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Argumentative Essay: America Is Lagging Behind In Education

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Studies show that America is lagging behind in education. Nowadays expectations for students are getting lower and lower, and many times we are being told to not compare ourselves to others. Parents are encouraging kids to play instead of study, and to enjoy life. Some parents and even some teachers are saying that ½ an hour of homework is too much. But how can kids reach their full potential and contribute to the society without working hard and challenging themselves?

Lisa Morguess, of the National PTA and the National Education Association says, "I feel that, especially in elementary school, spending six to seven hours a day in school is enough. Kids are tired after that and need to unwind and engage in nonacademic activities…” It is true …show more content…

Learning how to read and write will help students in the future, but learning how to write in cursive may not. Trying to make your writing “fancy and pretty” is fun and interesting while trying to solve a math problem sometimes makes us frustrated. But we all know that frustration is part of the learning process, and you will get stronger and be able to overcome something bigger next time. The quality of the time we spend in school matters the most.

In addition to pure academic knowledge, schools should be teaching skills needed to solve real life problems such as taxes, finance, how to write resumés, and cover letters. When students are old enough and have to pay taxes and cover their mortgage, how are they going to do it without any knowledge? Nan Morrison, president and chief executive of the CEE said that state governments are so focused on teaching the basic subjects of math and English that personal finance often gets forgotten. America’s students need more homework, set higher standards for themselves, and learn more practical and real life skills. Without setting high goals and trying to get to the top, we will fall behind in global competition. Kids need to learn that school is as important if not more as compared to sports, and that effort is the most important element of

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