By Saya Alvares

Sports Editor

As I hit the halfway point of my junior year of high school, I feel knowledgeable enough on the American education system to comment on an aspect schools should fix. In America, the public high school system normally functions with students taking an average of six courses each year for four years, and fulfilling certain requirements for graduation and college eligibility. Specifically in California, the requirements to graduate include three years of English, two years of mathematics (with Algebra 1), three years of social science, two years of science, two years of physical education, and one year of foreign language and/or performing arts. These requirements increase if a student wants to be eligible for college or university, but the gist is that there is a bare minimum of specific information that is covered throughout the four years of high school. Given these requirements, I believe that the curriculum taught in classes should not repeat in other classes, as it defeats the purpose of having a set curriculum. 

When required classes have information that repeats in other classes, it diminishes the effectiveness of the education system as it shows a lack of communication between the different subjects and classes. Hearing the exact same lesson repeated in more than one class becomes redundant and causes students to become confused or bored. All teachers prefer things to be done a specific way tailored to their class, so if in a past class an explanation a student used was acceptable, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will be for another teacher. This causes students to become confused over a topic when it is not necessarily incorrect. 

For example, in my AP European History (AP Euro) class last  year, there was an entire unit focused solely on the Renaissance era in Italy and France. While this is an AP class, this same unit is taken by all sophomores in World History as well. This unit covers the Protestant Reformation that started with Martin Luther, as well as an in-depth exploration of the inventions and art of that time period. This was the first time I learned this information, and I studied it thoroughly to prepare for the AP exam that took place in May 2022. So when my current French teacher announced our new unit about the French Renaissance, it was difficult to find the motivation to learn about something that I had already learned. I noticed that other students who had taken AP Euro or World History were tired, bored, and unwilling to expand their knowledge as well. 

I understand teachers who expand on the perspectives of the same topics such as when it differs with Calculus and Physics. But for the sort of information that is standard for everyone, there is absolutely no need to learn standardized curriculum twice.

(Sources: California Department of Education, World Population Review)