Americas Education System

Amber Chun

Reflection

The United States’ education system has come a very long way, however, in the modern world we are lacking. The American colonies schooling system was extremely different depending on location. In the North, there were school boards in charge of public schools. In the Middle colonies, the population contained many different cultures and religions, which made the schools private and church run. In the South, there were many large separated plantations so children would either attend boarding school or were hired private tutors.

In 1779, Thomas Jefferson proposed a public schooling system. Before Jefferson’s proposal, the only schools in America were private schools run by churches. Jefferson believed “that citizens must deliberate publicly and use their reason to decide among competing ideas for guiding the democracy” (37) His curriculum included English, Geography Math, and Latin and Greek as well. He wanted scholarships for the poor and for the school to be paid by state taxes. His proposal was not carried throughout the nation. But in the 1830s, when Horace Mann argued for a common school program that were “free public schools for the sons and daughters of farmers, businessmen, professionals, and the rest of society. The common schools and the opportunity of education gave the poor a chance to enhance their economic statuses. The old ways of colonial America were slowly disappearing. As the country grew, your family name and the old wealthy were not as prominent and important as they once were. Public schools gave a greater majority the opportunity to rise to high political and economic power.

The common schools were the start to today’s education system. Class sizes could have from six to forty students. The teacher normally taught all eight grades at once. In the front of the room by the teacher’s desk was a long bench. The teacher would call up a class and they would sit on the bench and recite their lessons. Each class would have about ten minutes. Subjects included reading, writing, arithmetic, grammar, geography, writing, spelling, physiology, and drawing. Students learned the basics of reading, writing, and math; however, most students did not stay in school long. Many students were needed at home or in the fields for harvests, which is how summer break was created.

Today’s schooling system is extremely different, however, in recent decades has dwindled compared to other nation’s education programs.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/09/13/national/main838207.shtml

In 2005, the United States spent 5.3% of our GDP on education which is ranked 56^th in the world. America’s literacy rate is 99% above the age of fifteen. The Untied States is well below average compared to many other countries like Japan. According to the New York Times “Students in the United States are lagging behind their peers in other countries in science and math”. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/05/education/05scores.html

American schools only require 180 days of school, while Germany and Japan require 195 to 200 or more. America also has “the shortest school day, a mere six and half hours, all packed into the morning and early afternoon. Countries such as Denmark and Sweden boast a staggering 40 to 50 hour school week”.

http://www.saratogafalcon.org/content/us-education-falling-behind-those-other-countries

College professors complain about American students, saying their writing quality is horrendous. Japanese students, whose first language is Japanese, write better English papers than do Americans whose first language is English.

In many countries a good education and the ability to continue to college is a privilege, however, in America it is considered a right. Americans need to re-evaluate the importance of education and no longer take it for advantage. Across the world, in lesser-developed countries, education is scarce and only for the wealthy. Japan and Korea have a single nationwide test after high school to determine whether students continue on to college. The ACT or SAT tests are not nearly as difficult as the tests in Japan and Korea. In France students come out of high school and go straight into specialty schools to determine their professions. American citizens are spoiled by our education system. In order for the Untied States to continue to modernize and maintain a world power, we must update our education system to ensure intelligent and aware citizens.