Seth Cook



5-29-13
SETH

What does it actually mean to learn something? My school seems to think its throwing bookwork work at us every day, expecting us to absorb the information. Standardized testing, scantrons, repeating the same type of math problem over and over. In my opinion, this is not an effective way of learning for most students. Teachers play a huge role in the education system, whether or not they can get through to their students or not. Some teachers are similar to androids, giving assignment after assignment, not going over the material, not discussing it so you can understand it thoroughly.
I believe that education is heavily based on the teacher-- how they teach their material. Being a teacher that’s able to communicate with the students is a quality that should be mandatory. Having a teacher that acts like a robot and just assigns bookwork without discussing anything makes learning extremely difficult. That’s why I think our education system should focus on revamping the teachers, making a teaching position as respectable as something like a doctor position. So, in the end, if we can get teachers that can get through to the kids, we will make learning an easier and more enjoyable experience for the students.
I think that being a learning is acquiring skills that you can actually apply to better yourself in the future. I understand that schools require you to learn core subjects, but that doesn’t mean you have to throw it at them every year of their high school life. Learning the basics of some subjects should be enough. Schools don’t teach us how to prepare for life as much as we need it. We don’t learn how to do our taxes, purchase a home, pay bills, or anything that helps us in the real world. Being a learner should mean that the things we are studying make a difference in life, I can honestly say I will never use algebra on a daily basis. The only job that requires that is an Algebra teacher.

Our education system needs to better the learning process and focus on things that really matter. We can achieve this by offering new classes in schools that will prepare students for the journey of adulthood. Teachers are the key to the educational process.