by Augustine Bauer

Created on: November 18, 2009   Last Updated: January 15, 2010

As a High School student who has attended schools in two different countries and will be starting a new school in yet another country next school year, I have continually seen inspiring teachers hindered by governments who think that they are helping. Although teachers should certainly be held accountable for what they are teaching and how well they are teaching it, governments that regulate this too strictly can stifle teachers' ability to present lessons creatively and force them to teach for the test.

In my opinion, that the North Carolina Public School System is a prime example of this. With schools' funding relying on students' results on the End of Grade and End of Course exams, teachers are virtually required to have students memorize lists of facts. Teachers can no longer spend time further researching topics the class found interesting or incorporating art, music, etc. into lessons. There is a definite pressure to teach only what is on the test and ignore all other information. This is discouraging for students and teachers alike, especially when a teacher feels that they constantly fail to whet their students' appetite for knowledge due to an inability to move beyond the list of facts students will be asked to recall at the end of the year.

I have seen a similar pattern in the United Kingdom, although to a lesser extent. Teachers were once given much more freedom to choose what they would teach and how they would teach it. They could take the time to explain the causes and effects of historical events and scientific phenomenons without worrying about what might not get covered as a result of this.

Another way in which governments can negatively affect teaching in schools is when they fail to allocate reasonable funding for schools and teachers' pay: putting education aside as less important than health care or unemployment benefits. Without adequate funding schools cannot be expected to provide quality education. I also find that the young men and women who would make the best teachers often pursue other careers due to the low pay associated with teaching.

That said, governments have the ability to foster a high-quality education system. By reviewing schools' performances, offering grants, and encouraging excellence, governments can build a school system of which the country can be proud and in which a new generation of citizens is successfully prepared for the future. Governments are on the right track but often fail to recognize the unique requirements, interests, and intelligence of individual students, teachers, and schools. Working with teachers, school principles, and- most importantly- students, governments can perfect their system of management and encourage outstanding schools.

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