Public Education for Tomorrow's World: A Completely New and Redesigned Approach to Educating Children
The education of young people is by far the most important job of any society. Young people have the power to change the future and completely reshape a nation, its politics, and its culture. As such, the public school is the most powerful institution in America. The power to shape young minds and affect young lives is one that must be wielded with great caution and respect. The public school system must make educating children for a better tomorrow its main purpose.
Many great educators and reformists throughout the history of public education have contributed great ideas and noble goals to the world of education. An ideal education system is one that finds balance between these many different ideas and approaches. Ultimately, the goal must be the welfare of the children and the outcomes of the adults who come out of the system. Public education must be progressive, forever changing to reflect society's needs and values, and always striving for progress. Great progressive educators include Marietta Johnson, William H. Kilpatrick, and Stanley Hall who “rebelled against rote memorization and authoritarian classroom management” (204, Ornstein et al.). These educators sought a more diverse classroom environment with more opportunities for children outside of the traditional, dull system of education. Marietta Johnson, famous for founding the Organic School in Fairhope, Alabama, suggested that childhood should be lengthened rather than shortened. She believed that children should “follow their own internal timetables rather than adults' scheduling” (204, Ornstein et al.). Because children have their own stages of readiness, they s...
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...fieldwork each year of their education. Nothing will prepare them to become teachers better than experiencing it for themselves.
A progressive approach to education in which students are valued is the most important foundation upon which a new system of public education must be built. Children should be encouraged to become self-motivated and flexible, while instilling a love of learning. Real world life and career skills must be taught at an early age and nurtured throughout development. Children should be given the freedom and resources to develop their skills and interests on their own. The goal of education must always be the well-being of the whole child, and the effects that those children will have on the future of society. With cooperation and an open-mind to new, progressive approaches, the world of tomorrow can be improved beyond anyone's greatest dreams.
When one examines the history, the quality, and the long-term effects of public education, and compares them to the history, quality, and long-term effects of other education methods, such as home-education, public school is found lacking. Although it may be simpler to merely follow the modern status quo of sending one 's children to public school, it is imperative to thoroughly research other available options to determine if public school will provide more benefit to an individual family than it does harm to both one 's family and society as a whole. In the words of Martin Luther King Jr., “Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true
Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, the American educational system has undergone much transition in response to our changing society. Though there have been many problems raised throughout the years in regard to what our school systems should be teaching our children, there have also been many developments.
As the former president of Harvard University, Derek Bok wrote “The most obvious purpose of college education is to help students acquire information and knowledge by acquainting them with facts, theories, generalizations, principles, and the like. This purpose scarcely requires justification.” America needs educated citizens to help maintain the level of intelligence we have in society. Students need to be taught to their specific career and the knowledge needed in that career. Though education students are strengthened for their futures as good citizens. College is a more specialized form of the education they have received throughout their entire schooling and will need for their careers. College prepares students for the future by specializing
Today, the way the educational system works in the U.S. concerns a large number of people in this country. "Only 25% of adults have a great deal of confidence in the people running education, according to the General Social Survey, down from 49% in 1974" (Russel 4). A lot of discussions have been held to find the best ways to improve teaching methods. At the same time, people recognize that a very valuable solution to increase the level of education in the United States is to look at some problems that cause difficulties and hamper the enhancement of the quality of education. The first step is to define these problems. As in every country, the U.S. wants to develop its national standards in education and wants them to be high. This has always been a government function. Being democratic, the government is trying to fit the qualities of democracy into the way to set these standards. Of course, this is not an easy task since this country has a very diverse population. To please everybody has always been an almost impossible task. Despite this impossibility, national standards have already been set. "If a visitor from another nation was dropped into an American public school classroom without knowing the state or the region, he or she would be likely to see the same lesson taught in the same way to children of the same age" (Ravitch 9). Everything seems right except the fact that the abilities of children are different. Not everybody is able to study at a college; not everybody wants to continue being educated. It is obvious that every country wants to produce as many educated people as possible. But, at the same time, every country needs workers because, regardless of the fast development of technology, there is still a great necessity for human labor. To satisfy all the necessities of the country, the government should provide different kinds of education. This does not mean that we need to eliminate all of the standards; they could be set in each field of education. Although standards are set, there is still a very big difference in teaching methods in different schools. Perhaps, the most serious problem starts in high schools: some schools provide a higher level of education than others. Students from most city schools graduate with the confidence in their knowledge; their level of educati...
Education has been a hot topic in every political campaign, top news headline, and teacher’s first thought when they head to their classroom to teach America’s future. The education system is the most vulnerable aspect of a nation. It is the building block for creating successful individuals who dare to dream of changing the world and have the power of doing things people only dream of. A country is only as strong as the weakest link and for America it’s the uneducated. For as long as anyone can remember there has been one thing that the majority of the news headlines, workers strikes, and state questions have revolved around, education reform. Three highly educated authors provide three common overlapping issues that harshly impact the education system in the United States. In the article “Why the United States is destroying
Children are important because they are the future of a country. So, education for children is necessary and compulsory education can make sure most of children can be educated. In the past, Chinese didn’t have enough money to execute compulsory education. After doing much effort, compulsory education was executed in 1986. The compulsory education system causes many effect and issues.
While social class may have some effect on how one may view schooling and formal education, it would not be fair to say that growing up or being in a lower class living situation depreciates the value that one has for school. In many instances, it is assumed that because a person comes from a lower-class background that not only are their values for school lower, than those of higher class, but their education levels and ability to handle and process situations are placed on a lower level as well. While these are indeed horrific stereotypes and generalizations, the idea is perpetuated throughout, primarily, Western culture. It is just simply illogical to believe that one 's education will be taken for granted due to their socio-economic class
Provide at least three reasons why every student should be required to take general education courses. Explain your rationale.
This book, Dare The School Build a New Social Order by George Counts, is an examination of teachers, the Progressive Education Movement, democracy and his idea on how to reform the American economy. The book is divided into 5 different sections. The first section is all about the Progressive Education Movement. Through this, George Counts points out many downsides and weaknesses of this ideal. He also talks about how he wants teachers to lead society instead of following it. In the second section, he examines 10 widespread fallacies. These fallacies were that man is born free, that children are born free, they live in a separate world of their own, education remains unchanged, education should have no bias, the object of education is to produce professors, school is an all-powerful educational agency, ignorance rather than knowledge is the way of wisdom, and education is made to prepare an individual for social change.
Education is a vital part of society. It serves the beneficial purpose of educating our children and getting them ready to be productive adults in today's society. But, the social institution of education is not without its problems. Continual efforts to modify and improve the system need to be made, if we are to reap the highest benefits that education has to offer to our children and our society as a whole.
Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” The importance of an education is repeatedly shown through past and present events. Those who can’t afford an education do whatever it takes to try and learn. They know that it will lead to a better future for them. An education will not only lead to a job with more money, but it will also expand people’s minds. They will be able to create new ideas and inventions. The best way for us to change the world is through educating our youth. With a better education, they can become inspired to invent new things. Some could grow up to find cures to diseases. Educating the youth is the key to changing the world. The children of today are the leaders of tomorrow. The best way for us to give a good education to our youth is by refining our school system. We need to redefine the term ‘education.’ Teachers in classrooms change the world because they are teaching the future generation that will one day lead. If we want to change the world for the better, educating the youth is th...
Growing people always dream about going to college. They think that after finishing high school automatically comes college. But the question is do they realize the value of having a college education, or they just go because someone told so, or maybe this how it goes. People now days don’t really know how value having a college education is. “Education is most powerful weapon which people can use to change the world”. (Mandala). Having a college degree could provide more opportunity’s and knowledge for people to strive and become more active in their community’s and help people in their own fields like having a dotora and lawyer, or even a policemen. According to the harry van Arsdale Jr center for labor studies on their article redefining a college education “They said that in today’s hypermarketzed society, college is often viewed as an individual
Being a student for the majority of my life, I had never fully understood why anyone would desire to be a teacher. But after four semesters at College, I am slowly changing my attitude. As an education major, I now attend real classrooms and observe the wonders of how a young child’s mind works. Through my observations in actual class settings, I have also come to realize how delicate a child’s mind is and that the slightest external influence can build or destroy that child. I too want to experience the joy and wonder of seeing a young ingenuous mind finally understanding a new concept. I want to see the student blossom and grow as a result of change and experience, not only in a classroom setting, but also through social interactions with his or her peers.
According to my studies, if we examine the literature around formal education that has appeared in the last thirty years or so, three main traditions or approaches emerge. Each of these has something to say about the nature of formal education and bring out different aspects of the phenomenon (Smith, 2002). Three various approaches of education known as formal, informal and non-formal all play a role in today’s society.
The more unequal the United States’ education system will grow, the more our poverty line will struggle. Most people believe that hiring tutors or staying long hours after school will help, but little do they realize that all of that can be avoided if every child is given the opportunity to an inexpensive early education. An implemented universal early education program would contribute to a rise in grades, keep families connected, and hope for a better future.