Take It by the Decade by Alina

Take It by the Decade by Alina - July 2022 Scholarship Essay

No group of students are ever the same. And as the world around us changes with each decade, so do the needs of students throughout the better part of their required education. So over the next ten years I think some changes could be made to our curriculum. In order to improve our education for the next ten years, schools should teach students communication, instruction in different environments, and should actively seek student input on the curriculum. In this way, students can better retain information and be more prepared for their future careers.
Communication is an essential skill for success in many, if not all careers. Communication studies teaches people how to collaborate with other employees and managers, appeal more to the masses in marketing, and be more effective in establishing connections whether it be in the corporate world or entertainment industry. If schools want their students to be successful in their future careers, they should teach communication as a required course early on. Many colleges already offer courses in interpersonal communication. But why wait until college to develop this skill? Now more than ever, children and teens struggle to communicate face to face when so much interaction is done behind a screen. If middle and high schools changed their curriculum to teach their students the power of verbal and non verbal interaction, students would be better equipped for their future in adulthood.
In addition to communication, education could be improved if students could actively see the things they are taught applied to the world around them. This could be achieved by changing the environment in which they learn. In courses such as environmental science and biology which deal with the earth, students could benefit more by moving the classroom from indoors to the outdoors. According to an article on sites.psu.edu called ‘’Science in Our World...‘’ a change in scenery can increase ‘’alertness and focus‘’. Therefore, by changing the student’s physical environment, students can better retain information.
Communication courses and changes in environment are things that I would like to see change in our education. But why take my word for it? If schools really want to change education for the better then they should actively seek input from all of their students. Scholarship essays such as this one are a good way to gather the opinions of pupils. However, if schools want to better cater their education to those who are directly affected by it, then they should send required surveys or essays about changes to education. If students had a say in what they learned, they might be more eager for their courses and retain information better. By catering to the students specific interests, they are better prepared for their future lives even past their formal education.
Education is meant not only to better students, but to better the future of our country whose well being will be in the hands of the next generation. So as we continue to change and shape a brighter future for ourselves, we must also change our education. Decade by decade.