The essay opens with a discussion regarding the "No Child Left Behind" act that leads into a review of the modern education system.
A major portion of this essay is the theory that Americans have lost all of the following values: "frugality, good neighborship, the avoidance of risk, and the psychological profit in work done well". Frugality-- I would definitely agree that as Americans, we have lost all sense of frugality. In general, people are extremely wasteful. There is little to no sense of living below our means and making a comfortable living by making good choices within the U.S. Good neighborship-- I also agree that we lack this value. The American way of life makes everyone seem like they are in it for themselves and for no one else. The sense of carrying people through life when it gets tough is a sentiment expressed by few people. The avoidance of risk-- I think that this value is still present, just in the wrong way. I would agree that people are not making the good kind of risks that ultimately yield a profit. They are making the bad risks that land in major debt and destruction. Psychological profit in work well done-- I think because of our high-speed lifestyle we have lost sight of the benefits of psychological profit. There is not even time nowadays to be proud of a job well done...
I, personally, believe that our education system is in trouble. After watching many documentaries and reading articles for my sociology class, it is clear that a vast majority of students are given a mediocre or less education, and it is factual that not everyone has the opportunity for an equal education. Heck, for a vast number of students in the United States, a good education is based on a lottery system; if your number is not called, you are stuck in a school that statistically dooms students for failure. The article makes a good point-- education needs to be more than just preparing people for the work force. We need to prepare our students for other human needs like global issues, other cultures, community service and involvement, etc. I'm thinking some major education reform for our country is due...
A review of
| "PAUL THEOBALD and HIBAJENE SHANDOMO, Education and the Proliferation of New (Old) Concepts" |
