In this day and age, the American school is perceived not only as a place where young people acquire the necessary academic knowledge and skills. It also became a space where students acquire social skills, build relationships, and learn to interact with each other. The current education system of the United States of America has a number of distinctive qualities that have been shaped by the specific conditions of the country’s history and development. Discussions about the drawbacks of the academic field of the United States often appear in media. For this reason, it would be rational to discuss that matter and provide evidence as to why the American educational system needs attention and changes. Despite the fact that globally it is considered to be one of the most effective, there are many problems, including inefficient learning programs, high costs, and mental damage.
One of the most significant features is that there is no unified education system in America. It means that any of the states have the ability to implement an independent policy. While in one state, an educational facility can fully prepare a student for pursuing further education, in another state, students can lack knowledge. This factor increases inequality among students because in the case where two graduates from different high schools want to apply to the same university, one will have more advantages.
Another weakness of the educational process is the lack of comprehensive development and low creativity in the studying process. There is no doubt that school provides adolescents with the necessary knowledge; however, some researchers argue that teachers should not only focus on academic abilities. As Ravitch (2016) states, “improving math and reading scores are essential, but we need to impart learning that goes well beyond these basic skills” (p. 8). In addition, some scholars even doubt the necessity of some school subjects for students. For example, Caplan (2018) declares that “few jobs require knowledge of higher mathematics, but over 80% of high school grads suffer through geometry” (p. 6). For this reason, educational programs need to be reconsidered and individualized according to the student’s needs.
Pursuing higher education is also difficult for many graduates because of their high costs. In many families, parents start saving money for college even before their child learns to speak. Young people often take out a federal student loan in order to pay for their studies. This means that after graduation from a college or a university, they will have not only a diploma but also a heavy burden of financial debt. The additional negative factor is that a degree does not guarantee a job.
The last adverse factor of the current education system is that school pressure causes emotional damage for young people. According to researchers, “students experience testing situations as stressful, and signs of stress (e.g., racing heart) are typically perceived negatively” (Jamieson et al., 2016, p. 1). The level of anxiety of adolescents sometimes becomes so significant that it ceases to be a motivating factor and creates problems with mental health.
In conclusion, it would appear that while education still remains an important part of life, the system needs to be reviewed in order to solve the described above issues. The opportunities are unequal for students from different states, the curriculum is not suitable in many cases, and the stress levels are high. Therefore, the criticism is reasonable, and policy makers should take in into account while thinking of new ways to help students.
References
Caplan, B. (2018). The case against education: Why the education system is a waste of time and money. Princeton University Press.
Jamieson, J. P., Peters, B. J., Greenwood, E. J., & Altose, A. J. (2016). Reappraising stress arousal improves performance and reduces evaluation anxiety in classroom exam situations. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 7(6), 579-587.
Ravitch, D. (2016). The death and life of the great American school system: How testing and choice are undermining education. Basic Books.