Education System
Education is what shapes the future. It teaches youth how to be citizens of the world and change it for the better. Thanks to education we have found many solutions to problems we once had and search for solutions for the problems without one. Our education system has not demonstrated such a shocking change throughout the years but it shows gradual shifts. However, I think that there is much more that could be changed in order to have a better education system.
Since we were about 3 years old we have been going to school or preschool. In the first years, they teach us about values, behavior, and what is right and wrong. Then comes elementary school, which teaches the basics in each subject. During this time kids experience quizzes, projects, and more formalities. Middle school starts to toughen things up now there are more criteria and complexity in the subjects. In addition to that, the considerable change that the students are living when starting a new period at school. Finally, High School is a period in which most students worry more about the future and their careers. During this period they are more stressed about grades, college applications, and other activities and end up hating school. The education system has a very conservative base and sometimes limits the creativity some students and teachers have. If we want to create a positive change we have to shift the mentality to be a more visionary one.
The crucial problem in the education system is the lack of interest some students have. Most teachers display topics in a very boring way and that discourages them from making them present their works just to not have a missing assignment or incomplete work. We all are different and unique and stand out in different topics. It is not logical to have everyone learning about the same things without providing an opportunity for them to shine. I agree with the ineffectiveness of testing a student’s knowledge through quizzes(Verona). He states that the quizzes raise the students to stress levels and the result might affect their confidence. As a result of the quizzes, the teachers might be limited only to teach what they are going to test, minimizing the students from a deeper understanding of the topic. Besides, the way that students study for quizzes is not considered healthy. They spend hours reviewing the same topic and memorizing it and the deprivation of sleep during testing time is really worrying. When presented the quiz students are anxious and tired of learning and that makes them do things in a poor way. When memorizing for a test your brain reads the topic and you start to repeat it and repeat it. According to when you need to recall information it travels to the neural pathways through a function that contains the information we hear or read about. When we do not remember something it is not because we are bad at that, it is because the brain is making space for more essential things. This connects to the studying system because usually after taking an exam students forget about the topic and that is why there is the usual need to continue refreshing the topics(Trevor). On the other hand, When learning there is much more neural activity taking place in your brain. Some changes that can happen are the connection of new neurons(Blanchette). The creation of these new connections creates something that you would truly understand and be able to explain or teach to others in a better way. Projects enhance what students learn and it is in their hands how to present it creating more positive results in the understanding of a topic. Memorizing and not understanding would only help you to get a good grade and have a perfect resume but not learn which is what should truly be of your interest.
As a result of the antiquated education system at the end of the school year, students are tired or hating school and the last thing they want is to go back to it again. Doing things poorly would just affect the world because younger ones are the ones who are supposed to change it in a better way. But how are they supposed to do this if there is no motivation? In my opinion, if they learned in a more innovative way there would be more love towards learning and things would be done in a much better way creating more solutions to problems we have now. Another inconvenience with the way things are thought or evaluated is the confidence levels in a student. Not everyone does well on quizzes. There can be students who turn in every work, understand the topic, and would not do well on quizzes. This happens because they are accustomed to plan more and overthink the questions. The grade they might get on the quizzes would affect their confidence because they think all the hard work they did studying was not useful because of the grade they got. Sometimes that number might make them doubt their intelligence. Does that sound as if things are being done in the correct way? Most schools have a conservative mindset and are not open to changes that some teachers might present. When teachers have different ways to teach and are not used or are new to them it would probably be canceled or told to do the usual stuff which can make school life boring. Why are they limiting the creativity of the teachers in some cases? This should stop happening because that also limits the creativity students have and the passion they might feel for the things they are learning. These are the effects of the things that are failing in the education system and they are falling on the students. There should be a more open mentality open to the changes occurring during this time period. I think having a growth mindset would provide effects better in the way the system works.
As a student in this education system, I think there are many things that could change for the better. The topics that we are learning about would be forgotten within a year or less because as already stated the brain would give more importance to new subjects or new things we might need to remember. We end up in high school ready for the SAT or the ICFES but not ready for life. We know how to solve for x or who discovered America. However, we don’t take an obligatory economics class. How are the things that we learn in math going to help us build the life that we want? Would they help us become a better person in the world and create a positive change? When we go into high school or even elementary they stop teaching us about values or what is right and wrong. Authorities see this as unnecessary but I think that during this time it is even more due to the multiple changes occurring in their lives. Reinforcing this into the student is essential to create a respectful society. In my opinion, creating an innovative education system would00 raise the passion of students bringing infinite better outcomes to what life could be. Shaping the youth and teaching them correctly would definitely change the course the world is taking.
From a student perspective, I have some opinions about how the education system could make their schools and classes more entertaining for students. Firstly, students should be able to express themselves and their opinions more freely without being afraid of what authorities would do. I think that there should be order and rules but at the same time liberty, not one over the other. Better expressions from students can help the development of arguments and strengthen opinions. In the future, they would not be afraid to fight for what they want to create beneficial changes. Quizzes should be rarely assigned because not everyone does good on quizzes and can drop student confidence, and I do not think it is the most efficient way to learn. I do believe that projects really dive into the topic students are learning about. Besides that, it boosts their creativity. On the other hand, I think that most schools should give more importance to arts and other creative classes. Students want to benefit from them by releasing the hard work into practicing these arts and some of them can discover their talent. Schools should enhance students' entrepreneurship and their goals inside and outside school. Creating passion and desire to learn not that everything is about grades. I think students should be taught about the problems happening in the present and contribute to a solution. This would be my ideal education based on, innovation, Passion, and creativity.
Works Cited:
https://velora.com. “HEIGHTS — Why Quizzes Are Ineffective.” Www.heightsplatform.com, 23 Aug. 2019, www.heightsplatform.com/blog/why-quizzes-are-ineffective#:~:text=Quizzes%20are%20a%20poor%20way. Accessed 16 Feb. 2021.
English, Trevor. “How the Process of Remembering Works.” Interestingengineering.com, 17 Nov. 2019, interestingengineering.com/how-do-we-what-was-it-remember-things#:~:text=At%20their%20core%2C%20memories%20are. Accessed 16 Feb. 2021.
Blanchette Sarrasin, Jérémie, et al. “Understanding Your Brain to Help You Learn Better.” Frontiers for Young Minds, vol. 8, 14 May 2020, 10.3389/frym.2020.00054. Accessed 18 Sept. 2020.