Changing our education system for the future
Our education system is one of the best if not the best in the world. Education is a critical part of society and it has a big impact on the economic prosperity of our country. Economic prosperity has a relationship to our education system by preparing students for jobs of the future. In these times there are jobs that are open but many do not have the training or experience to fill many of these jobs. It is true that there are basic subjects which all students need if they are going to be successful in the workforce. Examples are English, Arithmetic, history and science. These are areas where our education system needs to change, some more than others. Subjects chosen to be part of the curriculum in our schools play an integral part in preparing students for the workforce of the future. It is also important how those subjects are presented not only through teachers but the technology which exists today.
The world of education today is much different than when our fathers and grandfathers went to school. Educational techniques and resources have enhanced the quality of education we have today. It also important to recognize that quality teachers and the resources they are provided adds to the potential success of preparing students to be a viable member of society and the workforce.
Education is not limited to our public or private institutions as there is much educational training being provided by organizations to keep their employees well informed of business needs. Quality instructors are also important in this aspect. It is undeniable that a quality instructor who has the capability to communicate the knowledge of the subjects they are teaching benefits society. I am a strong supporter of our educational system and the teachers/instructors who are part of it. Private industry is often left out of any discussion on educational needs by government entities. The educational needs of private industry are determined by each organization and government has no place in these decisions.
In the past some education programs have been initiated by government entities to inject requirements upon our learning institutions, some have worked and some have not. Many processes exist within education and with any process there is always room for improvement. One such process is determining the content of textbooks to be used throughout our education system. It appears that in some cases decisions made by a few individuals in some states create the requirements for content which is then offered to other schools. In this aspect schools which were not part of the decision are left without input in the process. This in and of itself may not be a bad thing but having a process which has limited input from those who purchase textbooks for school districts across the country needs to change.
It is also understood that content changes have taken place to either remove or include various subjects or events which were an integral part of our history. The term applied in some instances is political correctness. Political correctness has no place in our educational system. The history of our nation is something which should not be changed given the impact of sometimes major events. We as a country are who we are based on the events in our history. It is true that some were unpleasant but the facts need to be accurately presented so those now being taught in our school system understand our true history not what someone or some group of individuals want us to learn.
I learned much from the education system in place when I was a student. Granted there are new subjects that did not exist then that are an integral part of what students must embrace to be a viable part of society today. Technology has changed the way our education system operates or should operate. In the past there were no computers and no Internet so information needed to be presented through the books schools purchase or books students read. The amount of information that is now available offers those who want to learn the resources to learn.
One important aspect where our education system needs to revise is the methods used by teachers including their approach. Grades are necessary but a single system of grades that is present today does not take into consideration the different capabilities of students to learn. There needs to be a measure from where students started to where they finished. Granted this may not entirely work in every instance but it would give some confidence to those who may have some difficulty learning specific subjects.
Revising our educational system to update into the present learning environment does not mean everything needs to change. There are times where what is being taught does not match the needs of the present workforce and this is one aspect where changes need to be made. Our school system needs to provide students with the knowledge that businesses need today and into the future. The process to accomplish this may be different between various school systems. The needs of society must be adapted into each school system in conjunction with the talents and capabilities that each possesses. This will enhance the educational process and meet the needs of businesses today and into the future.
