The American Education System

In 2016, when the topic of America’s education system is brought up, several things probably come to mind like inequality, biased testing, work ethic, grading systems, and money. While some believe that the American school system is a standard for the world, others believe that the education system ultimately hurts children in the long run, and does everything but help them prepare for life after high school. School is supposed to be a place for children to question and learn how to become thinkers, but with the current emphasis on testing, students only learn how to become test-takers. Instead of the school systems celebrating our many differences, they try to change them to make us all the same. Schools teach children watered down facts,
They are taught that music and art are not nearly as important as mathematics and English, because it is nearly impossible to find a “real job” if you are interested in those topics. We spend hours upon hours trying to figure what it is that we are doing wrong, and how to change it, or better yet change ourselves. But the problem isn’t the students, the problem is the American education system, and the individuals they hire to teach. “While U.S. public schools moved to standardized testing, Finnish schools eschewed nationwide tests to evaluate teachers, students or schools, and ask potential problems versus sample-based testing.”(para. 6) Finland's approach on education has been proven more successful than America’s approach. While the children should be the main focus in school, they also make sure the individuals hired to teach are actually qualified to do exactly
He grew up with limited resources and with the little bit he did have, he used it to further educate himself. He didn’t want to be like the other “typical Indian kids”, who constantly failed, he wanted to be different. Alexie stated that “ A smart Indian is a dangerous person, widely feared and ridiculed by Indians and non- Indians alike.” (page 111. Para 6.) Children are not going to be motivated to do anything when there is a lack of individuality and everything revolves around basic curriculum and for the children that don’t fit the norm for society, or in this case school, are seen as huge vulnerable targets for bullying, and it only makes matters worse when the adults surrounding the children act as bystanders or unfortunately join in. These are one of the many contributions to students having their confidence and sense of creativity taken away from them by their teachers and