Written by Micaela Carou-Baldner
American education has been an important topic of debate for the past few decades. However, lately it has been a candent subject in several media outlets and schools due to the increasing number of internationals who choose American colleges to pursue higher education. Critics of our current education system, such as The Washington Post, argue that American students are not being well prepared to compete against international students. This applies to both introducing themselves into the workforce as well as getting accepted into competitive graduate programs of study. As a college student in America, I agree.
According to some foreign language-teaching advocates, such as the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), other countries are making at least one foreign language mandatory at all educational levels. In some countries, like Finland and Germany, a minimum of two additional languages are being taught before college. This knowledge of languages not only provides students with a toolbox to compete and perform in a global economy, but apparently it also benefits overall intelligence, memory retention and concentration skills. Experts argue that speaking a second language promotes creativity, better listening skills, increased mental flexibility and higher scores on standardized tests, which are a foundation to advance within our educational system.
Another important element of international education is the inclusion of music into the years before college. Many Asian and European countries reinforce at least one musical instrument of the student’s choice. This musical teaching goes on through elementary, middle and high school, which allows students to learn another language, the language of music. Music has been tightly linked to the development of structural thinking and overall math skills while it provides people with a way of expression and an alternative emotional outlet.
One very important element of this picture is the role that educators play in the process of developing students into thinkers, writers, creators, challengers and paradigm shifters. Teachers are the driving force of society, and they should be recognized as such. In some parts of Asia, educators are regarded as highly as doctors are. They are seen as one of the most important professionals in a constantly changing society, and are valued and remunerated as such.
In the U.S., teachers are not seen with the same respect, and in many states, getting a teacher’s license is a simple process that doesn’t require a Masters in Education or even an undergraduate degree in the field. Teaching does not only involve the transferring of knowledge; it encompasses inspiring, igniting a spark in young and older minds, fostering a safe environment conducive to learning, allowing others to question, to doubt, to express and to challenge. Are our teachers doing that in our schools or are they transferring knowledge that’s been chewed and digested for students to swallow?
Answering a simple yes or no to the question would be simplistic, unfair and perpetuate the problem. We have some amazing educators, who push the limits in spite of standardized education, make students think outside of the box and deviate from the given curriculums to talk about current events, international issues and broader topics. International students do want to come to America and that very fact says something good about our schools. We have great resources, access to some of the most valuable research and technology, and some of the greatest creations and ideas of the past century were born and constructed in our country.
A large number of American students have easy access to technology within the school and at home, which makes research and innovation more feasible. We have study abroad programs that allow us to experience other cultures firsthand, state of the art educational institutions that facilitate learning and engagement, and open minds that are willing to absorb information and new ideas. Part of the problem is that in this context of ease, American education has become comfortable and we have taken success for granted. Our schools must recognize that beyond factual data and the technology that supports its gathering, there are diverse individuals whose senses can be inspired by music, languages, arts and alternative ways of expressing and communicating. Ultimately, students are way more than a number on a standardized test that doesn’t necessarily represent what they know about a particular subject.
American education should become less averaging in order to foster an environment where diversity is cherished at every level. It is time we stand up, get out of our comfortable place of triumph and realize that a global economy means that we are part of a macro system that does not necessarily favor us. We must look for our weaknesses, recognize them, work through them and grow up. Nobody is better than us, American students, but we are not better than anyone else. It is simply the survival of the fittest. So let’s get moving!
