The general argument made by Dale J. Stephens in his work "The Case Against College," is that college is more of a burden in the long run, rather than a helpful necessity. More specifically, Stephens argues that students coming out of college are coming out with debt, less creativity and a desire to find a job quickly, not giving them the chance to explore in creative ways. He writes, "Instead of sitting in class, unschoolers create their education from the world by finding mentors, taking college classes only when they want to, starting businesses and learning collaboratively." In this passage, Stephens is suggesting that there are more opportunities for success outside of college by digging into your creative mind. In conclusion, Stephens' belief is that college is holding us back from success unattainable in the classroom.
In my view Dale Stephens has some legitimacy to his beliefs because students have to follow a given curriculum rather then creating their own, but in high school rather then in college. More specifically, I believe that the demanding standardized testing in high school is what ultimately kills creativity. In college, students can pick the paths they want to take along with a few general core classes that are required and needed, unlike in high school, where they are forced to take all the STEM subjects. For example students are prepped in high school for these tests while they should be able to explore different fields of their interest instead. Although Stephens might object that high school does not kill creativity, I maintain that it does. Therefor, I conclude, that kids are in fact losing creativity in our education system, but in the lower educational level rather then college.
Dale Stephens is right about students lacking the creativity factor however; student's are lacking this because of the intense high school testing they are forced to go through. Going against his beliefs, college is actually giving students back their creativity they had lost. All throughout high school, students are drilled with STEM classes in preparation for these standardized tests. Students are pressured into this system to which many educators believe actually prepares students for college. Reality is, it does not. Taken right from the College Board's website, “A strong performance on standardized tests also helps students convince colleges that they are ready for the challenge.” These educators do not realize college is not all standardized education. College is a new experience, different cultures, multiple ways of learning, and finally a chance to explore creativity. If high schools gave students an opportunity to branch out into different arts programs, creativity would still be present.
Many other nations use standardized testing as a way similar to the U.S, to raise achievement levels. The difference is, in nations such as China they are successful and beneficial to the system. China’s education system has beliefs far different then that of Americans. The system is strict, demanding and very competitive. The standardized tests in school determine the outcome of the student. The United States has to realize we are not like the Chinese nation. In 2009, Shanghai ranked number one on PISA while the United States landed twenty third. Standarized testing works in countries like China, but in the U.S where everyone is given an opportunity at education, it simply is not cutting it.
High schools and standardized testing administrators need to work together to adjust the tests to focus on the students on an individual level and promote their intelligence. The No Child Left Behind Act needs to be reconsidered. It is unfair for kids even in elementary school to have to live up to a standard. Each student has a different learning ability and specialization. Unless the students are picking the specialty of what they are being tested on, standardized testing even in elementary school should be abolished.
Simply put, these standardized tests are overall biased. So many students success is not within the STEM subjects, but rather music or art. Why should those students who are intellectually advanced in those subjects feel like they are inclined for failure? When it comes to college, you can become an art major and are allowed to expand in that field of study. These standardized tests simply set these students up to fail, which then leads to them not getting into their choice school where they would pursue a degree not related to the STEM subjects they are forced to learn.
It is proven that art has an effect on the outcome of standardized tests. Many schools are cutting back on art programs which not only kill student’s creativity, but also lowers their testing scores. Schools are saving themselves money and resources, but are hurting the students. It is proven that SAT are higher with an increased level of art.
Some students are able to have the privilege to enroll in an art-based school in their district or join a program within their school. Educator do not realize how essential art is for students. More districts and public schools should give students this choice.
"In several national studies over the past decade, students at risk of dropping out cite participation in the arts as their reason for staying in school. Research has also shown that arts education has had a measurable impact on at-risk youth in deterring delinquent behavior and truancy problems while also increasing overall academic performance.2 Despite these known benefits, as the findings of this report confirm, New York City public school students at schools with the lowest graduation rates have the least access to instruction in the arts." (Staying in School)
It does not help that high school teachers add to the problem of the loss of creativity in high school. Classrooms are ultimately becoming drill teams because of their demanding curriculums that allow for little leeway.
“In many districts, raising test scores has become the single most important indicator of school improvement. As a result, teachers and administrators feel enormous pressure to ensure that test scores go up. Schools narrow and change the curriculum to match the test. Teachers teach only what is covered on the test. Methods of teaching conform to the multiple-choice format of the tests. Teaching more and more resembles testing.” (How Standardized Testing Damages Education)
Dale Stephens talkes about "freeing yourself from the structures of the classroom and the authority of teachers." Who would not want to just go around this system of boring teachers and education? This seems like an appealing idea with how teachers teach, however, the classroom and teachers are essential learning tools. The classroom gives students a foundation and place to accomplish an education and the teacher reinforces. Without these two factors students would not be able to get as well of an education. When students are put in these drill team classrooms to prep for testing, students have to think abstractly and find creative ways to learn the material on their own.
This is common in many high schools. Teachers and administrators are looking past the creativity factors for students and concentrating on their overall appeal of the school and are competing within themselves to be at the top with the highest scores. Teachers are just not making learning fun for students. Field trips have ultimately been eliminated and homework consists of hard multiple-choice questions and long reading assignments. Students are bored and it is hard to keep concentrated in this type of atmosphere.
"Policymakers should not assume that the biggest obstacle to preparing students for college is poor-quality teachers. Rather, the biggest problem may be the lack of alignment between the structure of high schools and what colleges expect." (High School Teaching for the Twenty-First Century: Preparing Students for College)
College is where creativity is ultimately reestablished. Unlike high school, there are no more huge standardized tests that need to be prepared for or only one single way to explore education. Dale Stephens shows much controversy over the cost of college, but after high school, creativity needs to be established again. Also, can we put a price on an education that is simply needed in today’s society?
Dale Stephans argues, “There are a little over 19 million college students in the United States, each of whom are graduating with an average of $24,000 in debt, according to the nonprofit Institute for College Access & Success. After college, they are forced to find a job to pay off that debt instead of being allowed to take the time to start companies, projects, causes or initiatives. They are, essentially, mortgaging their freedom in exchange for a degree.”
Stephans has a few valuable points in his argument, but today most jobs are seeking individuals who, in their eyes have a quality education, even if they really do not. College is worth the debts that follow after. There is indeed too much concentration on college students and how much debt they will have to pay rather than the degree they will hold. Without a degree nowadays, it is almost guaranteed you will not hold a stable job.
It is proven that carrying a degree holds many benefits such as longer life-spans, greater economic stability and security, more prestigious employment and greater job satisfaction, less dependency on government assistance, greater participation in leisure and artistic activities, greater community service and leadership, more self-confidence. We see many adults going back to get a degree solely for these benefits.
Stephans has such a high belief that we can succeed without a college education. I think that there are people out there who can do it, but I do not think that most people can without some college education. It takes someone extremely creative and advanced to be as successful as Steve Jobs or Bill Gates. To establish if college is necessary or not, it most definitely is. Dale Stephans states, “What many may find scarier still is that student loan debt is nearly impossible to erase in the case of bankruptcy. The bank can repossess your house.” Your degree is worth every penny spent. In our extremely degree saturated market, you need a degree in most cases to even be considerd for a job.
Overall our education system has many flaws as we have discovered above. The main flaw is clearly in the high school curriculum. In order to open up our creativeness even more, it needs to be expressed at the high school level and advanced in college. With all the talk about being able to succeed more out of high school directly, how can we with the little creativity we are allowed to express? I think that needs to be reviewed when considering going to college or not.
