A dynamically upgrading education system is one of the essential factors for a flourishing economy. Often, the public assesses how much the government is willing to spend on the education sector. To ensure that children keep up with the changes occurring over time, updating and improving the education system becomes inevitable.
Despite the availability of technology, free internet access, and sophisticated gadgets, many would agree with the improvement possibilities we can make in our current education system. Yet, settling in is not enough to steer the educational sector in the right direction. For that to happen, we must know the problems that are plaguing the system.
Before making any changes, it is crucial to know what students, teachers, and parents think of the current education structure. People who have a direct interest in the system can guide us better. Anyhow, let’s get going at the top five challenges faced by the modern education system.
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STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENTS
Assessment is one of the metrics used by schools and universities to test students on their academic performance. Although evaluations are not controversial, some standardized testing used by the public schools has sparked debates. Educators argue that standardized assessments have caused undue stress on both students and teachers.
The one-size-fits-all approach of standardized testing is quite problematic. The procedure fails to consider learning disabilities, language deficiencies, and students’ variant backgrounds. Not every child is academically proficient in the same manner. A student who cannot perform well in the ‘true and false’ section might have outstanding writing or reading skills.
The consequences of standardized testing can be challenging for teachers, as well. They often race to finish the syllabus, lowering the quality of the lessons. Also, the teach-for-the-test method focuses on the curriculum narrowly.
Even though standardized testing is prevailing almost everywhere, it causes undue stress and frustration for teachers and students.
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GOVERNMENT FUNDING
The modern-day education system comes with a laundry list of challenges. Identifying these challenges is half the battle. Government funding is a serious issue when it comes to public speaking. A lower budget means less spending on school resources, having a smaller staff, and cutting down on students’ services. In simple words, no-frills education for students enrolling in public schools.
Also, a budget cut translates into lower achievements for low-income students. Children coming from less-privileged backgrounds are not able to buy resources for a better learning experience. They mostly rely on government funding to support their education.
Another consequence of a budget cut is large classrooms. In the face of little or no funding, schools lower the number of teachers, leaving more students in one class. Once the classroom size increases, teachers are unable to attend to students’ educational needs individually.
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ADOPTING TECHNOLOGY
As a teacher, have you ever fumbled with simple gadgets in a classroom? When it comes to technology, students are decidedly more knowledgeable than teachers. It can create problems for teachers when conducting the class. Students’ interest in a subject dwindles when they see a teacher struggling with the technology or is unsure about its use.
As a teacher, you can avoid embarrassing yourself by taking short courses on the latest technology. Or you can encourage students to teach you about new ‘gadgets,’ and fall in their good books!
On the other hand, technology easily distracts students from their studies. During the lesson, you can catch them texting their best friends or using social media sites. They get stuck to consoles and computers, spending little time revising their notes or doing their homework.
At this point, parents must intercede and persuade children into striking a balance between fun and education.
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BULLYING
You should be grateful if you went through your high school years without ever facing a bully! Not many are lucky enough to avoid this traumatizing event. Bullying is probably the only problem that students in both public and private schools face. Social media sites, texting, and virtual interaction have given a boost to this problem.
Bullies resort to these mediums to identify and attack their targets. Children getting bullied often suffer from depression, anxieties, and disorders. These psychological issues adversely affect the student’s academic performance since they cannot focus on daily lessons.
Apart from ruining students’ academic experience, bullying sometimes leaves permanent emotional scars on a person’s life. Recognizing bullying is not enough. Public and private schools need to put their head together to eradicate the problem from the root. The presence of bullying prevention help centers is essential. Beyond that, having open communication, rewarding positive behavior, enforcing rules, and involving parents are also critical.
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FAMILY INVOLVEMENT
Family involvement, especially parents, is crucial for the academic journey of your child. Parents must be able to provide a harmonious environment for students to continue their education in pace. The school makes it a point to communicate to parents how important it is to take an interest in their child’s education.
Divorce, poverty, single parents, and physical and emotional abuse troubles children immensely. Students facing these issues at home are unable to pay attention to daily lessons. Teachers try to accommodate students that come from a less than ideal family environment. But there’s only so much that the school can do- given that parents are not willing to accommodate the school’s request.
On the other extreme, some parents are concerned about their child’s education to a fault. They keep bugging the student, teachers, and the principal and interfere with the education structure. As a teacher, you may have faced a similar kind of problem.
There are various means to ensure your child receives the best education, but some parents take it over the top!
FINAL WORDS
With so much technological advancement in place, some schools are still lagging. Lecturing students straight 6 to 7 hours can be mind-numbing and adversely affect the learning process. Schools should make the most of technology and reduce the long hours to boost productivity.
Students’ fascination with gadgets must get maximized by making education more digital. However, a strict check should be in place to reduce or avoid bullying and cyber harassment.
Identifying the list of challenges facing modern-day education mentioned in this article is easy if schools and lawmakers pay attention. Adopting technology or increasing the flow fund is not the solution. The education system needs revision as time passes.