The Failing American Education System Americans tend to think they have the biggest and best stuff; and everything they do is right. While the United States has gotten a lot of things right, the education system is not one of them. Pride needs to be forgotten because the education of young Americans is much too important and the public education system has been failing when compared to other developed countries. We are falling behind because of a lack of interest in education (whether from parents or the students), teaching is not a respected profession, and students are not getting prepared for their future. There is a lack of motivation and interest in education from American students and their parents. Self-motivation plays a huge role in education, and it would help a lot more if students were interested in what they were learning. In a study done at the Center on Education Graduate School of Education and Human Development, Nancy Kober and Alexandera Usher found that 70% of high school dropouts said they lacked motivation. Being bored in the classroom results in students thinking learning isn’t worthwhile, and therefore looking for different options, such as dropping out and trying to get a job. America’s graduation rate, although it used to rank a lot higher, is now much lower than most developed countries. Even if students aren’t looking to drop out, if they are not motivated enough to learn, it is incredibly hard, if not impossible, to teach them. One reason
