Here is my response to the question above...
Living in such a
diverse country as America, one would assume that education can tie us together
– giving our youth the ability to develop and learn the same content at the
same capacity. With a common educational goal for our country, it makes sense
for students across the nation to learn the same thing. With the No Child Left
Behind Act, students are given the opportunity to learn and achieve Common Core
State Standards; requiring teachers to meet certain grade level standards in
curriculum. However, because we do
live in such a diverse country, education must be diverse as well. Education
must meet students at their learning
capabilities, opposed to requiring students to meet nationwide standards.
Some may argue that it is only fair to allow students to
learn the same content, and to develop collectively. It does seem appropriate
for our nation to give each student an equal opportunity in education. The idea
of simultaneous learning seems comforting, but will not work. No two students
are the same, and cannot consume knowledge at the same level and pace.With this
factor in mind, modifications need to be made in teaching and curriculum.
Education should meet students at their specific developmental level. Students
who are required to learn certain content without grasping pre-requisites will
have a difficult time moving forward in their studies. Rushing students to
learn content during a certain time period will not provide the necessary
processing skills needed for these building blocks. Students all require
adequate time to understand and reflect upon content in each subject area; this
process needs to be individualized. As mentioned in the VOA Special English
Education Report, “[the CCSS] goes against one of America’s oldest traditions –
local control of education.”
Due to a very diverse society, different demographics
call for different curriculum and teaching methods. A small town school in Western
America encompasses different cultural matters from an urban school on the East
coast of the country. Because of these cultural differences, education needs to
meet the needs of the students in their particular environments. It’s
unfortunate enough that there is a big divide within status in this country.
Schools in upper class communities have more resources, and access to
opportunities than schools in low income communities. With a significant
separation among class in this country, education needs to cater to the needs
of these communities. Education needs to fit the needs of students considering
culture and socio-economic status. It does
seem only fair for an under-privileged student from the slums of Detroit to
receive the same education as a privileged student from Beverly Hills. However,
because of the wide spread difference of these students in their environment,
education should be flexible to meet the needs of these two students.
Lastly, many states are not meeting the achieving
standards on test scores. Hence, content needs to be modified for those states
to meet these standards. It is not fair for some regions in the country to pass
state requirements, while others fail. We need to provide the opportunity for
all students in this country to excel. America is a diverse country; and
education needs to cater to this diversity.