No, this problem cannot be placed entirely on the shoulders of our educators. Learning requires both a teacher and a pupil. If one of the two is removed, learning does not occur. Now, there is surely not a shortage of students in America today, but are they true pupils?
This is the age of the well-rounded student. Colleges want students that have shown talent and interest in many different areas. Why? Do these schools expect freshmen to major in every subject? Not one bit. Colleges want to know that their students are open to new opportunities and that, if they have chosen a major already, they know their strengths and weaknesses. Unfortunately, being the all-around boy can be harmful for many. For example. . .
Growing up, I had a lot of free time. I spent it by reading, writing, thinking, talking to my family, or by doing nothing at all. I know that in certain situations this much downtime can lead to drugs, drinking, etc., but this time helped me to grow. The past few months have shown me what the life of the well-rounded student is like: Relaxation is difficult because you feel like you're wasting time. Everything is done quickly because there is so much to do. Sleep is harder to come by. Thought is tossed out the window since it weighs you down.
Guess which statement is the most critical. [Jeopardy theme music plays.] That's right! Absence of thought is more frightening than a modern horror film written by someone who should be in jail due to the content of the aforementioned movie. Before I rant out the wazoo on the importance of thought in general, I will focus on the effects it has on us whipper snappers in school.
Senioritis is a very real, very dangerous disease. It has affected both myself and many of my friends. This condition is similar to depression. The victim has little or no motivation to complete any sort of required task. Learning? Forget it. Informations is memorized because it has to be, and then it is forgotten as soon as possible. To continue my personal story, I used to be the "genius" kid from about 2nd grade until high school. Slowly, I started to discover what I actually enjoy doing, which is writing. By the time I reached my senior year, I couldn't stand to do anything else. I fought, and still fight, against the endless requirements because the result is a group of moody teenagers who only go through the motions. They don't care, especially if they have a passion for something completely unrelated.
The bottom line is the teachers are barely teaching, and the kids don't want to learn. Besides having everyone watch Dead Poet's Society, there needs to be a system overhaul. Exams should test understanding, not memorization. Courses need to focus on relevant aspects of each subject, if possible. Schools should at least try to nurture the strengths of its students. Until then, public education will continue to be the official sponsor of cheap, plastic achievements and pupil puppetry.
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