Public schools in the United States are in dire need of reform to be able to perform on a global stage. Fifty-eight percent of Americans would give their public school a C or below rating(Henderson 1). The first public school in the United States was established in 1635. When the Industrial Revolution reached the U.S in the mid 1800s, public schools were reformed to meet the demands of industry, but since then public schools have not seen large reform. To keep up with today's global market, American public schools need to be reformed because schools are still geared towards making factory workers, and there is a lack of accountability.
Public schools function the same way they did during the Industrial Revolution. Up to the 1940s when only 5% of the population went on to higher education, the goal of public school was to produce a labor force to work in factories(Rethinking Education, Part I 1). Many more students go on to higher education especially from public school, so our schools should prepare our students to not be a skilled factory worker, but instead a divergent thinker that can go on to higher education, and then become a great citizen. Furthermore, teachers are taught to teach in a way that create factory workers. For example, students are taught to just listen, and do as they are told, and not question things, which follows a system of oppression created by the rich that own the factories that want workers who will not question things such as wages, so they can pay workers less, and make more money. Moreover, "Bells at these schools were modeled on the shift-time sounds in factories"(Rethinking Education, Part I 1). Schools should not still be modeled after a system that was created, when owning slaves was still legal. Times have changed, and education should change with it. Also, "schools are an assembly line, one is sorted by age, then receive instruction on particular subjects during a fixed period of time, and then tested on each subject to see if one meets the standards to move along the line, and finally receive their stamp of approval at the end of the line, which is a diploma"(Robinson 1). Just because one is born in a certain year does not mean they are at the same maturity level as other born in the same year. Society tries to put everyone in a box, and when they do not fit into that box they are criticized. Subjects should be intertwined, and if one can tailor their curriculum in college, then why not high school where kids can study in things they are more interested in, and in return will be more engaged. Students are viewed as products, and schools want to produce the best products instead of the best citizens. Furthermore, "Our economy thrives on creativity and innovation, which is taught through the arts, but public schools …show more content…
Public school need to stop putting everyone into a certain box or category, and should be taught to be divergent thinkers. Likewise, all subjects are important not just the four major subjects. Everyone needs to be held accountable for public education including lawmakers, community members, parents, teachers, and students. All citizens should be outraged because our schools are not producing citizens that are ready to compete on a global stage. Schools should stop trying to have a quantitative value for students like grades and rank, and instead give things such as evaluations because everyone has talent that cannot be reflected as a number. Moreover, the tests should be structured with multiple correct answers, and questions where you must explain one's answer because there could be different routes to the same solution. Furthermore, students should not be put in a grade, but rather have a no grade system, where you graduate once you have enough credits, and you can pick and choose what you want to take and how much, similar to college. Likewise, a system should be put in place where teachers have competition, so there is more motivation to do better. Also, there should be a campaign for the school to integrate community, parents, students, and teachers all at once, and not just when there is a problem, but before it gets to that point. The Department of Education needs to recognize that there needs
Public schools function the same way they did during the Industrial Revolution. Up to the 1940s when only 5% of the population went on to higher education, the goal of public school was to produce a labor force to work in factories(Rethinking Education, Part I 1). Many more students go on to higher education especially from public school, so our schools should prepare our students to not be a skilled factory worker, but instead a divergent thinker that can go on to higher education, and then become a great citizen. Furthermore, teachers are taught to teach in a way that create factory workers. For example, students are taught to just listen, and do as they are told, and not question things, which follows a system of oppression created by the rich that own the factories that want workers who will not question things such as wages, so they can pay workers less, and make more money. Moreover, "Bells at these schools were modeled on the shift-time sounds in factories"(Rethinking Education, Part I 1). Schools should not still be modeled after a system that was created, when owning slaves was still legal. Times have changed, and education should change with it. Also, "schools are an assembly line, one is sorted by age, then receive instruction on particular subjects during a fixed period of time, and then tested on each subject to see if one meets the standards to move along the line, and finally receive their stamp of approval at the end of the line, which is a diploma"(Robinson 1). Just because one is born in a certain year does not mean they are at the same maturity level as other born in the same year. Society tries to put everyone in a box, and when they do not fit into that box they are criticized. Subjects should be intertwined, and if one can tailor their curriculum in college, then why not high school where kids can study in things they are more interested in, and in return will be more engaged. Students are viewed as products, and schools want to produce the best products instead of the best citizens. Furthermore, "Our economy thrives on creativity and innovation, which is taught through the arts, but public schools …show more content…
Public school need to stop putting everyone into a certain box or category, and should be taught to be divergent thinkers. Likewise, all subjects are important not just the four major subjects. Everyone needs to be held accountable for public education including lawmakers, community members, parents, teachers, and students. All citizens should be outraged because our schools are not producing citizens that are ready to compete on a global stage. Schools should stop trying to have a quantitative value for students like grades and rank, and instead give things such as evaluations because everyone has talent that cannot be reflected as a number. Moreover, the tests should be structured with multiple correct answers, and questions where you must explain one's answer because there could be different routes to the same solution. Furthermore, students should not be put in a grade, but rather have a no grade system, where you graduate once you have enough credits, and you can pick and choose what you want to take and how much, similar to college. Likewise, a system should be put in place where teachers have competition, so there is more motivation to do better. Also, there should be a campaign for the school to integrate community, parents, students, and teachers all at once, and not just when there is a problem, but before it gets to that point. The Department of Education needs to recognize that there needs