The Loss of Our Education by Annika

The Loss of Our Education by Annika - July 2022 Scholarship Essay

Within my years of navigating my way through my academic career, I can admit I have learned how to maneuver and shortcut my way to achieving the grade I want. I was more interested in the ‘A’ I could earn instead of the knowledge I would gain from these classes. Each page of homework piled up and soon it was a chore to learn rather than a privilege. To me and many other students, we were willing to sacrifice our education if it meant the grades were perfect just as we were expected to be.

In our education system, the grade on our report card is more important than what we take away from the class. Why should we care about what we learn if it is not going to be good enough to achieve the letter we as a society tend to base our worth on? Getting an unacceptable grade on a test should not mean immediate failure when the ability to learn and grow without consequence is an option. Much of my education was spent stressing over information I would soon forget after receiving my desired grade, instead of reinforcing my understanding and allowing me to learn instead of just pass. From my experience in the school system, these strictly graded classrooms enhance the stress of learning while pushing for the best version of oneself without the ability to try again. Success does not happen overnight despite what our education thinks. Learning is a process that takes time and encouragement that our system does not always provide, leading to the sacrifice of knowledge in our children and society.

As time goes by, I hope change is brought into our school systems. I hope to see the knowledge gained in this environment become the priority instead of the grade. I hope to see students coming to class ecstatic to build on the intelligence they have already obtained, instead of dreading the hours they will spend on homework assignments and tests for each and every class. Children should have the opportunity to learn without the resentment of a system designed to pass or fail them, resulting in a student being held back. Schools should not be a deterrent, but instead, a place of opportunity and encouragement.

One day, I hope these children in schools walk away with the satisfaction of the information they have gained within the classroom and a desire to learn more instead of only having the mindset to pass, or in my case, get an ‘A’. We as a society should strive for greatness both for our youth and ourselves, but never at the expense of the knowledge we should hold so dearly.