"Is our children learning?"

In the last 15 years, American schools have seen increasing cuts in time and money for "nonessential" education in American schools. Classes deemed unnecessary for American students include art, music, physical education and, more recently, classes formerly considered academic such as history and science, according to Jay Mathews' article in The Washington Post, "Teachers Stir Science, History Into Core Classes." Stressing only math and reading and trying to divorce skills from content as the American school system seems to be doing is exceedingly foolish.

Although reading and math are critical for creating a populace that can easily get around in the world today, these subjects can serve as a basis for most others and, conversely, can be learned through other disciplines. It is very possible to practice reading with a history book or to practice math in a science class.

The emphasis on math and reading might be understandable, although misguided, if the main motivation for the push rested on possible academic benefits for students. However, it seems that the changing emphasis of American education is not due to any actual educational theory, but rather to relative ease of testing those subjects.

Young minds produce their best work, in terms of both content and skills used, when they are emotionally or intellectually invested in that work. A young radical will spend more time and effort writing about the state of America today than writing about the importance of avoiding passive voice. Furthermore, that same writer will be far more likely to learn from mistakes in that paper on America than the one on passive voice, which they would most likely throw in the trash after it was graded.

Sadly, much of American education is "teaching to the test," rather than trying to involve students in the content of their work. Teachers are not allowed much freedom in deciding what they feel should be taught in their classroom because they have to prepare students for huge batteries of standardized tests. The new emphasis on math and reading is merely the latest push towards more standardized learning.

Even the most illustrious of the standardized tests are obviously not a good enough indicator of actual learning. Many universities and colleges do not grant credit for high AP scores because they feel that students are not adequately prepared even after taking these tests and their respective classes.

Avoiding subjects because they are not easily testable or do not seem as essential for the American public does not create well-rounded, free-thinking students. The American school system should not just create students proficient in reading and math. The goal of the American school system should be to create thinkers and learners who do not just have their multiplication tables memorized but also have the ability to come up with their own original ideas and the tools to find answers to problems that arise.

While this is difficult for school systems where only a small percentage of the students will ever graduate, teaching a variety of subjects creates a greater chance that students will stay interested and engaged. By teaching not only reading and math but also "less essential" subjects, the American school system will create more interested, better prepared and better rounded students.