Educational Reform

Article Review: This article is about President Obama advocating for educational reform.  He states how he wants longer school days and extended academic years.  President Obama also states that he wants improved early childhood education programs, higher standards in elementary and high schools, better teacher pay and recruitment, and expanded college aid programs.  Obama states that "a better educated workforce will enhance the nation's long-term prosperity."  He wants to improve funding for early childhood programs saying that it will improve test scores if we start educating children at a younger age.    He wants No Child Left Behind to live up to its name and not just be a failure.  In order to help higher education, Obama plans to increase Pell grants.  

Jackson, David. "Obama Urges Education Reform." USA Today. 10 March 2009.  Web. Fall 2011.

My Opinion: Although this article is from 2009, I think it is still important.  I had to read it for one of my classes last semester and found it to be informative.  It is especially interesting, because you can tell that not much of this has been accomplished.  I do agree with just about everything that he talks about in this article.  I think it is important to improve early childhood education programs, because if a child starts out behind they will most likely stay behind.  If you start children at a younger age you will be able to see what they struggle with and strive on.  Higher standards are always needed, and in every school system.  Better teacher pay is needed because teachers are so under-appreciated.  However, the tenure system also needs to be gotten rid of.  The tenure system secures jobs for teachers that do not really care about their jobs and just want the job as a security blanket.  Teacher recruitment is important because good and passionate teachers need to be recruited into the education system.  President Obama states in the article, "Education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity and success, it is a prerequisite."  I think this statement is absolutely true.  I think that education is a prerequisite, but it is no longer a promise like it used to be.  With the state of our economy higher education will not always take you to the highest point, because of the lack in job opportunities.  I believe that NCLB is a great thing, but is not carried out in the right way.  I believe that it has really just made education go to the pits.  It is always a bad thing when the federal government is passing laws on education, because they are not the main source of funding for education, the state government is.

until next time.

happy learning.