As Education Fails America

             "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education," (Mark Twain). This, coming from arguably one of the best writers in western literature, is saying that education and schooling are two very different and separate things. The way he words this, he is implying that his education is more important than his schooling. There is a reason for this. Even then, the education system in America was beginning to fail such that Twain was compelled to find other means of educating himself. Unfortunately, many students, then and now, are not as successful as Twain was in finding education. There is no question that literacy in America is on the down swing. Now the question is why. A forced learning environment, coupled with vastly inconsistent curriculum and over all discouraged student population prove that the current educational system is doomed to fail.
             After reading what Mark Twain says, it is necessary to clarify the difference between an education and an institutional education. In-the-classroom learning is what Twain calls a schooling. Things such as algebra, biology, and history are common subjects of study in the classroom. Out-of-the-classroom learning is what Twain calls education. Things such as how to interact with others, issues of personal morality, and how to function in the real world are some examples of this type of learning. Though the two may overlap at times, they are generally two separate types of education. To Twain, it is the outside learning that takes precedence. He has managed to be very successful while paying little or no attention to in the classroom learning. This implies that the things taught in-the-classroom are not as valuable as the things learned outside. Most professional athletes and rock stars (even if they do not have a degree) make more than the president of the United States. The message being told to the youth of America is obviously 'You do not have to have an education t...

More Essays:

APA     MLA     Chicago
As Education Fails America. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 10:02, March 29, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/2329.html