Weighing Out Education in America / Part 2

       

Weighing Out Education in America 

    When reviewing part two of School: The Story of American Public Education, the author explains the transition immigrants, and children of immigrant parents, endured as they were enrolled into public schools. Society found it useful and "appropriate" to implement school into their lives, as it would teach them the ways of being "American". They believed it would allow them to become educated, literate, and able to participate in social/political events as they learned about the country's system. However, due to the language barrier and the upbringing in their birth country, many students would fall behind and struggle to fully understand the lessons being taught in public schools. As a result, teachers began to integrate SAT exams in hopes of understanding the education level of the children, along with trying to understand which career path would be best for the child. 

    The use of SAT tests to distinguish what career path a student should pursue is inaccurate in some sense as immigrant children do not have the same opportunities and upbringing as a child born in America. There is also a disadvantage for children born into a low income family and those born into a family a higher income and a wealthy area. Resources are different and many students were concerned with gaining money to support their family members. The lack of interest in school and the language barrier causing confusion towards educational lessons  would ultimately create a lower score on the SAT test. It is inaccurate because it doesn't measure one's determination, street knowledge, and skills as a hard worker; there are some interested in intellectually driven careers (teacher, doctor, chemist) and some that are interested in hands-on work (contractor, mechanic, farmer). 

    As a child of immigrant parents going through public schools, I wish there were more resources and opportunities to surround myself with a higher education. I lost interest in many different subjects, such as science, biology, and algebra, because the teaching styles were curated towards students who learned by reading and writing. I am a visual learner and with the lack of diagrams, pictures, and hands-on work with a demonstration, I struggled to understand the concepts and quickly became discouraged. Students around me were not interested in learning and others were experiencing the same frustrations that I was feeling . As a result, we began to fall behind, decrease participation in classes, and the teacher lost hope in trying to teach the lessons. 

    I hope the educational system throughout America prioritizes different learning styles to try teaching students lessons they find difficult and/or confusing. It is beneficial to focus on both strengths and weaknesses as it keeps a students invested when receiving a praise. I would've pushed harder to understand the subjects I struggled with if I received one-on-one explanations, demonstrations, and praises towards strengths. I wish education would prioritize inclusivity and heritage to shine a light on someone's background and create a welcoming space for students. It is important to teach students about the social and political system in the country, but it is respectful and it builds a larger sense of community. It teaches children to be open-minded, understanding, and kind to others as the learn about their heritage, their lifestyle, and possible struggles.