| The educational system in the United States | | | | |
| is a mess. Pretty much everyone knows it, but | | | | The educational system has more problems than |
| what to do about it is a huge problem. | | | | just how to best teach children. Many of the |
| | | | problems in the schools relate to students' |
| It's easy to point to various symptoms and | | | | home life. Uninvolved parents are an issue as |
| declare them the problem. High dropout rates, | | | | well, but not one that the schools themselves |
| as high as 50% for some cities or 1/3 for | | | | can easily address. |
| some states, are often pointed out as the | | | | |
| problem, but really they're more symptomatic | | | | Perhaps the greatest challenge comes from |
| of the issue. | | | | figuring out how to route children |
| | | | appropriately in school. At what age do |
| The problem in many ways is that the schools | | | | children know what they want from school, |
| aren't addressing the needs of the students. | | | | much less their lives? How can the system be |
| There is a huge emphasis on sending kids to | | | | flexible enough to cope with uncertain and |
| college, no matter their aptitudes or | | | | changing interests. |
| interests. | | | | |
| | | | Sound impossible? |
| A college education is a wonderful thing for | | | | |
| many people. It makes great jobs available to | | | | Absolutely it's impossible as the schools are |
| them and on average increases their income. | | | | now, and changing them won't be easy. It will |
| But it is not the road to every job, and not | | | | take a long time to figure out how to |
| every child wishes for a job that requires a | | | | implement a workable solution. Figuring this |
| college education. | | | | out doesn't mean changing everything at once. |
| | | | Better would be to try changing things |
| Don't get me wrong. Every child should have | | | | carefully. |
| the opportunity to choose to go to college. | | | | |
| But if their interests and aptitudes are | | | | The focus on making college education |
| elsewhere, shouldn't that be encouraged? | | | | available to all has driven us to focus |
| | | | almost to exclusion on getting children to |
| This can be tough. The trades and vocational | | | | the point where they can go to college. But |
| skills lack the status of a college | | | | this ignores the needs of many students who |
| education. I doubt there are many people who | | | | are not well served by such a focus. To |
| expect that to change. This is true even | | | | improve our schools we need to work on |
| though these are vital skills and those who | | | | serving the needs of all of the children, not |
| have them can have good careers and be | | | | just the ones heading to college. |
| experts in their field. | | | | |