American Education System Essay Sample

Many foreign exchange students believe that school work in the United States is easier than in their home country (Toppo). By this notion, many can argue that the American school system is not up to par compared to other countries. In order to compare differences in education systems, I spoke with a citizen from Canada named Mason. He believes that Americans are focused equally, if not more, on athletic ability than academic ability; whereas academic talent is favored highly in other countries. Due to the intense emphasis placed on extracurriculars, American education has turned into a system of rote, or habitual, learning. Battling to stay competitive with other countries can produce an expanding workload for U.S. students, causing a game of serious “catch up”. Changes should be made to the public school system in the United States to promote academic achievement while also making school an enjoyable place where students learn real-world skills that prove beneficial in life beyond their academic careers. Forcing students to stuff their brains with information for tests only causes them to forget the information later. The American Education system needs to deter from rote learning. 

Rote learning is defined as “the memorization of information based on repetition” (Rote Learning vs. Meaningful). Rote learning is a process that allows students to be able to store information in their short-term memory and quickly access it. However, rote learning does have its advantages. Some advantages may include the ability to quickly recall information and develop foundational knowledge (Rote Learning vs. Meaningful). The foundation of critical thinking is short-term memorization. According to “What Is Rote Learning And Why Is It Controversial”, rote learning is crucial for obtaining information long enough in the short term memory, that it would later become long-term memory knowledge. After a student stores information in their long-term memory, he or she may then be able to apply that knowledge to solve problems. Although rote learning provides an educational foundation for students, it is not a learning technique that will be able to help students throughout their academic careers, as information gets more difficult. There are many disadvantages to rote learning. Rote learning can transform students into passive learners. Students rely on their teachers in search of a solution. A student will not access their own thinking techniques to solve a problem independently, resulting in passive learning. Rote learning stunts a student’s ability to divergent thinking. Rote learning does not train the brain to explore different possibilities to an answer, just the one that is memorized. Rote learning does not prioritize comprehension over repetition. This is a harmful side effect because a student may not be able to apply what he or she learned to a concept outside of the way he or she may have learned it (What Is Rote Learning). Information stored in one’s short-term memory must continually be repeated or used to maintain in the memory for any length of time (Team). Therefore, if a student wants to recall information that was memorized through rote learning, he or she must continually pull out that information from their brain or consistently repeat it. Rote learning only stores information in one’s short-term memory.  It takes vigorous repetition to move that information into the long-term memory. “While there is an appropriate use for rote memory, researchers have discovered that it is not an effective way to learn information and complex concepts in a way that will allow for long-term retention” (Team). The public education system should take suggestions from scientists, and instead turn to a system of meaningful learning.

Although rote learning provides an educational foundation for students, the American educational system can look to implement meaningful learning. Meaningful learning is defined as the “learning of new material or information by relating it to the learner’s experience or existing knowledge base” (APA). Meaningful learning calls on active classroom environments. Students can store information in their long-term memory easier by use of meaningful learning, as opposed to rote memorization. Studies have found that knowledge obtained through meaningful learning can be remembered for a significantly longer period of time than information obtained through rote learning (Team). There are extreme benefits to meaningful learning. “Meaningful learning promotes understanding, not memorization” (Rote Learning vs. Meaningful). By connecting learning to previous knowledge, students can understand the concept of the information. This knowledge can be applied to real-world situations and critical thinking tasks. Information obtained through meaningful learning makes information easier for the student to understand, remember, and apply. Meaningful learning, an obvious counter to rote learning, is a way for the American educational system to improve academic performance among students.

Students in foreign countries prioritize school work to increase their academic intelligence. Many foreign exchange students believe that school is easier in the U.S. relative to their home country. A question as to why many believe this to be true must be addressed. The American education system is focused on cramming students’ brains with information for testing purposes instead of making classrooms interactive (What Is Rote Learning). As shown in many foreign school systems, an educational emphasis is placed on learning rather than memorizing. While learning serves as the foundation of academic success, the skill of memorization becomes part of the process rather than the focus of learning. Foreign exchange students find memorization easier as it has been embedded in their learning techniques since their adolescence. American students begin to struggle to keep up with rote learning. On top of this, American students are encouraged to focus on athletics, not included in a school day, just as much. Maintaining these responsibilities becomes overwhelming.  Rote learning does not teach students information that can be kept in their long-term memory, but rather in their short term. American students are required to “learn” by memorizing information only to regurgitate it for tests and assessments and then later forget it.  The U.S. education system could learn a great deal by examining the success rate of these flourishing foreign countries.  

Estonia, Finland, and Germany are among some of the top educational systems in the world. There are differences between the way the school system in the United States works compared to the systems in foreign countries. For example, extracurricular activities and time for homework are included in a typical school day for children in Finland and Germany. Therefore, students have shorter school days and are still able to maintain their responsibilities throughout the day. This means that there is less time outside of school spent on homework. In Finland, individual teachers decide the curriculum to teach and how they choose to direct their classrooms. This includes how much digital technology is used in the classroom (NewsOnABC). Teachers in Estonia and Germany have to follow a certain curriculum, as instructed by the government, but are able to direct their students in the manner they please. In Germany, there are homework restrictions on weekends so that students do not have to focus on schoolwork outside of school time (The German School System). The goal of these foreign country school systems is to promote learning so that students can learn information and still enjoy school. Teachers create interactive classroom environments, using techniques such as meaningful learning, to help students apply the knowledge that is being taught to them, and use it in real-life scenarios. Interactive classrooms provoke critical thinking. Deterring from rote learning in an interactive classroom stimulates critical thinking and, in turn, creates better academic performance. Schools are set up to provoke children’s thought processes in ways other than basic worksheets and tests. For instance, playtime is encouraged for students throughout the school day. In Finland, kids have the ability to play on the playground, use ping pong tables, open a student-run cafe, and do other activities that help to keep children engaged in school while still making it fun (NewsOnABC). When a school is a place for students to enjoy, students want to learn. Rote memorization only wears students’ brains out. By the time a student reaches a higher education level, he or she does not have the willpower to memorize. Students who were raised on a basis of meaningful learning and interactive classrooms are more refreshed because they find academics enjoyable. 

In conclusion, the American education system has many improvement opportunities. American students are not excelling as frequently as students in other countries. Compared to other countries, an overwhelming amount of emphasis is placed on rote memorization for American Students. Foreign countries’ school systems are not perfect either, however, their student’s academic performance exceeds American student’s frequently. The United States needs to alter the focus of school for children so that they have a desire to learn. By deterring from a system of rote learning, the U.S. can make drastic changes to improve American education.