northern lights

Marie Dixon    

English/ Comp. I

Mr. S. Dalager

E2.1

February 26, 2007

Education Then and Now

            When I was last in school things were so different. It seems 100 years ago now, by time and technology. We’ll go back just to high school. If I go back any farther I’d loose half of you in a time warp! Anyway, when I was in high school I would start by going to my first period class, say the pledge of allegiance, and continue with the studies of that class. Now I think the pledge is allowed but only on Mondays, and the students don’t have to participate. This is a huge mistake, in my opinion. I think our children need to say the pledge to keep them grounded and to give them time to think of those who are in battle zones, giving their lives and limbs, for their freedoms. It also gives our children time to contemplate what our country stands for. Saying the pledge at the start of every day made me feel safe and proud.

            Another thing we did daily was gym, physical education, I hated it. The second hour of every day I would have to get undressed, go outside run around get all messed up, then come in shower and get dressed for school again, and doing all of this in less than one hour. Now I’m not sure if children even have P.E., and if they do, I think it’s only a couple of times a week. With the problem of obesity we Americans seem to have, all of us need to get off our butts and get some exercise. How many of our children sit in front of a television either watching or playing video games for hours at a time? P.E. is not a

luxury. It is necessary for our children to get to stretch their muscles, expand their lungs, and get their heart rates up for less than sixty minutes a day. How can that be asking too much?

            Another difference is penmanship. I think that may be a lost art soon. We had to write by hand all of our papers. The typewriter was the machine of the day, but for some reason people didn’t rush out and buy one as soon as they were available to the public. Today most people have computers in there homes. Even if younger children (elementary grades) may have to write by hand some things in class, before long they will have computers in their classes too.  I believe most high school and middle school students are expected to type most of their reports, essays and such by computer or typewriter.

            One more change that should be mentioned is cell phones. They are great for parents to keep track of their children, but think of the poor teachers. The teachers in my day thought they had it bad with children passing notes to each other. Teachers today have to put up with students’ texting each other using their cell phones. I’m sure teachers have rules about turning the phones off before class, like here, but to enforce that with a bunch of thirteen year old young adults must be a challenge.

            When I think back to what school was like when I was there last, it feels a lifetime ago now.  Having seen all the changes that have taken place in the school systems because of all the new technology today is amazing.  Just think of what school will be like when your grand children are in college. What changes will have taken place then? Will they have some new machine that takes thought out of their brains and type this paper for them? Only time will tell.