A nation should require all of its students to study the same national curriculum until they enter college.Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position

Academic curricula have come under a high degree of scrutiny in recent times, with considerable debate over what is best for students and for the nation. Many teachers, parents, students, and voters are adherents to a fixed national curriculum, while others advocate for more freedom on the part of the students, schools, and families to choose curricula better suited for individual needs. One given recommendation states that a nation should require all of its students to study the same national curriculum until they enter college. While I concede that it is important that students share a foundational background in a broad variety of disciplines, I predominantly disagree with the recommendation due to its hindrance of student interest and discovery, and for its restraint of students from building up their career skills from an early age.

Firstly, it is admissable that a foundational background in a variety of fields is necessary toward helping the next generation become productive members of society. No matter the career one chooses, the typical person must know fundamentals of mathematics, English, science, and history and civics in order to function well inmodern society. Managing a budget and paying taxes requires mathematics, while the ability to read and write well is pertinent to nearly all written communication one experiences. Moreover, knowledge of science is practical in terms of one's medical needs (where a biology background is beneficial) or usage of everyday machines (where physics becomes useful). Without a basic knowledge of history or civics, one cannot be an informed voter in government elections as one lacks knowledge in terms of how the government runs or the many prior mistakes made in running it. Hence, a crude understanding of a number of different disciplines is inherently necessary to function in society, making some aspects of a common curriculum worhthile.

At the same time, letting students have some degree of specialization before college can keep students engaged in their learning, thus motivating students to work harder. If a student discovers early on that he or she has a precocious aptitude for mathematics, but is struggling and easily dismayed by history classes, it would be disadvantageous to compell that student to continue in number of rigorous history classes beyond what is needed to be functional in society. These additional history classes can become distracting to the student, taking up time and effort and preventing the student from achieving his or her full mathematical potential. Indeed, studies have often found that students perform better when they are interested in what they are learning. Hence, allowing students more freedom in terms of what they study will build better students who excel at their work.

Finally, by having some say in their academic curriculum, students can get a head start on the career path they choose to take, helping them to become productive society members at a faster rate. When students are given the ability to choose curricula, students will naturally gravitate towards their interests. The mathematically inclined student will thus move quickly towards math, and from there decide at a later rate what area of mathematics he or she finds most engaging. In this manner, students can narrow down their interests more efficiently. Once they have chosen their respective area of expertise, students will be able to take more advanced classes in their subject material, and therefore become highly career-ready very quickly. Indeed, other countries that have adopted this model have found significant success in terms of societal benefits. Germany, which has one of the highest GDPs in the world, has adopted a model in which the last two years of a student's education are oriented very strongly towards the career plan the student has chosen. Many high-school age German students even can experience internships that prepare them well for jobs, an aspect of education that is strikingly lacking in the American school. Therefore, by specializing earlier, students are given more opportunity in terms of future career choices, helping build a productive society.

Altogether, while some commonality in terms of curriculum is important towards developing productive citizens, there must also be some freedom and diversity. Students who have freedom over their curricula will be more engaged in their studies, and also be able to integrate more quickly into the workforce. Each of these aspects cannot be overlooked in terms of building a productive society.