Explain The Tension Between Individuality And Conformity
In our school system, there has always been a tension between individuality and conformity. The national government and schools are attempting to find new ways to improve education, such as mandatory courses and testing. Unfortunately, rather than reaching a balance between individuality and conformity, they neglect individuality. Schools should produce an atmosphere that allows a student to discover their own individuality, along with the positives of conformity. Critics of the American education system argue against a rigid school system and compulsory secondary schools (Source A). In the U.S., many schools require children to take a specific category of classes as electives, such as art, music, technology, etc. Students should comply
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Each student has a different learning style and excels in various subjects. The enforcement of a national standardized test disregards the fact that a student is an individual. Children should not be forced to have their education structured to mirror a test. Conformity appears to be sought after from a very young age. Rather than having children develop as individuals by introducing creativity through playtime, kindergarteners are being prepared for testing (Source C). As the American education system begins to revolve around testing, certain classes are being looked at as more essential than others. In the daily bell schedule shown in Source B, some periods are longer than others. By not having an equal amount of class time, the students are not receiving a proper education. Some classes that the school board deems more important, such as math and science, are getting an advantage over elective classes, such as art and music. Mass public schooling proclaims that one of its goals is to, “help create good citizens”, they also say that they want to encourage children to, “think for themselves and pursue their own interests”. Yet, what schools do not seem to realize is that a child whose main strength is art, is just as able to become a good citizen as one that favors more traditional subjects. By hindering a student’s ability to receive a balanced education, public schools go against their own
Each student has a different learning style and excels in various subjects. The enforcement of a national standardized test disregards the fact that a student is an individual. Children should not be forced to have their education structured to mirror a test. Conformity appears to be sought after from a very young age. Rather than having children develop as individuals by introducing creativity through playtime, kindergarteners are being prepared for testing (Source C). As the American education system begins to revolve around testing, certain classes are being looked at as more essential than others. In the daily bell schedule shown in Source B, some periods are longer than others. By not having an equal amount of class time, the students are not receiving a proper education. Some classes that the school board deems more important, such as math and science, are getting an advantage over elective classes, such as art and music. Mass public schooling proclaims that one of its goals is to, “help create good citizens”, they also say that they want to encourage children to, “think for themselves and pursue their own interests”. Yet, what schools do not seem to realize is that a child whose main strength is art, is just as able to become a good citizen as one that favors more traditional subjects. By hindering a student’s ability to receive a balanced education, public schools go against their own