Average

While watching The Happiness Advantage in class, I remember one of the only things I could think about was a program that was put into my elementary school (and probably many others as well) in my last two or three years there. The "No Child Left Behind" program. Although it was originally intended to catch up students who didn't understand the material we were learning, it ended up simply holding the kids who did understand back. Before it was implemented, those who did understand could continue learning at whatever pace they preferred. Now, it's not bad that they wanted to catch students up with each other; I just think it's bad that often times they weren't bringing the average up (as mentioned in the video) but rather by almost bringing the average down by holding back students who had perfectly fine grasps of the material hey were given.

Similarly, Common Core (for math) has done the same thing. It was implemented as a way to get students to better understand math through new methods and explanation of answers; however, it also held students who understood math back. Our class, for example, cannot take math classes at as high of a level as previous classes before us. Mainly because in 7th grade, we were forced to take pre-algebra: the same class that students before could previously test out of if they felt it necessary; however, due to common core, we were not allowed to skip that level and were forced to simply endure another year of learning similar material to what we already knew. I'm not against these programs per se; I'm simply against the fact that often times, rather than bringing students intelligence levels up, it simply held back those who were already ahead. Education systems like this can be implemented if they don't also force kids that can understand what they are learning back.

There are many other flaws in our education system, as mentioned in The Happiness Advantage. Other than holding the average down, other problems can be seen in the amount of pressure we apply on success; whether it be grades or tests, we've almost been trained to fear failing. Fearing failure isn't necessary always bad, but it holds students back, as mentioned in the video How to Help Every Child Fulfill Their Potential. According to Dwieck, if a student doesn't naturally feel smart and feels they have to work towards their goal, then they simply don't feel smart enough to succeed, which often holds them back from taking on difficult tasks hat could help them out in life. In response to this, I don't necessarily think we should get rid of grades and tests; I simply think we shouldn't hold as much pressure and importance to them. Students should not be trained to think their grades are their lifeline. Students should instead be trained to balance out their life and accept failure as it comes, even if it may lower their grade a bit.

As for testing, I personally don't believe that it is a good measure of one's intelligence. A student could understand material perfectly in class; however, when put to the test, they may simply forget. This isn't necessarily because they don't understand the material, but rather because, often times, students are put under immense pressure and anxiety due to tests, and some students end up not being able to think clearly because of that. I also don't think we should get rid of tests. I just think we should not have as many as well as stop glorifying the results of them, as often times, that puts the students who didn't do as well on them down. Tests force students to second guess how smart they really are, even if they are the most intelligent person in the room. There are some European countries who don't nearly as many tests as the US, and those countries are often ranked as having some of the best students, and education systems in the world.

- Samira Elasmar