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We must promote higher standards for education in the U.S. An overemphasis on memorized, regurgitated data and test-based curricula has driven the deterioration of the American education system. The ability to question, think freely, and consider varying viewpoints has been squashed.
In the 1960s and 1970s, American education was a shining example on the world stage. Jump to 2018, and our students’ academic performance became overshadowed by other nations.
U.S. academics are being reduced to the lowest standards. We’ve stifled our students’ abilities to think independently and ask questions freely — risking the American Dream and our competitive edge. Learning must foster well-rounded individuals by cultivating the whole person: mind, body and spirit. We need to include physical activities and phonics — the key to reading.
Education “directed to the full development of the human personality” is a human right and the foundation of a child’s path to freedom, security and their own American Dream. Our educational system is responsible for shaping the future’s brightest minds — innovators, scientists and artists. It’s paramount that today’s leaders embrace this responsibility, ensuring that our future is in the most capable hands.
Declining Creativity
While most Americans recognize the importance of arts education, access to it is dwindling. Art, music and drama classes enrich student experiences, encourage greater engagement in school, reduce stress and help students develop emotional and interpersonal skills. They learn to express themselves creatively and communicate effectively.
Access to art education significantly impacts academic performance. Students attending schools with comprehensive arts curriculums are likelier to score higher on state exams. Art education strengthens the mind’s attention system and may improve cognitive abilities. Yet, when it comes to budget cuts, art programs are often the first to go.
Creating a Brighter Future
What can we do to fill the gap left by the education system? First, look for programs to partner with. The Summer Bridge program is a good example of how to engage with students and schools. Summer Bridge provides engaging learning activities over the summer to prepare students for maximum success when the next school year begins.
Then, make connections with school systems. Meet with district department heads via Zoom, email and tours and discover their curriculum needs. Public schools have very secure emails. Having a relationship with a department head allows you to send emails the educators will actually receive and deem important.
Once you have that in, it’s best to start working directly with the teachers. Since getting students to use their imagination is beneficial even for students not in the arts, it’s great to work with art educators to integrate educational programs with the curriculum. Personal connection with teachers is critical so they share the enthusiasm for the project with each incoming class. Each year, a new group of students goes through their class, and having a good experience the previous year brings teachers back with this new group of students with unique talents and ideas.
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There’s also a much better chance the administration will approve the programs if you’re working directly with one of their teachers. The students may not realize they are learning valuable lessons about what it means to be an artist. Even if they never do art again, it can help foster an appreciation for the arts, which they can then hopefully pass on to their own children.
Budgetary constraints are always a concern, but even with these constraints, you can still allow art programs to be part of classrooms. Engage parents to “collect” different household items to be used in art projects. Some parents may want to help by donating supplies. Educate local businesses on the importance of art education and ask them to sponsor different projects in their school district.
A Positive Approach for Teachers
Teachers are the lifeblood of a robust education system. By ensuring teachers are well-versed in the technology of study — the techniques needed for children to learn a subject most effectively — we can equip them with the skills and understanding necessary to produce the best results.
It’s knownthat when a child sees a word they do not understand, there will be a blankness or total noncomprehension. We must equip educators with the proper methods to recognize and address these non-verbal cues, and it’s very important to have good dictionaries in all classrooms. Additionally, if a child misses some part of the instruction or doesn’t understand it, they have “skipped a gradient” and will likely have a difficult time going forward after that. Be sure they’re brought up to speed by going back over what they missed.
Also, when students study something, having the actual object in front of them for deeper engagement is incredibly helpful. This is a crucial aspect of the technology of study. For example, when studying a motor, it would be beneficial to see and touch that motor! You can read about driving, but there is no substitute for operating a vehicle.
By implementing the technology of study in U.S. schools, we can ensure students are equipped with all the skills for learning.
Educational transformation depends on more than curricula, however. A teacher’s attitude could be the difference between a child’s success and failure. We must train our teachers on the benefits of a positive approach through praise and validation of what students do right rather than solely focusing on errors.
The Key to Freedom
A better tomorrow starts with reviving our education system. To elevate our standard of learning, we need educators who can and will empower children with appropriate character development in areas of ethics and civic virtue. Students should graduate with an understanding of their responsibilities and rights under the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Education is key to a life of liberty and the pursuit of happiness! Let’s not fall short of providing quality learning opportunities for our youth and risk undermining the bedrock of our nation’s values: individual responsibility, hard work, perseverance and competition based on excellence or merit. These are our longstanding American values.
