Change Is For the Best by Madison

Change Is For the Best by Madison - July 2022 Scholarship Essay

In elementary school I was giddy about changing schools. I knew my multiplication facts, and I was confident that I would be the smartest third grader ever. On the first day my enthusiasm was insurmountable until I walked into class. When I entered, the students stared at me, so I quickly sat down hoping to lose their attention. The teacher was writing math problems on the board, and I expected to see a multiplication, addition, or even subtraction sign. Instead, I saw was a dash with dots above and below it. All of the other students were writing down answers down, and I just stared blankly. Fifty-six, funny sign, eight what did that even mean? I learned that we were practicing division, but I had no idea what that meant, and I was too scared to ask the teacher. Even worse, fifty-six grew into three hundred and five, and I was becoming more and more distraught. When the day finally ended, I jumped into my mom’s car with tears streaming down my cheeks. As I choked out a very choppy explanation about being lost with a math lesson called division, my mom told me that it was going to be okay. The next morning my new teacher caught me in the hall and explained that she had noticed my confusion. She wanted to work with me after school, so I could catch up. I still remember her warm eyes and friendly smile; I knew right then that she was amazing. After some work, I started to understand, and math became my favorite subject.

Ms. Goodin’s patience with me and love for teaching changed my fate. She noticed my lack of understanding and gave me the knowledge and confidence to achieve. “Teachers, who love teaching, teach children to love learning” (Meehan). I honestly do not know if I would have recovered without her love and compassion. Unfortunately, not all students have this favor, and their education suffers. Improving classroom environments, raising teacher salaries, requiring parent participation, and teaching necessary life skills, are just a few areas that education should be improved over the next ten years.

Currently, classes are busting at the seams, and teachers are doing everything in their power to meet the needs of every student. Sadly, it is almost impossible to meet the needs of 30 different students in one hour. In addition to meeting the students’ educational needs, teachers are expected to meet or at least identify the emotional needs of these students as well. Most teachers are good teachers: they are not in the field because of the paycheck; they are teaching because they believe in their students. These teachers realize that education is not a one-size-fits-all plan; therefore, they are providing several methods of instruction in each class period. However, teachers need help. They need smaller classes, knowledgeable para pros, and more time with students. Without these changes the number of students who do not know the curriculum will continue to rise because it is physically impossible for teachers to make the necessary accommodations for all students.

While focusing on all the chaos that a teacher is required to perform under an allure of perfection, it must be stated that teachers’ salaries need to be raised. The reason for this is two-fold. Firstly, teachers are wearing multiple hats and performing numerous jobs while only being paid to teach. Secondly, college students who would make excellent teachers bypass the field seeking higher paying jobs. This is not because these potential teacher candidates believe that teaching is below them. Instead, college students learn that a teacher’s salary alone cannot pay all of their bills.

Teachers alone should not be responsible for a students’ education. Parents, too, must be held accountable. I can think of countless classmates, who are not making the grades to pass on a regular basis, and their parents are not concerned. To ensure parental support in education, there should be a system like jury duty, which requires parents to be active at school. This requirement should not only be for the fun activities, like festivals, but parents also need to be a part of the education system serving as a para, working in the lunch line, or subbing in classes. Of course, this plan would have to have some rules for certain circumstances, but it could be beneficial for the teacher, child, and parent.

Finally, educators need to review the content being presented to students. Students need most of current curriculum, but they also need classes that improve their life skills. Classes focusing on bill management, retirement savings, home economics, college planning, etc. are on the short list for the foundational framework of life. The reality is that once a student graduates, he or she is bound to unknowingly make a financial mistake, and finances are too significant of a life lesson for it not to be taught in high school.

Over the next ten years changes to education need to be made for the system to progress. By making improvements in classroom expectations, salary increases for teachers, parental involvement requirements, and offering life skills classes, Americans will create a more proficient education system for future generations.
 
Works Cited
Meehan, Robert John. The Teacher's Journey, http://robertjohnmeehan.blogspot.com/.