Customizing Education. Good News Folks, Or Maybe It Is

Growing up, parents, teachers, and elders always emphasize the importance of an education to the younger generations. High school students are pushed and encouraged towards college for the next big step in their life. By the time kids step into high school it’s drilled into their heads that to make something of oneself they need to pursue a college education. In reality, are high school graduates even prepared for the challenges that they will soon face? High schools are not preparing their kids for the “college experience” that in turns leaves them lacking the know-how they will need for the workforce.

College is a place of higher learning and somewhere dreams can be made into reality. Whether it’s getting a degree to do your dream job, find someone to marry, become a better person overall, the possibilities are endless, and these possibilities are facilitated by how we are taught by our professors and the choices we make. However, are we learning everything we need to know for our post college careers? We are learning exactly what we need for our field or chosen career, but there are some skills that we need for the more “real world” aspect of life. There are several lessons a university can provide to aid graduates in the real world and there are specific skills and education that should be provided in a college education to help us prepare for the real world.

As you can see, there are many different opinions about the worth of college and the changes that could be made. Those on all sides of this debate aim to meet the same objective: finding the most beneficial path for students after high school graduation. The opinions in this debate range from believing that college couldn’t be worth the cost, to believing that it is always essential to finding a job and that it is always worth the cost in the long run. Though many debates have been made about the worth of the current college experience and the changes that could be made, little has been said about the changes that could be made at in the high school classroom in an effort to

In the United States most schools use the banking concept of education which sets students up for failure in the future. Education's purpose is to push students to find their own paths to their own dreams. Students in high school and college are constantly asking if the curriculum they are given actually prepares them for anything in the future. But, while many students argue whether to believe if that’s true or not, there are other things the system still needs to do. Schools need to stop teaching students in a traditional fashion; it has to be one of the most important keys to preparing students for success.

In this era of global economic stress, Lieberman encourages students to go follow their passions and go to college. even though they may not get the job they desire in the start of their career not to give up. In Lieberman’s article Stop Scaring Students, one of her main ideas is that college helps students develop basic life skills. Lieberman proves that she truly believes in healthy dose of learning because she states that “All students need a healthy dose of learning opportunities that build the skills and capacities that will support them as their professional and personal lives unfold.”(Stop Scaring Students) Lieberman believes that all students young and old should get a strong education so students can build their skills in college for

Some of the goals of schooling and society in the United States are to develop students and citizens, who have high aspirations, believe in their capabilities, are hopeful they can realize their aspirations, and are optimistic about their future in general. Such characteristics are important because each leads to overall well-being (Bandura, 1977; Scheirer & Carver, 1985; Snyder et al., 1991), student achievement and higher graduation rates (Snyder et al., 2002) through a personal sense of urgency which allows them to take control of their life, challenge themselves, persevere through difficulties, and cope when obstacles arise (McBride, 2012).

By the time September rolled around students have forgotten what classes they registered for. My school liked to move past things as quickly as possible. To elaborate, each student would receive a book with every class the high school had to offer, regardless of grade and prerequisites. Then, each student had to return a specific form with all the classes they would take within a week of attaining the book of courses. Knowing which class to take and how it would affect your next four years was a shared mystery to all the incoming freshman. While a flowchart detailing how the mathematics classes lead into each other was provided, all other classes looked as if they would never relate to one another. What the school failed to express to us is that once a student is put into a class, there is no switching out or dropping the class if the class proves too challenging or too easy, the class you take the following year has already been determined, and that if you want to try something new, you had better take the prerequisite early. As Rose wrote, “school can be a tremendously disorienting place” (127), and the absence of communication between students and the rest of the school verifies this disorientation. The illusion that students have a choice in how their education grows is perpetuated by a system that thinks it knows best.

Schools are not up to the task of readying young people for the challenges of the next century. An apparently watered down curriculum ensures that all students, regardless of whether they have mastered necessary skills, can graduate. “Social promotion” without requirements to master grade-appropriate skills is now commonplace, so even elite colleges must run “remedial” courses for freshmen in basic math and literacy, and business executives complain that high school graduates are ill-prepared for even relatively unskilled jobs (2).

What children learn at a young age greatly affects who they become later in life. Hence, an emphasis needs placing on educating young children. Programs that promote staying in high school and furthering education also need emphasizing. Students through all levels of schooling need teaching that the more educated they become, the greater quality of life they will be able to achieve. By dropping out of high school or by not pursuing further education, these individuals are capping their potential.

When students reach their junior and senior years of high school, they are faced with pressure from teachers, counselors, and parents to choose and apply to colleges. Instead of succumbing to the pressure, some students choose to pursue careers with no degree necessary or careers in the military. Other students are still left contemplating whether or not college is worth the financial strain. When other factors such as future career earnings, personal growth, and potential friendships and relationships are considered, it becomes clear that college truly is worth the cost.

Aaron , not graduating high school too long ago talks about how it's important for people to learn what they're interested and skills that they will actually need and use, unlike what a lot of courses and teachers teach students on.

A student in their third year at Sherwood Middle School feels there should be an art class, and less fitness classes (Orlik). The school offers several gym and fitness electives such as team sports, basketball, and fitness for life. While these appeal to many and are great activities for students to be involved in, there are not many options aside from these electives. More students would be pleased if the opportunities that are provided for gym were provided for other subjects, too. For example, many students are passionate about science, as their teachers hope for them to be. However, while potential science electives have been introduced, they have yet to be added to the list of classes. When there could be at least three science electives, there is only one. Several students have trouble selecting the required six choices of elective classes because only one or two really intrigues them. From Family and Consumer Sciences to First Aid and Health, and from Publications to Engineering and Design, one could look at the list and decide that there is a wide variety. But, when compared to a list of high school electives, the few intermediate school electives likely won’t help students prepare for numerous courses that could be taken in future years. It is possible that one class that is taken in junior high could help a young adult determine a future occupation. Educators believe that electives build confidence and give voices to students who aren’t usually heard. These educators also feel that electives encourage groups of different students to work together and to find things in common (Rambo). A vaster variety of elective courses would provide middle school students with both preparation for high school and pleasure. The problem is not that there are too few choices, but that the choices are not so appealing to

The American standard in the US educational system has always been to attend a four-year university after high school. Students attend college after high school to further their education in their career of interest, and to obtain a degree to become successful adults in the real world. Schools in this age however, do not teach students about life after high school and college. They fail to introduce life lessons needed in the real world, like writing a resume, buying a house, or paying taxes. The current American educational system does not prepare students to be successful adults; it teaches students things they may never apply to real-world situations.

A.An article from Independent School Magazine written by Kristie Haskell informs the reader on how many students from her junior seminar in fact do need extra help in transitioning from high school to post graduation plans.

    Students who prefer to go to college for a hands-on education after their high school career are considered to be “on-top learners.” Formally, an on-top learner can be defined as a person at a course of study, such as school who has passed the usual age for formal education. In a recent study conducted by James E. Rosenbaum, it was discovered that many employers or managers in today’s world don’t trust high school diplomas for certain jobs (Rosenbaum). Knowing this, high school teachers or guidance counselors are able to develop a variety of suggestions during the mid-education of students to go to college immediately after graduation, depending on what he/she would want to do for their own future. Unfortunately, this way to get the idea of