Introduction
Education is one of the most critical components of the development of society. This is because educational institutions are one of the most important agents of socialization and provide a large amount of valuable knowledge for individuals. However, several problems have arisen that require solutions and transformation.
Among the most concerning areas are the competence of teachers, the creation of positive experiences for children, the religious and regulatory components, and communication between parents and teachers. The study of these areas will provide an understanding of issues in the field of education in America and approaches for limiting them.
Future of Society
Over the years, America has seen many changes, but only a little has changed concerning the education of young people. Public schools have faced various challenges that have damaged the system even further. Malcolm X famously said, “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today” (“Education is the passport to the future,” n.d., para. 1).
Proponents of educational reform have argued that much must be done for there to be a change in public schools. This is because the way society will be in the future depends on future generations. The need to reform the educational field is prominent in the scientific literature. Hiring competent teachers is believed to be necessary to obtain the desired results (Young, 2018). Each teacher should be specifically trained for the subject matter or grade level for which they have been hired.
Another problem is that teachers are “more likely to accept poor performance from students for whom they held low expectations” (Young, 2018, p. 91). This issue results from prejudices that arise due to the impression that they have been normalized and the lack of consideration of such aspects as students’ backgrounds and abilities. In addition to developing competence, it is necessary to develop awareness among teachers about the importance of creating an equal attitude and environment for all children to improve their abilities and skills.
Child’s Experience
There must also be a change in the experience that a child is provided with during schooling. This need is because students often encounter conditions that can hinder their obtaining valuable knowledge due to the low equipment in the classroom or the lack of an inclusive training program. This aspect results from a decrease in academic achievements and seriously affects the motivation to participate in the educational process.
Implementing this reform would ensure that usage of school property is tailored to the specific students who would utilize it, such as internet usage. If there are English language learners in the classroom, it is necessary to ensure that the program meets their specific needs. The same can be attributed to children from cultural or racial minorities. Education providers should ensure that there are no problems with racism or discrimination in the institution to create the most favorable environment and an effective knowledge transfer process.
Teacher-Parent Communication
To resolve this issue, there needs to be more outstanding communication between the parents and teacher to ensure that the child is ultimately becoming successful in all they face. Many argue that we live in an ever-changing and evolving modern society. This may be the case, but in many instances, adequate training needs to be provided to those who use such devices.
There is a need to create specialized programs that will increase teachers’ competence in using technology during lessons. This aspect has many advantages for the educational field, as it meets modern trends and increases the involvement and interest of students and the community in children’s academic outcomes. However, in the absence of adequate training of providers in this area, the introduction of technologies can reduce work efficiency and lead to unnecessary expenses on the part of the educational facility.
Technology
It is essential to note that advancements in technology have also made it easier for cheating to occur. According to Matthew Lynch (2017), parents and teachers ought to work together to ensure that students are honest in all their interactions and positively reinforce the need not to circumvent the system of things. This is because “time spent in the classroom is simply not enough for teachers to instruct every student, to teach them what they need to know” (Lynch, 2017, para. 2).
Consequently, parents need to be involved in the educational process. This can be done through consultations and training that will focus on their efforts to improve student academic performance. Parents can provide valuable information for education providers regarding the child’s needs, desires, and background to increase the effectiveness of their performance and satisfaction level.
The American Education System needs to return to basics, or the very foundation of things, namely, returning prayer to the schoolhouse. President Trump is quoted as saying, “Prayer is important and should be in the school system” (Smith, 2020, p. 1). Introducing this initiative into the learning process is vital because it promotes religious tolerance and expands awareness about religions and their significance in people’s lives.
Regulations
More research should be done to help form laws that would affect the schooling system. This is especially true for ensuring the security and privacy of students as individuals. The research emphasized that “departments responsible for physical security, cybersecurity, and data security must all work together to develop a comprehensive security plan” (Ray, 2020, para. 1). These measures are needed to prevent the jeopardy of students’ personal information.
In the era of the development of technology and social networks, protecting children from cyberbullying is of great importance. This phenomenon critically affects individuals’ psychological and physical well-being and can cause many undesirable consequences.
In addition to reform, there ought to be a collaboration across federal and state lines, seeking a solution to achieve better success. This aspect includes providing better pay to the teachers, stiffer penalties for those creating an unsavory educational environment, and providing additional training before implementing new ventures. This is because the educational process is complex and includes many stakeholders.
Due to this circumstance, collaborative efforts are of particular value for limiting as many threatening factors as possible. Research indicated that “it is the paramount duty of everyone in the community–and the politicians who represent them–to help create safe learning spaces” (Alvarez et al., 2018, para. 16). The involvement of these agents in the decision-making process will create a favorable and safe environment that promotes the academic and personal development of children.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the educational sphere of the United States of America requires a sufficiently large number of reforms. This is because it has areas of concern that can negatively affect the academic performance, well-being, and future of the younger generation of Americans. The main areas of improvement are regulatory measures concerning the safety and privacy of children, collaboration between the parties involved, and creating an equal and inclusive environment. These aspects will provide an opportunity not only to increase students’ academic success but also to significantly increase the level of quality and satisfaction with educational services.
References
Alvarez, B., Walker, T., Long, C., & Litvinov, A. (2018). 10 Challenges facing public education today. NEA. Web.
“Education is the passport to the future…” Malcolm X. (n.d.). Asia Pacific. Web.
Lynch, M. (2017). 18 Reasons the U.S. education system is failing. The edvocate. Web.
Ray, K. (2020). Student safety vs student privacy. Tech & Learning, 40(7). Web.
Smith, S. D. (2020). Why school prayer matters: A monthly journal of religion and public life. First Things, 1-9. Web.
Young, V. (2018). Accessing the cornerstone of U.S. education reform. Proquest. Web.