Earlier this month in Oklahoma, some lawmakers tried to pass a bill that would replace AP U.S. History and ban the material. Some say that the material taught in that class highlights the flaws of the history of our country. Their argument was that the class portrayed America as a nation of oppressors and exploiters. This bill would prevent state funds from being used to fund AP U.S. history along with identifying certain approved texts related to the history, heritage, and foundation of the United States.
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Have you ever sat in class listening to a teacher lecture and think to yourself "when will I ever use this in real lif?" Or have you ever studied for a test or an exam, taken it, and then forgotten every bit of the information that you memorized and spit back out on the paper? I know that I have experienced both situations especially being a high school student under pressure to do well in school. In the article "Why Academic Teaching Doesn't Help Kids Excel in Life," Shelly Wright argues that the traditional way of teaching is not actually beneficial to the learning experience of kids in school. She acknowledges that it is important to learn basic skills such as reading, writing, and math but the "academic-orientated system" (Wright) trains kids to "be good at school" (Wright).
In my opinion, I agree with her view on school. Having just finished semester exams, I can admit to only memorizing mounds of information to get a good grade and having that information be erased from my mind as soon as I exit the class on exam day. This way of "learning" gets me through school just fine, but I believe that simply realizing the ins and outs of getting A's is what makes it difficult for high school students to have a hard time finding what they want to pursue in college or in life. Some students do find a subject that they really enjoy and I wish that was me! In my situation, I am too busy memorizing information for tests to take time to think about what I am interested in. I simply know "how to do school" (Wright). What did you think of the article? Do you agree with Wright's points and views of thee modern ways of teaching and learning? Have you ever felt like school is teaching you how to "navigate your way through the predictable demands of the system" (Wright)? Why Academic Teaching Doesn't Help Kids Excel in Life |