Analysis Of Leon Botstein's Let Teenagers Try Adulthood

Leon Botstein the president of Bard College wrote “Let Teenagers Try Adulthood” to educate the general population on how the hierarchy of high school social groups can affect the teacher workplace and the classroom setting as well. Botstein uses the shooters of Columbine High School to show how the social normalities and the social groups can both teachers and students. Botstein states that “ A community's loyalty to the high school system is often based on the extent to which varsity teams succeed. High school administrators and faculty members are often former coaches, and the coaches themselves are placed in a separate. untouchable category”.

The President of Bard College, Leon Botstein, wrote the opinion piece Let Teenagers Try Adulthood (1999), argues that American high schools should be abolished. Botstein uses school cliques and brain development to develop the argument. The author's purpose was to argue that high school are dangerous to kids mental health and the school system should be modified in order to keep children safe from wrong ideas that are often present in high schools. The audience of the opinion article are school officials and people who have the power to change the educational system.

While the most important purpose and goal of high school has ultimately remained the same, its factors have changed over the years. In the Articles, “Missing in Interaction,” written by Myra and David Sadker and “Savage Inequalities,” written by Jonathan Kozol, the authors introduce and include examples of the way education itself has changed other the years, as well as the goal that was set for it. Our system of education’s main purpose has been to educate children and help them with their future, but certain issues in regards to our system have not been given the attention that should be required.

In “Let Teenagers Try Adulthood,” Leon Botstein argues that the “American high school is obsolete and should be abolished.”(Botstein 254) He explains that this obsolescence is because high school does not represent the way real life works, that real life is not based on popularity and athletic abilities. Botstein suggests that our society isolates students in high school because adults “do not like adolescents.” Botstein wants more options for teenagers and suggests that they graduate at 16 and have the ability to choose what they want to do from there; such as joining the workforce, attending specialized schools for professional training, or going to college. Botstein also states that high school teachers are employed because they are popular, whereas college professors are employed because they are experts in their fields. I agree with Botstein’s statement that the American high school system should be changed, but I do not agree with his belief about the “poor quality of recruitment and training for high school teachers.”(Botstein 254)

Finally, the day is almost here. Excitement builds as a senior gets closer and closer to graduation. For many, high school is torture. It is a jail. It is boring and horrific. Students long for a taste of freedom during their high school experience. However, what one desires is not what is best. High school is a place where students get ready for college, and sadly, many are not ready. An extra year for students in high school will give them an opportunity to become prepared for college. For many students, four years of high school is not enough for college. Extending high school to five years would allow students to have a looser schedule, and allow them to be economically and mentally ready.

The essay ‘Against the school’ by John Taylor Gatto draws our attention on to all the cons of attending twelve years of high-school. Gatto has experience in teaching profession for twenty-six years in schools of Manhattan, he shares from his experience that he majored in boredom and could see that everywhere around him. He also points out the initial reason why schools came into existence and what the purpose it fulfils now. He also educates us on the fact that all the great discoverers never attended school and were self-educated.The main idea Gatto addresses in his article are that public schooling is doing the youth an injustice.He implies that the purpose of schooling, now is to turn children into good employes and someone who follows orders.

Education has always been an important part of our sustainable society in which everyone plays a role. The purpose of the education system is to provide a way for students to learn and gain knowledge. The current education system focuses more on evaluations rather than teaching, which creates a stressful and unpleasant high school experience. Alfie Kohn’s essay, How Not to Get into College: The Preoccupation with Preparation describes the difficulties and purposeless school practices students face when preparing themselves for life beyond high school.

Botstein starts his argument by stating the various parts of the high school experience that are harmful and pointless to students. The first is the “untouchable” category which consists of coaches and high school athletes whose exclusive ranking is based off of the team’s success rather than their own educational achievements. Secondly, Botstein addresses teachers and curriculum that “hold so little sway” over the minds and attitudes of students, since the average student is constantly worried about growing up, popularity, and their friend groups. Next, Botstein claims that the “primary reason” high schools are flawed and broken is that the teens in the twentieth century era are maturing “substantially earlier” than in the past decades. Lastly, Botstein develops a new method for teenager’s education experience by eliminating the 10th through 12th grades, permanently making high school obsolete. If Botstein’s plan is achieved, teenagers will have many different options to choose after their secondary schooling. Students would be able

The trivialization of high school in the present educational organization for teens has been posited in the public; however, it is one vital issue that is being debated.

In ‘Abolish high school’ by Rebecca solnit, she writes “High school is often considered a definitive American experience, in two senses: an experience that nearly everyone shares, and one that can define who you are, for better or worse, for the rest of your life.” which means high school isn’t wonderful for many people, it has a lot of challenges for teens, maybe some of them ‘kill’ by pressure and challenges, it would affect their rest of life. The high school is not a wonderful place for everyone. People should skip it and escaped it that you would don’t be suffered by it. However I disagree with her, because I believe high school is a indispensable place for students. It is a place for students, they can find a great relationship and an unexceptionable place to learn. On the other hand, I believe the high school is the key to definitive teens who they are in an great way. For example, Teachers would shape everyone’s identity, make you strong to face challenges, and open child’s heart. For example, in my childhood, when I lived with my parents, I was happy to learn, because my parents always encourage me to learn. Also, they want me learn from mistake, because It is a way to learn. They want me to be someone. However my parents left me at 12 age, they have to work more hard to support this home. I can’t focus on learning, I was playing video games every day, because I think I was ‘release’ from my parents. I have no ideas about my future. There is no one like my parents to guide me , I feel alone and confuses. Until I was be a part of high school.The high school make me stronger and hopeful. Teachers guide me walk on the right way again, they talk to me about future and how wonderful thing would happen in high school. I

The needs of the students go unheard and are masked by insufficient teachers, cliques, and the need to prioritize popularity and attractiveness. According to Let Teenagers Try Adulthood, "By the time those who graduate from high school go on to college and realize what really is at stake in becoming an adult, too many opportunities have been lost and too much time has been wasted." Instead of promoting individuality in students and offering educational opportunities, vain ideals are promoted and have little effect outside of high school. Students have thus neglected their education because of false expectations which are promoted along with unsatisfactory educators. To address the issue high schools must promote the importance of receiving education instead of focusing on vain ideals which students believe define their importance. Also, qualified teachers and faculty members should be put in charge of molding and shaping students into successful individuals who are prepared for life beyond high

In ‘Abolish high school’ by Rebecca solnit, she writes “High school is often considered a definitive American experience, in two senses: an experience that nearly everyone shares, and one that can define who you are, for better or worse, for the rest of your life.” which means high school isn’t wonderful for many people, it has a lot of challenges for teens and some of them may be ‘kill’ by pressure, it would effect your rest of life. The high school is not a wonderful place for everyone. People should skip it and escaped it don’t be suffered by it. However i disagree with her, because i believe high school is a wonderful and kindly for everyone. It is a place for teen to meeting friends and a place to learning. I believe the environments would definitive teens who they are. For example, the parents is most important for kid, they would shape everyone’s identity, make you more stronger to face challenge. For example, in my childhood, when i was lived with my parents, i was

Botstein starts his argument by stating the various parts of the high school experience that are harmful and pointless to students. The first that Botstein addresses is the “untouchable” category which is made up of coaches and high school athletes whose exclusive ranking is based off of the team’s success rather than the educational achievements of the players. Secondly, Botstein addresses teachers and curriculum that “hold so little sway” over the minds and attitudes of students because the average student is constantly worried about growing up, popularity, and their friend groups. Next, Botstein claims that the “primary reason” high schools are flawed and broken is that the teens in the twentieth century era are maturing “substantially earlier” than in the past decades. Lastly, Botstein develops a new method for teenager’s education experience by eliminating the 10th through 12th grades, permanently making high school obsolete. If Botstein’s plan is achieved, teenagers will have many different options to choose

High school. The dreaded time and place that every young American has to suffer through. The institution where conformity is expected but individuality is preached from every impassioned liberal arts teacher. It is in high school that American teenagers are expected to make choices that will determine the outcome of their entire lives. They are expected to make good grades, fill their schedules with extracurriculars and still find time for family, a social life and a job. In the essay “Let Teenagers Try Adulthood”, Leon Botstein convicts the American education system of caging the independent nature of teenagers by placing them in hormonal crazed, clique obsessed institutions that are deemed to be places of educational standard past the point

Yet, the education does not stop at middle school, for high school really puts all the basic skills from elementary and middle school to work as the assignments and the exams become more challenging. We do not only learn about reading, writing, history, and math, we learn about the people around us as we associate with different personalities, and as we see what we have grown up to be and what we want to be later in life. Accordingly, the high school years are a time when teachers emphasize the importance of graduating and attending college in order to have a “succesful future.”