Mike and life Essay

Submitted By ms131872
Words: 610
Pages: 3

American students lag behind students from other countries in terms of basic skills for their age groups. What, in your opinion, is the cause of this? How important is education in American culture? Should we (and, if so, how can we) change our approach to education?
Education in American culture is extremely important. In our society it is a social norm for most to complete high school and is suggested that enrollment college follows. We do value education, but effort is rewarded more than results in our society. Our students are not pushed well enough. It is very easy for american students to get by and they often do by doing the least amount of work. I believe that effort should not be rewarded. I believe that results and actually acquiring knowledge that should be rewarded. Also we place to much emphasis on standardized test for what our students are learning. We need to focus more on actual learning rather than how to take a certain test a way. This is why i believe we are falling behind as a society educationally. We should make a change of our educational system, and the way we go about teaching our students things. For example start with whom our children are learning from, the teachers. Increase the standards for those teachers, make it harder to get the job, make them have to be more qualified. Also motivate the teachers more. Reward them for how well the students do. Also students have to stop being pampered, stop allowing them to get what they want without the work that needs to be put in. And finally as i previously stated less emphasis from standardized testing and more emphasis on personal knowledge, achievement, and interests of the student.
Since beginning this course in sociology, how has your view of the world changed? Provide one specific example of something in your life that you see differently now compared to before you started this course. Is this change a good thing? Explain.
This class has taught me that this world as a lot larger than I could think. Also that we have problems that are a lot larger than we know. For example the disparity in the wealth gap. It is a lot greater than anyone knows. If not addressed it could become a greater problem than it is