Things On My Mind

The American education system knows you feel stupid.

I have been replaying the scenario that finally led to this "Ah-ha" moment for about a week. I truly have been meaning to write about this because it validated a portion of my opinions on the American education system. Of course, I'm not saying this is how education is in all states, but this is what I've encountered.

A week ago, I was sitting in a classroom. Our teacher was giving us details on our midterms. He had a list of people that would be testing in a different location, so that they could have their test read aloud to them. The teacher read off the list and when he reaches one girl's name, she runs out of the room screaming. A majority of the class, including myself, laugh because we thought she was joking. The laughter ceases when the teacher gets up and leaves the room to speak with her.

It's known, but never talked about, that the kids that need their test read aloud to them are on a lower learning level than the rest of us. That girl knew this and was probably made fun of for needing the extra help. Anyways, our teacher returns and tells us that she was on the "test-read-aloud" list at her old school, but she was supposed to be taken off the list.

I thought about this for a while after it happened. She has to be fully aware that the kids who are on a lower learning level need the read aloud. The school obviously knows which kids struggle, so they single them out by putting them on this list. She felt stupid for being on that list. I fully believe that the kids that need help should have it, but in a more discrete way so that they aren't singled out.

School is hard to cope with today. More and more people are anxious about the littlest things and some can't even function without thinking someone else is judging them. It's harder to fit in and harder to keep friends; this is partly due to drama spread around on social media.

I don't think my teacher should have read the list out loud. He should have gone to each individual student on the list and told them which testing site to go to, not announce to the whole class who needs extra help. Most of the time the kids on the list don't care, but for instances like this one, extra care should be taken.