Examination of Education

Examination of Education in the World vs. United States

The reaction to the title is most likely unanimous. Shall we not agree that our educational system falls in a segregated spectrum to that of other developed countries? Being the world leader in virtually every other aspect of life does not change the tendentious literature that Americans are subjected to day after day. Disappointment seems to shadow numerous American students when the realization of needed effort dawns their educational horizons.

While there are a great many countries that are far exceeded by the U.S. in terms of education, countries in Europe and Asia often produce teachers with very impressive curriculum vitae. Graduates are well rounded in terms of world and local history, advanced mathematics, various scientific endeavors, and command a minimum of two languages. In the United States it is rare to find a graduate with any of the aforementioned, particularly a fluency in a language other than English.

Certainly, the statistics are readily available on the subject. The question that should be asked is not what the numbers are, but how they became what they are. Is the United States in such poor shape that it cannot educate its own citizens? That’s possible but unlikely considering the resources this country has to draw on. With the budget, structure, and abundance of wiling teachers how can the problem like in the hands of the country? European and Asian countries are often lacking the budge and willingness of teachers on the primary level. Higher learning as we know is nonexistent or unattainable. Is it that our (the students) educators or system are flawed; or perhaps we have condemned the innocent in order to alleviate our on faults. Although it is clearly recognized that we have a long way to go in the struggle to repair the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, the debate is clearly shifting from whether the law needs fixing to what exactly need to be fixed. (Weaver, par.4) One new study from a press release with the U.S. Department of Education shows the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards assessment process is trying to identify more effective teachers. (“Charting the Course: States Decided Major Provisions Under No Child Left Behind”)

If this is the case, then what is the problem? Dr. Johnson explains: in China, students go to school for several hours a day. The after hours they study are countless. (Johnson) In Europe many students go to boarding schools. Education is relentlessly pursued. Every school in virtually every country teaches English as a second or third language. In the United States, two years of a language other than English is usually taught in high school and forgotten by graduation. This is pitiful. Students are graduated from Universities knowing no more than they started with. Who’s to blame for this? School secretary, Shirley Perdue notes: “one educational tool that is coming up is the Global Action Week, April 19 – 25, which promotes human rights to education.” (S. Perdue) Do we just not take advantage of opportunities afforded; or are we unaware of the plethora of sources readily available?

Getting admission to a university in this country is as easy as filling out an application and showing up for orientation. Try to get in to a University in China, or England. In order to even entertain the idea students began preparation the first day of the first year of school or before.

The problem is not the schools or the teachers. The problem is not the government intervention or the lack thereof. The problem is the student. Americans are lazy and feel like the world owes them something. They are quick to put the blame on someone else. Leave it to them to come up with a million reasons that they deserve special treatment.

Everyone has the same opportunity. Everyone might not have the money to go to college, but everyone has the right to go to the library to learn how to earn a scholarship. Those who feel unprepared should brave the concept of exceeding their current standards. Americans need to want the best for themselves or take a back seat to people that do. There is no excuse for the pitiful test scores and failure rates. The teacher is just a means to the end, if you think they are the problem you need to do a little self-examination. Students in America may take advantage of after-school tutorial programs, but unless they apply themselves, it really isn’t additional study hours, but an extended social hour for them to be with friends.

People that have a desire to achieve what they want will find a way. Motivation is fantastic and goals are great, but nothing happens until hard work is added. (1) Something worth achieving requires an all-out effort. Time, energy, and sacrifice, as well as possible failure, earns good things. Success requires a certain amount of toughness. Graham Perdue gives the example of success after failure by saying: “Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard. The richest man in the world doesn’t even have a college degree. The list of similar people is probably miles long. Self-education is the way of the successful person, and should be the way of everyone.” (G. Perdue) In order to succeed, one must be a self-motivator, set goals, and work hard to attain those goals. People that add self-discipline understand that this is the most essential part of the formula, for without it, little is accomplished. Unfortunately, many people feel that self-discipline is something to avoid because it sounds negative. However, real self-discipline is one of the most positive attributes a person can have. In the book Life’s Greatest Lessons or 20 Things I Want My Kids to Know, Dr. Hal Urban states: “I like the way Webster defines discipline: training that corrects, molds, strengthens or perfects. What could be more positive than that?” (117) Self-discipline is getting yourself to do something even if you don’t feel like it because the reward far exceeds the unpleasantness of the task itself.

Dr. Urban illustrates two of the most famous failures suffered through years of trial and error, mistakes, disappointment, frustration, and defeat. However, each of these great men took these setbacks and kept trying. These men are Albert Einstein, our greatest mathematician who believed that 99 times of one hundred the conclusion is incorrect, and Thomas Edison, our greatest inventor. Thomas Edison tried thousands of combinations of materials for the light bulb that did not work. Rather than losing hope, he realized that he was able to successfully identify thousands of combinations that did not work. Education is important, but determination and prolonged effort are necessary ingredients. (150)

While the United States continues to revisit educational programs and needs to better educate individuals through various channels (i.e., Headstart Programs for kindergarten; and the most recent NCLB (No Child Left Behind) instrument), individuals must take some responsibility for their own educational growth. Students in foreign countries are not given the opportunity to choose what study habits they may wish to develop; Americans have a greater freedom of choice in this area, as in most. However, there must be some credit to the instilled study habits and long hours of instruction.

Do not misunderstand the point of this essay. There are many problems with education everywhere. Americans may have much more flexibility and less required study time; other countries may hold a much tighter rein over educational expectations; and the pendulum may swing to great extremes in various areas. Governments the world over are constantly improving the school systems they govern. Educators the world over continue to expand their own personal horizons and experiences to share with those they are given leadership over. Again, it is not solely the responsibility of governments or educators to fulfill the knowledge base of individuals, but each individual must share in this responsibility.

Problems are in every aspect of each person’s life, but rather than find reasons to not succeed, fight for what you want. Nobody owes you anything; if you want to get ahead, you must do it. Education is not just a “degree or diploma”, but it encompasses the learning process experienced both in classroom settings and in life experiences. Education is a gift; one that is worth the effort and sacrifices it takes to achieve.