Around the world, school-aged children experience different educational scenarios depending on their intelligence, race, and socio-economic status. Some are denied an education altogether, and others receive the poorest education that can be provided. Presently, Americans value education, and it is commonly equated with a successful career. According to recent statistics, “As of May 2012, the nationwide unemployment rates for U.S. citizens over the age of 25 by educational level were: no high school diploma 13%, with a high school diploma 8.1%, with a bachelor’s degree or higher 3.9%”(Colombo, Cullen, Lisle). Receiving this more advanced education is often affected by outside barriers. Barriers can be related to intelligence, race, and socio-economic status. The most significant barriers can prevent an individual from receiving a quality education.
Each student has a different learning style as well as a different learning ability. Everybody learns at a different pace, and some may need more help than others. Where one student may struggle, another may excel. There have been instances where schools see that certain students are not doing well, and they place these students in the vocational education track. Mike Rose, author of “I Just Wanna Be Average,” felt that he “learned dead-end skills from teachers who were often underprepared and incompetent” (151) in this type of schooling. It seems as though schools do not want to waste resources on students whom they believe may not succeed. Students often lack the desire to learn when the teachers fail to engage them properly. If an educator does not know what is going on in the classroom and would rather sit around than enthusiastically teach, most kids would think, “If the teacher doesn’t care, why should I?” And in truth, why should they? The fact of the matter is, most people who are put down their entire educational life, will not rise above and push further in their academics. Rose admits, “I did what I had to do to get by, and I did it with half a mind” (154). For many students in a similar situation, school is viewed as something to get through, be done with, and never look back at. In reality, education should never be something students want to just get through. Instead, they should be excited about learning. It is tragic that students like Mike Rose and millions of others go to a school that does not believe they will succeed, almost forcing them to disengage themselves and just try to “get by.” In addition to the low expectations of those in remedial schools, race also plays a significant role in the quality of education provided to students. As time goes on, many Americans would like to believe that everybody is treated equally, especially based on their race. Sadly, this is far from the truth. The truth is that inner city schools often suffer because there can be over 90% black and Latino students and only less than 10% white in a particular school. In a classroom of predominately black and Latino students, a teacher at P.S. 65 in South Bronx stated, “I’ve been at this school for eighteen years. This is the first white student I have ever taught” (Kozol 203). There is a clear difference in education that students in …show more content…
Generally, the barriers that obstruct receiving a proper education are often out of students’ control. Those receiving sub par educations did not choose to be born into lower class, minority families that may not believe they will succeed from the get go. Barriers are present and they are significant obstacles that must be overcome with great strides. It is possible to become the top CEO of a huge company after coming from a school like Mike Rose, or “Alliyah” from the Bronx, or even the classrooms being studied by Anyon. According to John Taylor Gatto in “Against School,” people such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Benjamin Franklin all did not go through school as it is know it today (143). Although they did not go through the mandatory twelve-year system in place today, they did excel in their own ways. However, instances similar to these are unfortunately few and far between. Those that are impeded by such barriers oftentimes do not overcome
Each student has a different learning style as well as a different learning ability. Everybody learns at a different pace, and some may need more help than others. Where one student may struggle, another may excel. There have been instances where schools see that certain students are not doing well, and they place these students in the vocational education track. Mike Rose, author of “I Just Wanna Be Average,” felt that he “learned dead-end skills from teachers who were often underprepared and incompetent” (151) in this type of schooling. It seems as though schools do not want to waste resources on students whom they believe may not succeed. Students often lack the desire to learn when the teachers fail to engage them properly. If an educator does not know what is going on in the classroom and would rather sit around than enthusiastically teach, most kids would think, “If the teacher doesn’t care, why should I?” And in truth, why should they? The fact of the matter is, most people who are put down their entire educational life, will not rise above and push further in their academics. Rose admits, “I did what I had to do to get by, and I did it with half a mind” (154). For many students in a similar situation, school is viewed as something to get through, be done with, and never look back at. In reality, education should never be something students want to just get through. Instead, they should be excited about learning. It is tragic that students like Mike Rose and millions of others go to a school that does not believe they will succeed, almost forcing them to disengage themselves and just try to “get by.” In addition to the low expectations of those in remedial schools, race also plays a significant role in the quality of education provided to students. As time goes on, many Americans would like to believe that everybody is treated equally, especially based on their race. Sadly, this is far from the truth. The truth is that inner city schools often suffer because there can be over 90% black and Latino students and only less than 10% white in a particular school. In a classroom of predominately black and Latino students, a teacher at P.S. 65 in South Bronx stated, “I’ve been at this school for eighteen years. This is the first white student I have ever taught” (Kozol 203). There is a clear difference in education that students in …show more content…
Generally, the barriers that obstruct receiving a proper education are often out of students’ control. Those receiving sub par educations did not choose to be born into lower class, minority families that may not believe they will succeed from the get go. Barriers are present and they are significant obstacles that must be overcome with great strides. It is possible to become the top CEO of a huge company after coming from a school like Mike Rose, or “Alliyah” from the Bronx, or even the classrooms being studied by Anyon. According to John Taylor Gatto in “Against School,” people such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Benjamin Franklin all did not go through school as it is know it today (143). Although they did not go through the mandatory twelve-year system in place today, they did excel in their own ways. However, instances similar to these are unfortunately few and far between. Those that are impeded by such barriers oftentimes do not overcome