No Idea

            Educational change is always happening and probably will continue to happen as long as the earth is a thing. It seems like everyone has an idea on how to improve education and that if we do this one thing different we will have the most effective educational system out there. But in my eyes some of the educational ideas and acts that have been passes as of late are full of questions and possible consequences. The “No Child Left Behind” act was full of questions and unforeseen consequences that the American school system is now facing, and the “Common Core State Standards” act is now under an increased light of questioning. NCLB in a nut shell was an idea to get all students proficient on tests by the year 2014. That did not work, student continued to struggle and the proficiency rate did not do much. Now we have common core. An idea that keeps all schools on a very similar schedule with similar objectives and tests. An idea that in theory is good. It makes all schools similar so that if students move they will not fall far behind, it gives teachers direct outcomes that are desired and will be tested. But the downside is the teacher has no freedom to teach, the curriculum is scripted and in a way all that is happening is teaching/learning to take a standardized test. When I think about the effect that both have and had on education it make me wonder, if these ideas that are failing or are strongly opposed were once thought of as the way to make American education top dog failed the way they did, what is the correct thing to do? Do we keep going the way it is and teach to a test, or do we teach so that the students are effective members of society. I have no idea what is best. But if we keep going with ideas that fail we are not doing what is best for the students.

Doing what is best?

Education continues what can only be looked at as endless progression and change. From the change giving all the rights that they deserve to now a question of are we doing what is correct for business and education. The idea that education plays a big role in business makes sense. To be successful in business you need to be smart, but the idea that business should have a say in schools is difficult for me to understand. As the topic is discussed the argument of “we need to prepare the students for the market” comes up quite a bit. But when I here that what market are we preparing the student for? I do not think that we know the market we are in now and how to prepare for it let alone the market that the students are going to be active in. How do we prepare students for something that is unknown? If we teach to what we think will happen are we just wasting time shaping to a shape that may not be needed? I struggle to like the idea of preparing students for something that we do not know. I struggle to believe that business leaders know what students kneed not the teachers. I believe that education is needed by all. Education is in place to teach the students the skill they need to be productive members of society. Education should be judged on the growth of the student in all subjects. Testing is to check were the student is at and show were they have come from. I understand that the main goal of business is to grow and be competitive in the global market but I fear that in preparing students only with that goal in mind we are preparing for nothing because we do not know what the future will hold.

Needed Change

As education continues to grow we continue to see the idea that some students are better than others. From the early 1900’s were we were just struggling to get schools and have all realize the importance that being educated carries. Now looking into the mid to late 1900’s we know see a growing struggle for the now important education to reached by all students. For the average white student all was well they were in safe schools with better textbooks and an overall better educational experience available. For students of color this was not so. The building were in very poor shape, the materials used were not of the highest quality. In the south African American students were not looked at as the same and were not treated well. Operating under the false idea of separate but equal the colored students were treated and educated as if they were not deserving of a high quality education. African American students were not the only ones feeling the sting, Mexican American and Chinese American students also were not treated the same. They were treated like they were not as good because they were not the same. It was not until Brown v. Board that the idea that keeping students separate is not allowing them an equal opportunity at a quality education. The period of the mid to late 90’s was very fluid in change. Title IX was put in place to give equal opportunities to more women, civil rights leaders were pushing for all to be treated as equals as the deserve to be. This period in time is vital to get to the place in education that we are at today but I do not feel they are done. Education is continuing to grow and become more available and effective for all students. It is and always will be important to remember that separate is not equal in any way or extent.