How The U.S. School System Is Failing It’s Students
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December 15th, 2006
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I find it fascinating to look at the very poor U.S. educational system. Here we have the richest and most powerful country on earth failing to teach a large portion of the population the most basic skills. It's even more interesting when you realize that most people don't even know how substandard the education really is. I'm not bashing one of my favorite countries, it's the truth. There are top notch possibilities for a small fraction of the population but the overall education is just laughable. One of my favorite bloggers, Steve Olson, has just written up a great post about the American education system. He usually has some excellent self-help articles and his latest post looks at our children's future. It's a soul baring story of how the schools are failing, not only with the educational goals but also on a more emotional level. Please go and read "How The Public School System Crushes Souls." You might look at your children's education differently.Steve talks about many reasons of why the public system continues to fail the population year after year. And it's not getting better, it's getting worse.
When my sons were born, I wanted to believe that things were different today, and I discovered that they’re worse. I met a local mother with teenagers several months ago while I was anguishing over what to do with my son’s education. I asked if her kids were in the local public school district (which has an outstanding reputation). She said, “We pulled ‘em out. It was horrible.” I prodded her for more information. She spent most of her nights with her kids trying to correct the damage done at school earlier in the day. She said there was a lack of basic decency and respect throughout the institution.
Isn't it amazing that the government can't get it right? We are so intelligent and capable in other areas but the education system is heading in the other direction. Steve has some really good practical examples from teachers and lessons from his personal life.
Critical thinking skills have been absent from my classes for years. Kids used to read the book “Catcher in the Rye” and then describe what Holden Caulfield meant to them. Today, they read it and expect me to teach them what it means. Not just most kids, all kids. I haven’t seen a critical thinker in my classroom in five years.
Steve has young children just like myself. And he's also concerned about their future education. He has some good solutions but I get the feeling the only way we'll see real change is if American parents get more involved and finally demand education to become a priority. Today it's nowhere near the top. Head on over to Steve's and read his excellent post on todays education.
This troubles me very much! Even though Erik is not officially in school yet, Chhimi and I can’t help but thinking about his future in the U.S. school system! By comparison to Asia school standards, U.S. is a joke! That’s where Chhimi and I start discussing the possibility of home-schooling. Sigh! Well, we still have about 2+ more years before Erik goes into pre-school so guess we should start planning ahead now.
You know, I teach one class a week at a H.A. — I know plenty of teahers at both public and private schools.
Schools, with the “one size fits all model” are expected to be parents and educators these days with a running majority of mixed busy parents or just plain lazy ones.
There are a lot of uninvolved parents with uninvolved kids that outnumber the parents who do care. AND throw in politics, unions, admins, and you’ve got a huge mess.
Unless you start dividing kids into separate schools (dedicated parents in one, the rest in another), or change the american culture way of thinking that education is kids #1 priority (like most asian countries) this won’t change no matter how much money you throw at it.
My prediction is most parents will move to neighborshoods with the good schools with like-minded parents (likely suburban), go to private schools or even resort to internet distance learning, co-ops, and homeschooling.