Growing up in a highschool which prided itself on its competitive environment, everybody wasn’t exactly “smiles.” My freshman year I identified hundreds of people already plotting their path to college, choosing their major and some even going as far as to plan the next ten years after that. Others were lost, confused as to what to do to best ensure their future success. If one word encapsulates the feeling in the air, it’s stress. Perhaps that explains why the classrooms of American High School are filled with demotivated students with scrunches on their face. They worry about their future. But what happened to living in the present?
I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen a student excited about learning. I can’t remember the last time where I’ve seen a teacher lecturing and a student is enthusiastically watching, with that smile on their face. We’ve normalized passive learning. Somehow, somewhere along the way, learning has become menial. It’s crazy to me how a classroom can be explaining how the power lines we see everyday work or how the entire economy is structured and students have ZERO INTEREST. What happened to being curious?
When I ask these students why they aren’t, the answer comes to the fact that the knowledge doesn’t seem useful to them. That as biology majors heading to college, understanding how their phone gets charge is of no use. And I think this goes to show the fault of the system.
Since I was in elementary school I was asked to think about college. To choose between the path of a doctor, engineer, or lawyer (unironically). This proposition is done in good faith by our parents, to understand the interests of their kids and put them in likewise activities. BUT WHY MAKE A DECISION. Why not let them explore every each one? Making a decision at that early age asks you never to be curious for the rest of your educational journey. Having a plan means you never need to explore any other options, why would you ask questions?
This lack of curiosity is the exact problem with public education today. The kids I know heading off to college are not even excited about what they will study, rather glad that they can make money with it.
From the outside, the US education system seems amazing. In fact, my dad came to the US excited about the freedom that the system provided in being able to learn anything (auditing courses in college or taking whatever classes you want). Yet kids here are changing the system to one solely focused on material achievement. They’ve stopped asking questions. As a society we need to emphasize curiosity over direct success, helping generations understand that its curiosity that leads to success, but more importantly, fulfillment.