A Learning Approach

As a junior at Newtown High School, myself and other students have noticed the approach to learning has changed. We believe that school today is more about passing your classes, finishing your assignments on time, rather than learning from the content. 

There are always going to be kids who are considered ‘lazy’, and  could never  care less about their grades. But overall, most kids want to do well in school and are willing to do whatever it takes to get there.  

“For junior year, I feel as though I turn more of my assignments in for completion because colleges are known to look at your junior year grades more. I want my high school transcript to look good, and I feel like most of my classmates would do the same thing,” NHS junior Sophia Araujo said. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been ascending in schools all over the United States. Teachers at Newtown High School are often using AI detectors to see if their students' work is genuine.  Although it might appear that the kids who aren’t interested in pursuing college lean towards using AI, most use it regardless of their interest in the class.

“I am a huge procrastinator, and sometimes I rush my work using AI and my friend’s work to get my assignments turned in on time because my grades can give me anxiety,” NHS junior Aiden Napolitano said. 

  According to Psychology Today, in 2012 a survey was administered among 23,000 high school students. 57 percent of the students agreed that in the ‘real world’ successful people will do whatever it takes to win, even if it is considered a dishonest action. This implies that sometimes cheating is allowed, if it makes the individual look successful. 

Doing School written by Denise Clark Pope discusses how much pressure is put on kids in modern days. It also discusses this ‘loop’ that students, parents and teachers are stuck in together. The teacher gives an assignment, The student completes it. Then wait for the grade. The student will get a good grade on it.Then,  Both the parents and students are happy.

At Newtown High School, my parents always have access to my grades.  If I get a good grade  I get told “Great Job!” But if I were to get a bad grade, or a missing assignment, I get sent a screenshot as if I hadn’t already seen the grade in PowerSchool. No student wants to get told they’re doing a bad job, let alone be told it more than once, so this leads to the opinion that students will do anything to pass their classes.

“I often feel pressured by my parents to finish assignments because they are constantly aware of my grades. I think that part stresses me out, rather than motivates me to know they are ‘always watching’,” NHS Junior Lahja Kurjaka

Teachers are required to teach a certain curriculum in every subject, but how the teacher applies the curriculum has been disengaging for students. 

“We are required to put a certain amount of grades into PowerSchool every quarter. I think what most teachers do, who care, is try to make every assignment meaningful and personally applicable. What I will say, in high school there is always going to be work you don’t want to do. In every class,” NHS social studies teacher Ryan Eberts said.