Overlooked Problem in American Education System Essay Example
Chapter nine of Gladwell's book addresses a commonly overlooked issue in the American education system. He uses the case of KIPP, a public school in New York, to illustrate his arguments. Gladwell points out that a majority of KIPP students come from poor and racial minority families. Despite these challenges, KIPP School has defied public perceptions and become the most esteemed learning institution in the city. Gladwell credits the school's success to their dedication to preserving cultural legacies.
According to the author, the model of KIPP School should be emulated by future schools as it strives to operate in a similar manner (Gladwell 113). The American schooling system, as observed by Gladwell, originated from the concept of work followed by rest vacations. Summer vacation has become deeply ingrained in American culture to the point where its existence is unquestioned.
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...se culture, there is a belief that persistent and continuous hard work leads to greater results, contrasting the common belief that hard work should be followed by a vacation for rest. Gladwell argues that the American education system overlooks the significant impact of summer holidays, which is crucial in seeking solutions to educational problems. While reforms in the education system typically focus on teachers and students, it is important for education stakeholders to also consider the impact of summer break on the system.
The author suggests that both low and high schools may see similar levels of performance and improvement throughout the school year. However, differences in performance become apparent after the summer break. Students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds may not have access to stimulating summer activities like their wealthier counterparts. This causes these students to fall
behind and results in lower performance. Additionally, without support from mentors or guidance, these students are at a further disadvantage. Gladwell argues that the length of the summer break is the root of this issue, not the teachers or schools themselves.
According to Gladwell (111-119), KIPP School has successfully overcome the primary difficulty it faces. Gladwell analyzes the experiences of a student at KIPP School to understand the factors contributing to its remarkable performance. This student, Marita, devotes additional time and rarely takes extended breaks. Despite her young age of twelve, she works diligently like a medical resident or lawyer. Marita bucks the trend of the typical American summer vacation, which emphasizes long periods of rest.
Gladwell emphasizes the significance of students like Marita comprehending the necessity to compensate for missed opportunities available to wealthier and middle-class students for equality. To achieve this, these students need to sacrifice weekends, vacations, and time with friends in order to prioritize their studies at KIPP. This serves as a valuable lesson for education stakeholders since Marita's success demonstrates that her sacrifices are worthwhile. The author utilizes this example to argue that if there are unequal chances for fair competition, they must be expanded by any means necessary, even if it entails challenging traditional American culture.
This article focuses on education inequality in the American education system. The issue is explored by Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outliers: The story of success (Gladwell 111-119).
Citation
- Gladwell, Malcolm. Outliers: The story of success. Hachette UK, 2008.
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