-
Essay / The Quality of Education in America - 1550
The quality of education in America is a topic that is gaining more and more attention from citizens across the country. Ensuring that young children have equal opportunities to succeed in academia is extremely important if we wish to shape a prosperous and lucrative nation. In her essay, “Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work,” author Jean Anyon ethnographically studies a handful of American schools and argues that there are vast class differences between these academic vessels across the United States. The most widespread differences, however, lie not so much in the resources and financial situation of the different school systems, but rather in the teaching methods and philosophies used. Anyon builds on his thesis by dividing public schools into five distinct social classes and explains the most prevalent coinciding philosophies that teachers fit into each of these categories. “Social Class and the Hidden Work Agenda” is an absolutely groundbreaking work of literature that is relevant to American society today. Jean Anyon stimulates his readers' reflection on the impact of the modern education system on socio-economic class differences in the country. The first category of school that Anyon covers in his essay is the “working class school.” In this section, the author explains that most of the students present have parents employed in blue-collar positions such as factory line workers, boilermakers, and auto mechanics. In the essay, the most widespread educational philosophy for this social category of the school is expressed as follows: “In the two popular schools, the work follows the steps of a procedure. The procedure is usually mechanical, involving rote work... in the middle of a sheet of paper... The wealthier a child's family, the better school he or she will attend. This essay describes the myth of equal opportunity in America very well. It is clear from this literary selection that those born into wealthier families are groomed for success as soon as they start kindergarten, while other children from less fortunate families are simply thrown into blue-collar positions of the working class with little chance of progression to a higher level. socio-economic class. Education is one of the most important elements of our modern American society. As long as we have this wide range of educational philosophies and methods, there will always be children with advantages over others. If these differences are ironed out, I believe it is possible to reestablish a substantial American middle class, creating a more lucrative and prosperous nation..