an analytical, argumentative 4 full pages essay

Last Name 6

Student Name

Professor Muñoz

English 101

23 July 2014

Essay # 3 Learning Power Essay

Prompt: What should be the main goals of public education in a democracy? Are we currently fulfilling these goals?

Reshaping Our Public Schools

Have you observed children in school lately? If so, have you noticed the difference in our public education system? To be educated is one of the most eye-opening experiences that a child can receive. It is full of curiosity, discovery, and learning. Yet in my opinion, it seems like there are only two words that can describe the current focus of our public education: standardized tests. There are many things we can calculate statistically in order to create good judgments on many matters. The happiness and joy of learning is one of the matters that we should not calculate in order to compete with other states, or even with other countries. The main goals of public education in a democracy should be to develop lifelong learners through individualized teaching methods and at the same time give more respect towards exceptional educators. Unfortunately, these goals are being interrupted by non-educators trying to control our public education: they strive to prepare themselves year after year to manufacture best testers, exploit our remarkable teachers, and ruin the very essence of learning. Thankfully, we have the power to change this to a system that fosters personal development for our students.

If someone were to ask me when the best educational experience happened in my life, it would be during elementary school. It was the time when I felt the most invigorated from learning. There were hands-on projects, field trips to historical landmarks, and science experiments. This was when I discovered how learning was fun, and this was through public education. After sixteen years, I feel that there has been a change to how our public education has become, and many are starting to feel the pressure caused by this system. As stated in John Taylor Gatto’s essay “Against School” he quoted and described Alexander Inglis’ six functions of public schools, one of which was the “integrating function”. Gatto explained, “This might well be called ‘the conformity function,’ because its intention is to make children as alike as possible” (Gatto 153). This should not be the aim of public schools because every child is unique in his or her own way. Every child will want to learn once their curiosity is ignited. By creating an education system where children are forced to memorize rather than kindle creativity, we are just manufacturing children in to people who will not find a passion later in life. A Coxackie-Athens High School graduate, Erica Goldson, bluntly expressed in her valedictory speech “Here I Stand” as she stated, “We are so focused on a goal, whether it be passing a test, or graduating at first in class. However, in this way, we do not really learn” (Goldson). Many other students today have the right to voice out the same experience. They do not learn as much as they want to because one of the primary tasks assigned to them is to get good scores on standardized tests. It does not help how many of our politicians, education administrators, and media overvalue the numbers on these tests as a comparison of which country’s students are smarter. This type of grade and test-oriented education may push a student to work harder but it does not guarantee that the student will learn from this process.

Let’s face it; there would not be an education system without its educators. Yes, our foundation of learning starts from our parents, but our outstanding educators should also be given respect by our public education system, as they are the secondary resource of lifelong learning after parents. Giving respect to teachers is not by exploiting them or enforcing different teaching methods. There were two educators, namely Ellie Rubenstein and Stephen Rounds, who were affected with this type of treatment. In Ellie Rubenstein’s video, “In Pursuit of Happiness” she states, “Over the past 15 years, I’ve experienced the depressing, gradual downfall, and misdirection of education that has slowly eaten away my love of teaching.” Additionally, in Stephen Rounds’ video, “RI Teacher says ‘I Quit!’”, he stated, “My determination to be creative and open-minded enough to try new approaches to teaching…Hah! The powers that be say that if it isn’t in the accepted curriculum and done at the appropriate time – it can’t be used” (Rounds). By taking away the chances of creative teaching methods from teachers, not only is it deliberately disrespecting them, it is robbing them of opportunities for growth. When educators are deprived of growth in school, it debilitates the best out of them which creates a ripple effect upon the students. It is understandable why Rubenstein and Rounds would rather quit feeling
alive, rather than staying at an institution where they know will drain students as well. These highly motivated educators that want to make a difference in children’s lives are being controlled by non-educators. It is evident how much our educators want to teach their students, yet it is being changed to benefit everyone else – except the students themselves.

Our public education system should be one that immerses our children to the wonders of this world. This should be done by individualized teaching methods because every child is different. By doing so, it flourishes children to amazement and the public schools will see the difference between stressed students and thriving students. In their article “How We Got Our Kids in College by Age 12” Kip and Mona Lisa Harding shared a tip that, “If we as parents let our kids work at their own pace, provide material that the kids are interested in, and never hold them back, then they’ll begin to see amazing results” (Harding). If our public education improves in teaching our students about the immeasurable spectacles on our planet while keeping them true to who they are, there will be no need to force them to learn, as they will be the ones who will want to do this on their own. I believe that this is how parents would want their children to be – happily learning. With that in mind, parents can help make developments by being more involved with their child’s school and speaking out their opinions, as well as suggestions to the leaders of our public education.

Our public education has been able to teach our children, from reading, writing, and exploring many facets of life. The main goals of the public education system should be to nurture lifelong learning students, and give more respect and importance to the educators who dedicate their life to teach their students. Instead of helping our public education system improve, it is being intruded by non-educators who are gripped on standardized tests, and senseless treatment to our educators. As stated by Ken Robinson in a TED Talk video, “Standardized tests have a place, but they should be diagnostic” (Robinson). On how standardized tests are being used currently, we are going the wrong way. As parents and as a community, we have the power to overthrow the hidden agenda of big corporations by voicing out what is truly important for our children, which is lifelong learning. Our public education system should and can be reshaped, for the sake of the student’s education.

Works Cited

Gatto, John Taylor. “Against School.” Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. Eds. Gary Colombo, Bonnie Lisle, and Robert Cullen. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010. 148-155. Print.

Goldson, Erica. “Here I Stand.” America Via Erica. Blogger, 25 Jun. 2010. Web. 10 July 2014.

Harding, Kip, and Mona Lisa Harding. “How We Got Our Kids in College by Age 12.” Shine.Yahoo. Yahoo Lifestyles Network, 2 June 2014. Web. 23 July 2014.

Robinson, Sir Ken. “Ken Robinson: How to escape education’s death valley.” YouTube. YouTube, 10 May 2013. Web. 8 July 2014.

Round, Stephen. “RI Teacher Says ‘I Quit!’” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 12 Dec. 2012. Web. 9 July 2014.

Rubenstein, Ellie. “In Pursuit of Happiness.” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 21 May 2013. Web. 9 July 2014.