Impact of Sputnik

Impact of Sputnik

The impact the sputnik launched in 1950-1960’s had a more positive impact on the American educational system, because it showed us just how far we are behind in certain areas, and these areas were mathematics and science. America is a country that does not like to be last in any advancement at all; they like to think of themselves as being the innovators of everything technological. Americans had to really take a look into their curriculums and they noticed that they were behind in the math and science department.
After learning this fact the powers of the school systems rearranged their system to focus more on the math and science department. Unfortunately it took this to force us to realize the students were not being thought what they needed to be successful. Even today these two subjects are not the focal points in the education system. Math is deemed not important and science as well because most students and faculty are not focusing on these subjects. Math are being focused on now days because of the creation of standardized testing, standardized testing is a result of the poor achievements of the schools and officials were forced to take action to raise the educational levels. This system takes away the other subjects such as geography, economics, and history these subjects have been completely taken out of the curriculum and focused more on the subjects that are on the standardized test. Some students can’t even find their state or city on a map and other students can’t even tell you anything about American history not to any fault of their own but because they are not being through this in the public school systems. Science has become obsolete in today’s educational system, even with the teachers that teach science they are not willing to teach because they don’t feel like the students are taking their science importantly.
Taking standardized testing out of the school system we will have more well rounded students. Seems to me that we are back to the same educational levels as the 1950-1960’s, the American school system is ranked the lowest in the world and that is very unacceptable for a country that is supposed to be a super power. Something has to be done and I don’t think that standardized testing is the answer.