The American Education System: The Biggest Challenges Students Face

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For every man, woman and child at some point of their life, for those who can go, will have to enter the American education system. Some will take homeschooling, others will go to public schooling or private. Do these differ from one another? Is one better than the other? We Americans start off young to begin our education life. From which the society we live in has planned it for us from the past, to now present time. Everyone has to go to preschool thru 8th grade, high school and then college. After college, some will go for higher education. With America having students with so many diverse backgrounds, the American education system has many choices and offers to choose from. Even unskilled, uneducated, some will have that grit to conquer all and some will meet failures. We have a lot of varieties between schools, programs, and geological locations to choose from. Then having to choose the right one can sometimes be tough and stressful. Interpreting how the American education system works. It can help us determine our educational plan and develop it as well. There are many sacrifices, difficulties and hard work that have to be made just to receive that American education. But within America today, there are a lot big challenges students face in the American education system but are there ways and solutions to help students overcome those challenges also. So what are some of those challenges and solutions students encounter in the American education system?

One of the biggest challenges students face in the American education system, no matter the level of grade or age is bullying and discrimination. Kristina Rizga explains, “In schools all over the United States, 82 percent of kids who identified as LGBTQ said they had been verbally harassed at school; 38 percent had been physically harassed, and 18 percent had been physically assaulted. These youths are more likely to skip school and have lower grades” (qtd. Rizga p. 139). This challenge in the American education system that face students Kristina Rizga explained is significant because in our society to this day, bullying and discrimination, still exists. It greatly affects the mental health of the student from achieving to learn in the education system. Not only, affecting mental health/state, the insecurity, low-self esteem, depression, anger, anxiety and thoughts of committing suicide are implanted in the head. Some have lost loved ones and loved ones have taken their own lives, due to bullying and discrimination. Another challenge student’s face in the American education system is a lack of focus motivation. Carol S. Dweck explains, “we have shown that what students believe about their brains, whether they see their intelligence as something  that’s fixed or something that can grow and change, has profound effects on their motivation, learning, and school achievement” (Dweck, 2006).  This challenge in the American education system that Carol S. Dweck explains is significant, because with the lack of motivation there is no intention to succeed whether in life or at school. There will be more dropouts, than graduating students in school seeing no value in the American education system with the lack of motivation in their performance. The lack of motivation comes from many different factors. Each student deals with many personal issues in life.  Maybe, it’s the teacher, subject, lesson plan, and or the course being taken has very little interest to a student? This then settles the effects on the lack of motivation of a student. These are some of the biggest challenges students face in the American education system. But there are some solutions to help these students overcome them.

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One of the solutions that can help with bullying and discrimination is to grow the mindset. As Paulo Friere states “The solution is not to “integrate” them into the structure of oppression, but to transform that structure so that they can become “beings for themselves”. Such transformation, of course, would undermine the oppressors’ purpose.” (qtd. Freire p.3). This solution is significant that Paulo Friere explained because we can control bullying, discrimination, and the oppression that comes with it. Growing the mindset that bullying or discrimination is not, okay. Not one person in our society is better than the other, were all created equally. Even being bullied or discriminated, upon or not. We are all trying to get the same American education. If bullying and discrimination is prolonged in the schools, by the students and with teachers not acknowledging or caring the American education system has failed that oppressed student with bullying and discrimination. With the lack of motivation, the solution to help students overcome this challenge is adapting relevant and diverse curriculum. As, Jeffrey M. R. Duncan-Andrade states “teachers who want to build material hope must understand that quality teaching is the most significant “material” resource they have to offer youth. The best of the research in our fields defines “quality” teaching by our ability to produce student growth across assessment measures” (qtd. Andrade p.6). This solution will has significance because if a curriculum is dry given by the teacher, is not relevant, students have no passion for that course and the lack of motivation will not be there. The American education system cannot focus just on the quantity of students to who passes, fail, and graduate or not? But the aspect and emphasis of teaching must be there. The American education system must make learning, teaching have importance from teacher to student, and vice versa. Remarkably today, these are some of the big challenges students face in the American education system, and some of the ways and solutions to help students overcome these challenges.

In conclusion, I have expressed bullying and discrimination, lack of motivation, growth mindset, relevant and diverse curriculum just some of the challenges and solutions students are face with we must call to action that these are just some challenges. That there is many more issues students face in the American education system. There must be equality for all the diverse. Fulfill, develop the student, and have that initiative to succeed. It must stop cutting corners, just to use and view students as a statistic for ones gains. The American education system is a privilege and honor to be in and have. It does not matter if it’s private, home, or public schooling, there is a lot of varieties between schools, programs, and geological locations. It has to start from the top; teachers must be responsible and care for students, as one. Teachers and schools have to distinguish the strengths, weaknesses, culture needs, hold them accountable for the curriculum or course being taught and is it relevant to the student. Teachers have to interact and interject. With the curriculum being relevant the lack of motivation will not be set in stone for the student. Achieving, progressing, accomplishing that goal in the American education system, having that satisfaction or joy, to where it is the only thing keeping that student from having a low-self esteem, depression, anger, anxiety and thoughts of committing suicide from bullying and discrimination. It must grow the mindset on what is wrong and right, good or bad. Lay the groundwork for unskilled, uneducated student. The American education system must understand the goals and have a system to promote students to gain self-awareness and management transforming them to be that one. It must due diligence for it holds the path for future and forthcoming success.

Work Cited

  1. Jefferey M.R. Ducan-Andrade Hope Required When Growing Roses in Concrete p.6of13
  2. Carol S. Dweck Brianology p.1of5
  3. Paulo Freire The “Banking” Concept of Education p.3of12
  4. Kristina Rizga Mission High p. 139
  5. http://edreview.org/harvard09/2009/su09/s09dunca.htm
  6. http://www.nais.org/Magazinewss-Newsletters/ISMagazine/Pages/Brainology.aspx

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