Misconceptions Of The Current US Education System

Former secretary of education, Williams J. Bennett, said, “If the United States wishes to remain the most completist ever and innovative county in the constellation of industrial nations--this cannot stand.” (#8-153) Bennett was talking about the current U.S. education system and how it treats STEM education. STEM is science, technology, engineering, and maths. There’s a high demand for STEM jobs, and the demand isn’t going away. “According to Georgetown’s Center on Education and the Workforce, Kansas and Missouri will need 185,000 additional people completing post secondary degrees by 2018” (#1-NP). Many of those jobs that will be needed are STEM related. However, there is a major problem with the STEM program that cause a lack of interest

These misconceptions seem small in a high school classroom, but they majorly impact the types of jobs those individuals get. In 2013, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and development measured students in science and math (#8-153). The U.S was below average. In that same year, 33% of Americans rejected the theory of evolution. “The U.S ranked last of 19 nations in math, reading and writing” (#7-18). STEM can help citizens compete for better jobs in the global economy (#6-NP). The U.S is only ahead of 4 countries in the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (#2-NP). World leaders want their citizens to compete for better jobs in the global economy. It helps the country prosper. Young girls are discouraged from STEM jobs and taking interest in STEM classes. “Even if a girl is equally qualified as her male companion, she is still 50%-70% less likely to complete an education in STEM due to social pressures” (#4-NP). Noticeable differences in math and science started around the age fifteen— if not even earlier in a girl’s educational career. STEM education must be reformed in order to remain economically competitive with other

Teachers who are uninterested in the subject they teach will also drive away people with potential. If a teacher is not enthusiastic, then the student will not feel enthusiastic for that subject. Students in high school experience this effect currently; students have potential, but hard classes weed those people out. While STEM is a rigidous program, the most successful people have been made. Many of the famous minds, like Albert Einstein, were horrible at STEM classes in school. Many classes in STEM are designed to weed-out those students who aren’t seen as “fit” for a STEM career. Math is generally the class that drives students away. However, math is the basis for all the other STEM disciplines; it’s important to understand. Math has to be made exciting on its own in order to increase interest in it