Alicia Burton

Ms. Alapin
English 220
21 July 2014
Manifesto
M - Matter: Why Do We Care?
Why do we really care about education? Education can open so many doors in ones life.
It can help a person get a job and even a higher pay (Wolf 3). It can teach people information
that is relevant to everyday life such as paying bills, talking to a cashier at the grocery store, or
knowing information about a World War II Veterans Memorial that you visited on your last
vacation. In the simplest form, EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT!
A - As and Grades
Grades are everything. They show a students progress. They determine whether the
student passes or fails the class. They determine if the student advances to the next grade or
class. I believe grades are a very appropriate way to monitor a students progress and to assess
what they know. One thing, however, that I would change about the grading system is the idea of
minuses (like A- or B-), especially in college. At the University of New Mexico, the difference
between getting an A or and A- determines the GPA and quality points that a student gets in
certain class. In my experience, it has been more harmful than helpful in the semesters that I
could have had a 4.0 GPA but instead received something lower because of the minuses. I
believe it is okay to give minuses as a part of the grades but I do not think they hurt an
individuals GPA.
N - Nature: Where You Are Matters
Home school or public school? Private school or charter school? No two students are the
same. One may require more attention than the other, or one may grasp information at a slower
pace. It is important that each student gets the required adjustments in order to succeed. This can
be achieved by putting the student in the appropriate schooling system to help them. Education is
important so make the changes that are needed and dont be afraid.
I - Information
What kind of information is taught in schools? Why does it matter that some information,
like the history of World War II or the Renaissance, are taught? The information that is gained
during ones educational career is so important because it can influence their future. The lessons
taught in their history class can help them understand why the government is what it is today; the
facts about the Renaissance can educate them about that painting hanging on the wall. Some
things that need to be added to the curriculum in schools is that of managing everyday life. I
graduated high school in the top 20 students in the class of 2011 but I still do not know how to
balance a checkbook, do my taxes to get the most back, fix the hole in the wall, or how to
manage a credit card account. These things and more need to be added to the courses in order to
better prepare students for life outside of school.
F - Faculty and Staff
What difference can the faculty make on a students education? How do teachers really
impact learning? Teachers can create the biggest difference in a students academic career. They
have to power to make learning fun and interesting; they can make the student want to further
their education. Teachers are so important; that is why we need the very best in our education
system. Find the ones who care, not the ones who are looking for an easy job.
E - Education
What is education and why does it matter? Education has many different definitions.
Some of my favorites were found during my research for our first project in this class. In Book
VII of The Republic Plato defines education as the art of turning [the souls organ of learning]
around in the easiest, most effective way not implanting sight, which it already has, but of
contriving to turn the organ around to look where it should (Plato 179). Education has also been
defined as the act of learning in every moment of ones life (Flinchbaugh 2). Finally,
Dictionary.com defines education as the act or process of imparting or acquiring general
knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing
oneself or others intellectually for mature life. Education is the true preparation for life outside
of school. Without it I would personally find myself stumbling in many areas. I would not know
how to write an appropriate paper, how to do simple math, or how to read the morning
newspaper. Many things are so important for survival and many are taught during ones
academic career.
S - Schools
But I dont want to go to school! or school is boring, are heard commonly among
students by their parents and friends. How can we make it better? Does the boringness affect
learning? I believe that if a student finds school boring or uninteresting, their education will most
likely take the hit. I know from experience that the boring classes are ones that I never really put
that much effort into and sometimes my grades suffered from it. The solution would be to make
the classes interesting in any way possible. If the material is dry, the teacher or professor should
find some way to gain the students attention so that they will succeed and maybe even become
so fascinated with the material that it may become their career in the future.
T - Testing
What has teaching to the test done to our education system? Ever since No Child Left
Behind was enacted into our legislation in the United States in 2001, testing has become such a
main focus of our education system. It is the way student progress and knowledge is evaluated
(Holmes 2). The testing, however, has become such a major part of schools that teachers now
mainly teach to the test. This causes subjects that are not tested, like music and history, to be
swept under the rug and become lost (Strauss). A solution to this problem would be to include
the non-tested subjects on the test so that their value and information does not become
overshadowed.
O - Outcome
What will happen if we fix our education system? Will people strive to learn? Will they
enjoy what is being taught? I believe that if we were to make the changes to our education
system in the United States, even the tiny ones, students would be more interested in learning
and gaining knowledge about the things that interests them. I know from experience that if I did
not have to take so many core classes that do not interest me, like philosophy, I would be able to
put more time and effort into my emergency medical services classes and learn more information
to be the best paramedic I can be. Lets make learning more fun! Students will be more willing to
strive towards their education and be better people if they receive a great education when they
are young.



Works Cited
Wolf, Alison. Does Education Matter? The Milken Institute Review. n.d. Web. 15 July 2014.
http://www.milkeninstitute.org/publications/review/2002_12/49_72mr16.pdfPlato.

Republic. Trans. Raymond Larson. Wheeling: Harlan Davidson, 1979. Print.

Strauss, Valerie. Bill Clintons big ides for education. The Answer Sheet. 5 Sept. 2012. Web
30 June 2014. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/bill-clintons-big
ideas-for-education/2012/09/05/e1e5f0ec-f7bb-11e1-8398-0327ab83ab91_blog.html

Holmes, Sara. Standardized Testing and the No Child Left Behind Act: A Failing Attempt at
Reform. n.d. Web. 30 June 2014.
http://www.ecu.edu/cslib/reference/instruction/upload/Sarah_Holmes_First_Place.pdf