I know that for the past five months, I’ve bombarded social media with photos, videos, and updates from around the world. It has probably gotten annoying- We get it, Claire. You’re studying abroad. But if you have been so fortunate enough to navigate around the internet without stumbling upon one of my thousands of posts, I will inform you that I have in Europe, studying abroad for the past semester. Although my pictures show little hint to any schoolwork or learning whatsoever, I promise that I was in fact attending college. And while I interacted with Europeans and their culture in and out of school, I learned a lot about our own education system… And what it lacks.
For one, we don’t emphasize the importance of learning a foreign language. Sure, most high schools require a foreign language credit in order to graduate, but in Italy they start learning English in kindergarten. My friend and I helped “tutor” two Italian girls (aged 10 and 13) but they were already so fluent that we didn’t have much to teach. It was incredibly impressive. Not to mention the fact that out of all of the 11 countries I visited, nearly everybody spoke English as well as their native tongue. I thought that not only was this extremely applicable to the real world, but it also demonstrated respect and diverse thought processes. I personally love learning a new language- I am minoring in Spanish at Gonzaga University. Not only have I been able to double as a translator at work and understand Italian and Spanish in Europe, but I believe that studying a foreign language has helped me become much more culturally knowledgeable.
Secondly, the United States doesn’t teach history very well, at least in comparison to our European counterparts. Those same Italian girls knew the history of their country inside and out, as well as the history of the European Union and most other major countries. Me? I don’t even know what date the Declaration of Independence was signed. July 4th, 1783? I just googled it and it’s 1776. I’m not a dumb person, I get straight A’s. But the fact that I am 21 years old and don’t know when our country’s most significant document was signed is not only a reflection of my study habits- it’s also a reflection of our education system. I don’t even like history, but I know that it’s important! How can we know where to go in the future if we don’t know our own country’s past?
Creative thinking is also an idea that we don’t expose our students to enough as we should. I continually use the two Italian students as examples because they are at a prime age in their education, but they would explain their school projects to us and they were so open-ended, it scared me. Never in my life was I given so much freedom to do my own work, but these European children are. In America, we don’t go to school to learn to think for ourselves. Instead, we learn how to take tests. We memorize formulas and quotations, but we don’t really understand them. Our education is built on test scores, and doing anything we can to get us into the college of our dreams, and honestly, it’s a sham. We lack creativity which leads to a lack of innovation and individuality.
Creative thinking goes hand-in-hand with problem solving. And no, I don’t mean those annoying word problems. I’m talking about solving problems in real-world situations. Trying to figure things out on your own without asking for help. Finding your own way to do something instead of going by the book. Sometimes at work there will be an issue and there won’t be a formula you can simply plug in to fix it. What are you going to do? We don’t know, because we haven’t been given the opportunity to try this foreign idea.
Finally, it is no secret that when there are budget cuts, arts are the first department to go. But it shouldn’t be. Whether it is music, painting, or writing, art inspires the creativity that other classes lack, while providing an inventive outlet for kids. I always loved my art classes. They gave me a sense of peace in an otherwise hectic world. Many people think that the arts are just menial elective courses but they help students develop the creative, original thinking the need to succeed in life. So why are we taking them away?
I went to Europe in order to have fun, experience a different culture, and further my education, and in the process, I learned that at home in the United States, my education pales in comparison to that of European children. I know that my judgements seem harsh, but I’m a student. I’m the one witnessing this first-hand. I’m the one that is affected. And most importantly, as a young adult about to dive into the “Real World,” I’m the one falling behind.
