Podcast

The podcast discusses the positive and negative aspects of the American education system and suggests changes that could be made. The hosts mention the importance of giving students more time for homework and work by reducing school hours. They also propose implementing better resources for students dealing with stress and anxiety, such as wellness centers with professional counselors. Additionally, they suggest teaching students practical skills like finance and taxes, as many students lack this knowledge. The hosts reference an article stating that only 50% of students find their learning relevant, and student engagement decreases with each grade. Overall, the hosts emphasize the need for improvements in scheduling, mental health support, and practical education in schools. In this episode of the podcast, we break down the positive and negative experiences of the education system in America and what we would personally like to change about the education system and the way it is run today. Hi, I'm Julia, and this is the time to get real podcast. We like to start by acknowledging the New Jersey and New York people as the traditional custodians of the land where we are recording this podcast. Our entire lives are spent in school and with all the time I can say there are a lot of good things about the school system. You learn things, you get to meet new people and make friends, but school also makes you think that there aren't other things you should invest your time in or don't know how to help students dealing with issues outside of their studies. With my experience, I remember waking up for class every day around seven, having eight classes which ranged from algebra to English and physical education and science and coming home around three and having work at five because, you know, because I was tired I would take a nap after school and then wake up to get ready for work. I would come home from work around 930 and have to do my homework at that time and I knew I had to stay up late knowing I had school early in the morning the next day. If schools cut their hours and class time, students would have more time to focus on their homework and have time to work. With so many classes a day and so early, it's not surprising teens are feeling burnt out. Another thing school should think about is implanting better resources for students dealing with stress and anxiety. In high school, students are stressed about their assignments and working part-time and also preparing for the college of their choice. If schools could set up wellness centers where they have professional counselors so students could have someone to talk to or even just talk with other students, it would be a great way for students to let out stress from homework and have everything else they have going on. An hour where they could come in either after classes or before classes in the morning. It's important for students to learn about being mindful and learning strategies and how to practice mindfulness. It could even become a class because most students might not have the time after the school day ends. And lastly, it would be really beneficial for students if they could be required to take classes like business or finance so they could be introduced to what they will need to know in the future. This is important because so many high school students and even college students don't know, for example, how a credit card or debit card works, how to write a check, or how to fill out taxes. And some college students don't know this because they were not taught in high school. We found an article published by the Seattle Times on July 31st, 2022 and later updated October 14th titled, Student Voices. Why the education system is flawed and what to do about it. And something that I found really interesting in paragraph four is that only 50% of students find what they're learning in school to be relevant. According to a survey conducted by the education news website, the 74million.org, and student engagement only decreases further with each grade. The youth truth analysis of survey responses from 2012 to 2017 found that 78% of students were engaged in their learning in elementary school, declining to 59% in middle school and in high school. To come to an end, it's important for the school system to improve upon their schedules for students so that they can have more time for themselves. School resources that help students who are dealing with mental illness, and stress, or even issues at home with family, and making sure we teach students things they need to know to be prepared for the real world. That's it from us today. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoyed this episode. Let us know what you think. We're interested to hear your thoughts. If you're new, you can support us by clicking subscribe or follow on your preferred podcast app leaving a review. And most importantly, share this podcast with your friends and family.