The future will be very different from how it is today. There
will be new technologies, global concerns, and political realities. American
education should look to the future and begin to prepare us now for what
is to come.
One way to
improve American education is to offer technology classes to students.
Clearly our future will depend on computers. We do have some instruction
on how to use these machines in school and it is great that kids use
computers for typing and research. However, teachers should go further
to explain how these and other machines work. Educators should be open
minded and imaginative about how technology will affect our upcoming
lives, and then teach based on their predictions.
A second way
to improve American education is to focus on the issue of global peace.
Conflict resolution programs are already provided for students but should be
taught within the context of world peace. Children should be taught from early
childhood how to compromise, negotiate, respect differences, and to share.
If they are also made aware of basic human rights, they will grow up to become
strong and fair citizens of the world.
Many foreign
affairs professionals predict that China will be the next major world
power. Its population is enormous and it is one of the largest countries in the
world. Shouldn’t American students be learning Chinese in school? Languages
need to be taught more intensively in order for us to communicate more effectively
when we are adults. In order for this to happen, the American language
education plan should be revised. First, language education should start at an
earlier age. Also, since it is possible to predict which countries will become
important to world politics and trade, their languages should be taught to American
children now.
A fourth issue
that has become extremely important is ecology. American education should
make it a priority to teach students about conservation, global warming, scarce
natural resources, and genetic engineering of food. Teachers should encourage
their students to think beyond recycling and reusing, and to work on creative
ways to help the environment. By strengthening children’s awareness of
the earth and our effects on it, we will be better able to maintain a healthy
planet as adults.
These four
topics: technology, global peace, languages and ecology are just some
of the vital subjects our country’s children need to be familiar with as
we approach adulthood. The American education system should take in to account
that the world and our lives will be very different in a few decades. In order
for us to be successful adults, educators should be teaching these subjects to
us now. |
