We're almost at a face off with our culture when it comes to American education. American children have been taught to value physical prowess or attractiveness rather than cerebral stamina; it's the only thing that matters. Why focus time and energy on education when it won't be immediately beneficial? They'd rather spend time gaining the acceptance and trust of the peers means everything to them, or spend afternoons and weekends at the basketball court to become the next Kobe Bryant. Education's value is best understood when a young person steps out into the adult world and tastes the air of uncertainty.
What's important to a young individual has very much changed in the past one hundred years. A mix of media and peer pressure has crowded the minds of kids in this country to become that 'next big thing', or rather becoming somebody that is looked up to in the ecosystem that is school. Why would someone ever want to be known as the kid who's always studying to receive A's? Don't they have a life? Kids and teens generally aren't put into the situation where their quality of education directly affects their paycheck or well being just yet. Only later does education become vital.
Our education system here in America have also done this thing that they've coined 'private schools' or 'alternative schools'. Essentially, these schools can only be entered if you pay large sums of money (tuition) or receive some sort of scholarship for a term. Some smaller elementary schools choose children at random to be enrolled into their system limiting the financially incapable, because unless a child receives a part or full scholarship to a university or private school, they most likely won't attend. Another is affecting the whole populous of private school seeking young people with the limitation of unavailable space; so children are chosen at random. Not only are these facts discouraging, but they instill a mindset in some that a good education is impossible.
What's the first reaction you receive when asking an eight year old what their favorite class is? My little brother Caedon's was, “Recess!”. If recess is the only thing our kids look forward to during the day, why aren't we asking ourselves why? Sure, it may be because there's a playground outside dying to be climbed. But who's saying that math can't be done outside? Or that art can't take the form of the surroundings around the campus? Trying to make education fun and also create a sense of importance to our young people group is essential.
America has been low on the academic charts for decades, but why? Is it the culture phenomenon that's penetrating the hearts of kids to pursue their athletic dreams rather than graduate high school for a better job? Is it the rising supposed conclusion that there is no way of paying off college tuition? Is it the fact that school is uninteresting to students and they'd rather focus on other things? All of these things could contribute to the American problem of education.
