The association of education with the American Dream

The association of education with the American Dream

Education

Since the inception of the United States, citizens have lived in search of opportunities and success, which constitute the American Dream. Essentially, America is not about ethnicity, religion or nationality, but it is the idea that everyone, including individuals from humble backgrounds, can do great things. There is no better way to achieve great things than through education, which equalizes people.

The association of education with the American Dream is not accurate. The system of education in America has improved significantly over the years, but still, there are ways to go before everyone can claim the American Dream. There is a notable achievement gap between white and minority students that has barely narrowed over the years. It is essential that even students from deserving communities and deserve equal opportunities to succeed in the nation (Lazerson, 2013). The other problem with the system of education in the U.S is the lack of respect for the profession. There are not enough incentives for upcoming Americans to choose the teaching profession. American teachers work for longer hours, are paid less, and not held with high regard compared with teachers from other countries that lead in education globally.       Countries that have succeeded in making teaching more attractive have done so by developing real career prospects as well as more responsibilities for teachers as professionals. In such states, the teacher is encouraged to take a leading role in education reforms. In this regard, teacher education has to help teachers become not only innovators but also researchers, rather than curriculum deliverers. Providing more youths with the dream to become educators will translate into future achievement. It is evident, therefore, that the current issues in America’s education system need to be addressed before the claim that education is a symbol of the American Dream can become valid.

Increased spending for education would be critical support for the cause, but money should not be the sole path towards creating a better system of education. Solutions to the problems need to be deeper, particularly societal issues that need to be highlighted. For instance, the achievement gap attained through diversity. In sum, education is critical to achieving the American Dream, but there is a need to adjust how Americans perceive it for many people to graduate and continue with training for the rest of their lives.

Meritocracy promotes the idea that people who work hard are rewarded. It is the belief that a system rewards individuals based on ability alongside efforts.  In that way, the hardest working students attain the best grades, which enables them to get the best jobs. Meritocracy ensures equal opportunity. Therefore, schools create a system where everyone can become equal irrespective of class, ethnicity, or gender (Wiederkehr, Bonnot, Krauth-Gruber & Darnon, 2015). The belief in meritocracy is widespread in Western society. Meritocratic messages are shared in books, movies, and political discussions. For instance, in 2008, the Democratic Convention of 2008 and the 2012 speech on President Investiture in America were both laced with meritocratic messages (Wiederkehr et al., 2015). The examples show that the American educational system is genuinely meritocratic because it promotes and maintains the idea its citizen live in a just society where people get what they deserve, or deserve what they get.

The American job market still puts emphasis on credentials obtained from formal education. The job market still values the traditional degree as before (Gallagher, 2019). Although some of the prestigious companies have relaxed their educational requirements, the majority of the existing jobs indicate a bachelor’s degree as the minimum requirement. Therefore, credentialing continues to be relevant and vital in American society. It is no doubt that Americans still emphasize more on credentials because the majority of the employees always list bachelor’s degree certificates as the minimum requirement for the jobs advertised. As Such, college education is essential for people to be eligible for the various situations that are currently available in the U.S. When employers stipulate that a college degree is a bare minimum, they expect for a just, then it means that people who lack degrees do not qualify for the jobs. Therefore, college education, which is a path to acquiring a degree, remains at the forefront of getting a job.

Education prepares people for employment so as to be ready to perform the duties that a job requires. Training provides an experience that enables a person to be employed at a higher level. In essence, education is locked with employment because it gives an individual the chance to learn and continually improve until reaching the full potential. I would consider going to a highly prestigious school despite the massive debt. Prestigious schools have a reputation, and people who present credentials from such institutions are likely to be employed ahead of individuals who offer credentials from little known or unknown institutions. Prestigious schools are believed to produce the best graduates; hence, some employers would not hesitate to employ their graduates. In fact, some employers even specify or indicate a preference for students from individual learning institutions, exceptionally highly esteemed colleges and universities. Going to a prestigious learning institution can be put me ahead in the job market.

References

Gallagher, S. (2019). How the value of educational credentials is and isn’t changing. Harvard Business Review, September 20. Retrieved March 20, 2020, from https://hbr.org/2019/09/how-the-value-of-educational-credentials-is-and-isnt-changing

Lazerson, M. (2013). Higher education and the American Dream: Success and its discounts. Central European University Press.

Wiederkehr, V., Bonnot, V., Krauth-Gruber, S., & Darnon, C. (2015). Belief in school meritocracy as a system-justifying tool for low-status students. Front. Psychol. 6:1053. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01053