The Decline Of American Education - 1251 Words

Jessica Hollis Mr. Wichmann English III, Period 4 17 November 2014 The Decline of American Education The future of society depends on the education of the children in the present generation. The American board of education means well by setting standards for the students in the nation. However, is it more important for students to be excellent test takers or excel in the classroom? Is it more important to accept average work as the standard or to push students to surpass their potential? The downfall of American education is a result of the narrow minded focus on standardized testing, the nation’s lazy culture, and rising poverty levels. The dependence on standardized tests has depreciated education by taking attention away from school curriculum. These mandatory tests, unfortunately, â€Å"are being used in high-stakes ways to evaluate and punish teachers† (Strauss). Standardized tests create quotas that are required to be met and force teachers to teach students how to pass tests rather than learn the material of the subject. It is n ot enough these days that a teacher’s students perform well in the classroom; teachers also have to worry about the same students performing well on a standardized test. Schools are also affected by these tests because their rankings are based on their students’ scores. Consequently, this puts pressure on teachers to make sure students have good test taking abilities in order to score well on these standardized tests. This obsession with gettingShow MoreRelatedComprehensive Preparation For A Complete Life1068 Words   |  5 PagesCurrently, there are two forms of education focused on reducing teen pregnancies: abstinence-only education and comprehensive sex education with birth control. However, sex education and birth control are clearly the superior option, due to its effectiveness and the futility of abstinence-only education. Comprehensive sex education with an emphasis on birth control is a much more effective educational tool to prevent teen pregnancy than abstinence-only education. Fortunately, teen pregnancy ratesRead MoreSocial Mobility and Stratification Essay980 Words   |  4 Pageshigh degree social mobility in American culture. Many are not improving from their parent’s positions, and few maintain it if not falling below. There are several factors including income inequality, family background and lack of opportunity for mobility that contribute to this decline. What are the disadvantages will we suffer as Americans you ask? I will outline the trends and evidence to support the decline and future effects as it continues. 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The credibility is pertinent to the idea of my paper, the accuracy is high and this reference breaks down various issues with urban education. This source relates with the information given with the Nations Report Cards. Both