Times have changed, American schools haven’t

Sabrina Ulloa, Editor-in-Chief

While the American school system may be progressing, compared to the rest of the world- it’s still behind.

Yes, the school system has progressed from back then, however, jobs now require more education than in the past. And students are required a whole lot more than they were before such as innovation, creativity, independence, and leadership. Yet, students struggle and fail or barely survive academically throughout the system.

Albert Einstein himself said, “Everybody’s a genius but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
Some students feel like the fish, they are expected to excel in ways that aren’t for everyone.

Every human beings brain is unique and different, in order for two people to have the same brain structure one must have the exact genetics and the exact same life experiences. So, how is teaching all students the exact same way supposed to help students succeed?

Teachers stand in front of about 20 students who have different strengths, different hopes, different dreams and teach the exact same way. Students now have instant access to any information they want and kids arrive to kindergarten with less naivete than before, ready to learn.

However, the moment they step into a classroom their brain is clouded with facts and information they need to know in order to get a good grade. And instead of learning they learn to sit quietly, listen, make notes, and pass a class.

Plus, teachers who are responsible for preparing the children of the future, are underpaid. They are paid about $58,030 annually while doctors are paid on average $250,000. Both teachers and doctors are as important in the life of a child, while a doctor may save the life of a child, a teacher can reach out to save their life by giving them hope and knowledge.

And oftentimes when something goes wrong with the education system, teachers are the ones getting the blame, however, they are just doing their jobs and aren’t given a lot of options on how to teach.

They are given curriculum prepared mostly by people who haven’t taught a day in their life.

Education isn’t supposed to be about who can bubble the most right answers, who can get all A’s, or who can follow all directions but it’s about learning and progressing. Schools are meant to help students, not hold them back.

Students make up less than only 20% of the world’s population, however, they make up our whole future because they are our future. They must be taught not how to be a good student and follow what they are told but to be a leader and a teacher themselves.