Change in Schooling

  Did you know that the graduation rate in Nevada is only 80.85%? In my opinion, education should be changed to better benefit students. Students should be able to pick what classes they want depending on their future.

  The way students learn now is okay, but it could be improved by maybe removing classes that aren’t as needed. Getting rid of classes could allow us spend more time in other classes so that we have more students graduating. Students are still likely to be successful but if the way students learned was changed, students will soar above the level they are at now. The highest rate is in Iowa, where graduation rate is 90.8%.

  For example, if a student wanted to be a scientist they might choose to take math and science, rather than taking a foreign language. They should be able to pick whether or not they want to take an elective without having to take another class to make up for not taking an elective.  

   An article from Itnmark.com, an education website, talks about how schooling has already changed over the past 10 years. “Teaching as a profession has been around for centuries, and there have been many subjects that have come and gone during that time. Newer subjects such as computing and media studies have become widely recognized in schools; many pupils are even choosing to continue studying these contemporary topics in further education.” Subjects have come and gone to attempt to make education better.

  Even with the newest changes in education such as computer classes being added etc, it still doesn’t benefit students as much as it should be. The newer changes in Nevada, add in a variety of different things to learn, such as robotics, welding, or computers. These newer added classes also made it to where each class period is made shorter with the added periods. Even though it’s good that we have added in new classes to have an opportunity to learn different things it still takes away learning time from important classes by allowing students to chooses electives rather than core subjects, although, I do think that the newer change better benefits students more than it did in the past.

  Emily Nielsen, a Drama and Language Arts teacher at Pahrump Valley High School, answers a few questions on her opinions on the subject stated. “I think there are many positives but there are also many aspects of the school we need to improve upon. I love seeing all of my students every day, but wish there were less class periods, I could have more time with them.”

  I agree with Ms.Nielsen. We should waste less time on non core classes and get rid of some not so needed electives. Students should be able to spend more time in classes they need more rather than others they don’t need as much.

  Ms. Nielsen, also said, “I  believe that we are hurting our students with the 80% late work[so students can turn in late work and it would only knock the students grade on the work to an 80%], which means their less prepared for careers. School is the practice for work. Work rarely gives you second chances, so neither should school.”

   If school was really made to help our future, shouldn’t it better prepare us for our careers in the future? I guess the newer system kind of helps out with graduating but not so much for our future careers. The newer system such as adding power hour to allow students to get help or make up work for classes, or accepting late work, etc.

  Students could be more successful with the change of getting rid of not so necessary classes like Physical Education, getting rid of class periods by maybe starting block scheduling, and letting students pick all classes. If this change were to happen I feel like students could be more interested in learning than they are now. With students picking their own classes, they might get better grades, be more interested in what their learning, and more likely to pass their class.

Right now, education is set up where you have barely any say in what you are forced to learn. For example, a student may not like taking Physical Education, but in order to graduate you need a Physical Education credit, even though it may not have anything to do what you want your future career to be.  I think that half of the classes we need are a waste of time and I feel like if we spent that time taking other classes that could actually help with students future career choices, it could better benefit students. Some classes that aren’t so needed could be health, P.E. and maybe Art.

  I think that schooling should change to where we can pick all classes from 6th grade through the rest of school. In Elementary schools, students should still be required to take math, science, computers, history, and geography. Elementary students should not have to be in classes such as Art, Physical Education, Music, and Health/ healthy snack days. Taking out the classes that kids don’t really need such as Art, could allow more learning time for other classes that they could possibly master making it so they could spend less time on mastered classes in later grades.

   One pro is that schools/counties wouldn’t have to hire as many teachers because there’s a higher chance that class sizes would be larger than usual making less teachers needed. Class sizes would be larger because there is not as wide of a variety as there would be usually so more students have to go in each class. Students might have a higher chance of graduating. Districts could cut down school hours because students might not have as many classes.

 One con could be that it is just another new schedule and change students would have to learn to get used to. Classes would be much more full, which could also mean that teachers have more work to do, such as grading. With bigger classes it could be harder for teachers to teach since students with normal size classes are usually talkative, it’s probably even more talkative with double the students.

  I strongly support my opinion because students will more than likely be better off with the changes of picking what classes they want and don’t want to take, and cutting down school hours. Although classes would be bigger, I think students will overcome that and still be successful.