the students that are not on the same intelligence level as others have sometimes done it to themselves by being irresponsible and careless. Studies have shown that just because a person is the same age as the other students in their grade, that it does not mean they are always on the same level of intelligence as others. Everyone in the world is different and has his or her own ways of learning. Every person has a different way of thinking, and some people learn slower than others, as well as the fact that some kids are extremely advanced for their age. Thinking and doing certain things differently does not make a person stupid or unintelligent, but the reason a lot of students do not pass nationalized tests is because people who design them assume that all students are on the same level. Test anxiety is a psychological condition in which a person experiences distress before, during, or after a test or other assessment to such an extent that this anxiety causes poor performance or interferes with normal learning. Nowadays in most high schools they have what is called weighted grades, which means that 60% of a student’s grade is on tests alone, 30% is on the actual assignments like classwork and projects, and only 10% is on homework and other small assignments. Because the tests are such a big part of the grade students usually get really nervous before they take a test. Before a test a student should study and try to be as prepared for the test as they can, but sometimes you can prepare as much as possible and still not do well because of how a test is worded. For instance, last year I had to study every single night for a test that I had in English because I knew that I had to pass. I was so sure that I was prepared and that I was going to ace the test with no problem. Sadly though, that was not the case. The moment I got the test I knew that I was not going to do well at all because of the way the questions were worded and how they told me to do certain things on the test. I had no idea how to do some of the things simply because I did not know what was being asked of me. I had a horrible case of test anxiety that day. It affects so many people all the time and will cause them to doubt themselves. My last point is that a student should always accept and take responsibility for his or her own actions. A lot of the time, a student will try to blame the teacher for him or her failing a test or an assignment. Although sometimes this can be the case, it is rare. It’s usually the student who is at fault. The job of a teacher is to teach and provide the information that the students will need in order to succeed in the classes that they take. It is not the teacher’s responsibility to make sure that you like the class or to force you to study so that you can succeed. Effort to learn and teach should be put in from both sides, the student and the teacher, in order for the student to know everything that they need to and in order for the teacher to do well and enjoy his or her job. 75% of the people in the United States have test anxiety and have a hard time when they are put under pressure to take a test or make a good grade. Each person is different and has his or her own way of learning, remembering, and knowing all of the information that is needed to succeed at whatever they do. Sadly though, a lot of kids do not take advantage of the fact that they have the opportunity to learn and make a bright future for themselves. Some don’t care about school and think that it is a waste of their time, so they throw their education away. Learning and going to school is a privilege and a choice that we are fortunate enough to have, but it is not a right, and I personally believe that a student should take advantage of that privilege to try and make a successful future for them.