It's the Process that Really Produces by Isaac

It's the Process that Really Produces by Isaac - January 2014 Scholarship Essay

As students, we are always told to focus on getting the answer right. We have been trained since early elementary that everyone is a winner, to treat others the way we are meant to be treated, and that there is either a right or wrong answer. While many of the things I learned in elementary still ring true in my life today, I believe that the idea of one absolute answer is definitely debatable. I was always told that my answer was either right or wrong and that if it was wrong, I needed to get the right answer. Many teachers, even into my high school classes, have continued to preach the Gospel about the right answer. However, as I am learning more and more every day, there is not always a “right” answer.

Teachers today are learning to “teach the test.” In other words, they give the students the information that is on the standardized tests, help them to memorize helpful tips for the test, and launch them into the future with test scores that do not really tell the tale of the student’s learning. Many students can do quite well on tests without having any real understanding of the information they are being tested on, while every student who really connects with the topic, nearly always does well on the test. The difference between these students is the level of connection they have attained with the subject that is being studied. Many students “Fake it till you make it!” when dealing with classes in high school, and very few actually delve into the topic and give 100% effort to take as much as they can from the class.
I have found that the classes where I was able to learn the most came from classes that were not worried about the testing dates. Of course my teachers wanted me to do well, and they were willing to help me prepare for the standardized tests, but they did not change the course of the class in order to focus on these tests. Only the students who really desire to improve their scores and perform well on these tests are going to get anything out of it. The average high school student is not going to put him or herself into the material and truly strive for greatness. The really great students are the ones who strive to continue learning after the 3 o’clock bell has rung. These students are the ones who care about the process, not the product.

In discussing “the process,” I first have to understand it, and I had never thought about the process until I took my college government class this fall. This class taught me a great deal about how important learning is. Anyone can memorize answers to a test if they try hard enough, but it can be difficult to actually learn something and find ways to apply what is learned. This “process” is the key to really opening the human mind and allowing it to explore and develop. This “process” breeds great scholars because it forces the student to either think, or get left behind.

Our current public school system focuses on ensuring that students can score well on their standardized tests and that no gets left behind. These ideas are all well and good in elementary, but at some point, students need to start being engaged with the subject matter. I have found that it is impossible for me to sit idly by and allow the information to pass me over. I have found a need to engage in the material and take from it as much as possible, so that I may gain knowledge and experience from it. I am no longer satisfied with the easy unchallenging classes that are slept through with easy A’s. This is because I have become a student of the process, rather than a master of the product.

The “process” is really about focusing on the steps that can be taken to solve a problem, rather than about finding the one solution. Intellectually, it challenges students to think about a situation, and come up with a resolution of their own, rather than one they have been hand fed since the age of 5. This process creates problem solvers. These students are more prepared to become the future world leaders, because they have been working to see the situation from many different perspectives, and to make the best decision possible for all perspectives, rather than jumping to a conclusion proposed by lobbyists. This process inspires students to dream bigger, because they can come up with a solution to their own obstacles to their dream.

This process is the thing that has given me the most knowledge in high school. While I may have gotten a better grade in Calculus or P.E., the classes that use this process are what really prepare me for my future. While it may not benefit me on my standardized tests, it most certainly prepares me to become a problem-solving businessman, a doctor who cures cancer, or a world leader that brings about a sense of peace.