Schools have the most important job in the world, ensuring that every child learns the skills needed for a successful future. But that job is very difficult. According to recent reports from https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/, most U.S. students are still not proficient in the "3 Rs" reading, (37%) writing (27%) and arithmetic (25%), even after completing 12 years of schooling! Proficiency is a prerequisite for success in any profession. As a former graduate school professor, I saw far too many students who did not know how to study effectively. Studying or "Self-Teaching," is a complex skill that depends on proficiency in the three Rs, which they had still not mastered, even though they had undergraduate degrees. Sadly, universities are not designed to teach students how to study, much less the 3 Rs. Professors assume that students have already learned these skills in their previous years of schooling. That assumption means that most college graduates, even though awarded the degrees and certifications that employers require, lack the professional expertise needed by employers.
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