Challenges Facing Students in Public Schools

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Challenges Facing Working-Class Students in Public School System

America has the most diversified education system in the world comprising of both public and private schools at all levels of education. However, public schools at all standards have the most significant percentage of students as compared to private institutions. Over centuries, public schools have always occupied a crucial space in the excitable American imagination. Americans regardless of the age have limitless desires for education and self-improvement through learning. In the last decades, there has been spreading debate over the declining standards as well as low achievements of students who have undergone the American education system more so when compared to students in other well-developed nations such as Germany. This might be as a result of challenges facing the education system in America. Over the years, public schools in America are faced with some problems which affect the expected outcome from the institutions. The students themselves are affected by the system of education used by most of the public schools in America. This essay will majorly consider some of the challenges faced by students in public schools which significantly affects their performance and some of how they can be solved.

A significant drawback affecting the students in public schools is the lack of motivation from the professors or teachers. Rebecca Cox who is the author of ‘The Student Fear Factor’ carried out interviews where she involved the students and the professors, and she noted that the students themselves were not motivated by their respective professors in their learning institutions. Cox says that the students and professors misunderstand each other and as a result fail each other at the end. Cox believes that there has always been a mismatch between the expectations of the students and those of the professors. Additionally, the students themselves are not familiar with most norms in the classrooms hence furthering the learning gap.

Cox says, “Students can easily arrive at college without understanding what is expected of them and how to meet the expectations” (Cox, 2009). She added that although students fail to follow the instructions from their professors, the professor involved plays a vital role in the failure of the students and the institution at large. Cox added that some instructors might believe a particular group of students lacks the capability of learning as compared to other students. This greatly demotivates the students perceived unable, and as a result, they end up performing poorly in classrooms. Lack of motivation from the instructors makes the students seek little or no further assistance to understand new skills.

Mike Rose, the author of “I Just Wanna be Average” illustrates that when he was admitted to a public vocational program where he met teachers who were unimpressed by their jobs and did not have confidence in the competence of their students. Absence of faith from the teachers makes the students slack off and care less about their school work. Rose in his vocational training met with Mr. MacFarland who motivated Rose and helped him get into college. Rose describes that the relationship which he had with Mr. MacFarland had a positive impact on his life (Rose, 1990). This clearly shows the positive effect of motivation from the instructors involved.

As indicated above, a lack of motivation from the instructors is a major challenge affecting students in public schools; hence there is a need for students to be motivated in learning institutions. One of the ways which the instructors can motivate the students is by letting them know what is expected of them before the education process. Additionally, all students have the capability in the learning process; therefore any form of perception of incapability of a group of students should be avoided in teaching institutions. The instructors should also involve all the students in a classroom as this improves the relationship between the students and the teachers hence the students are motivated.

A division into social classes is another major challenge faced by students in public schools. Social class means the division of the society based on the economic and social status of that community. Jean Anyon who is the author of “The Curriculum of work” clearly narrates about the division which occurs in public schools based on the social classes. She says that the children are taught to learn and comprehend things based on the society which they come from. Moreover, the behavior of students in a particular set of society behaves differently from students in another society.

In America, students are divided based on the economic status where the poor and well-disadvantaged members of the society join public schools of their ‘level.’ In such situations, students from the different humble backgrounds learn together hence their learning manner is very different from other institutions of ‘’well up’’ students. Students from such ‘low level’ sectors are perceived as incapable of doing a particular task as compared to others. The teachers in such institutions also lack faith with their students and receive little or no considerations.

Anyon examined the behavior of every social class which is divided into, the working class, the middle class, and the elite executive class (Anyon, 1980). Anyon says that due to the divisions, the lower perceived students rarely ask the teacher for help and better explanations in class hence contributing to their failure in classrooms. Superman and Me who are the authors of “The Joy of Reading and Writing” explains how education helped him to succeed in life as well as his life as an Indian boy. It’s due to his love for reading that made him propel in the school system and removing himself from the quiet and the poor society and fails in life. Sherman Alexie says, “I refused to fail. I was smart. I was arrogant. I was lucky” (Alexie, 1998). This clearly shows that when everyone is given a chance in the education system without considering the social status, the ability of many students will be manifested.

As portrayed above, division into social classes has an adverse effect on the students in public schools. On the contrary, students from all backgrounds should be allowed to interact with one another in learning institutions as this motivates both. Interaction of students from different backgrounds will embrace working together without any form of discrimination. Alexie who had loved reading and writing but came from a humble Indian family is seen excelling very well in the society despite his social status. Additionally, the ability of students from lower social class is manifested as poverty does not determine what a student is capable of doing.

Another critical challenge affecting students in the public school system is schooling for an extended period. The American system involves participating in a twelve-year curriculum which is viewed as tedious to the learners by John Taylor. The article ‘’Against School’’ by John Taylor Gatto clearly shows that the long schooling periods is designed to produce mediocre intellectuals, to deny the students necessary leadership skills and also restrict their inner life. Gatto says, “Mandatory education serves students only incidentally; its real purpose is to turn them into servants.’’

Gatto articulates that important people in America like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln did not go through the twelve-year schooling system but are successful in life. He says that schooling for too long creates boredom in the students hence losing interest in further education. Interestingly, Gatto points out that not only the students who are bored by the long education system but also the teachers themselves. He says, ’’ I taught for thirty years in some of the worst schools in Manhattan, and some of the best, and during that time, I became an expert in boredom.’’ Gatto also claims that the long schooling curriculum denies the students and the teachers a chance to learn more. He says, ‘’they said teachers didn’t seem to know much about their subjects and weren’t interested in learning more.’’

Gatto stipulates that the twelve-year schooling system have some negative drawbacks to the students and the teachers themselves; hence there is a need to reform the system. This can be done by reducing the schooling system to about eight to ten years. Gatto says that the students claimed that they were taught things which they already knew about; hence such things should be removed from the curriculum thus reducing the number of years spent in school (Gatto, 2003). By doing so, boredom in schools will be eradicated thus motivating the students and making the curriculum interesting to the teachers and the learners.

As discussed above, it is clear that many students in public schools face a lot of challenges. This has in the students lose interest in education hence the result of disappointment to the parents and the instructors. A change should be done so that to motivate and provide an education that is involving to the student. By motivating and involving the students to teachers who know their subjects, they will gain interest and inspiration. Additionally, division based on the social classes should be abandoned and involve all students together irrespective of their backgrounds. By doing so, many students will have the eagerness to learn more and show their full potential in all levels of education.

Reference

Alexie, S. (1998). Superman and me. Los Angeles Times, 19.

Anyon, J. (1980). Social class and the hidden curriculum of work. Journal of education, 162(1), 67-92.

Cox, R. D. (2009). The college fear factor. Harvard University Press.

Gatto, J. T. (2003). Against school. Harper’s Magazine, 307(1840), 33-38.

Rose, M. (1990). I just wanna be average. Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing, 161-172.