A credo is a statement of belief. In the world of education, perhaps the most famous such statement comes from the great American philosopher John Dewey. In 1987 Dewey published, "My Pedagogic Creed". Here is the beginning of this seminal work.
Article I. What Education Is
I believe that all education proceeds by the participation of the individual in the social consciousness of the race. This process begins unconsciously almost at birth, and is continually shaping the individual's powers, saturating his consciousness, forming his habits, training his ideas, and arousing his feelings and emotions. Through this unconscious education the individual gradually comes to share in the intellectual and moral resources which humanity has succeeded in getting together. He becomes an inheritor of the funded capital of civilization. The most formal and technical education in the world cannot safely depart from this general process. It can only organize it; or differentiate it in some particular direction.
I believe that the only true education comes through the stimulation of the child's powers by the demands of the social situations in which he finds himself. Through these demands he is stimulated to act as a member of a unity, to emerge from his original narrowness of action and feeling and to conceive of himself from the standpoint of the welfare of the group to which he belongs. Through the responses which others make to his own activities he comes to know what these mean in social terms. The value which they have is reflected back into them. For instance, through the response which is made of the child's instinctive babblings the child comes to know what those babblings mean; they are transformed into articulate language and thus the child is introduced into the consolidated wealth of ideas and emotions which are now summed up in language.
I believe that this educational process has two sides - one psychological and one sociological; and that neither can be subordinated to the other or neglected without evil results following. Of these two sides, the psychological is the basis. The child's own instincts and powers furnish the material and give the starting point for all education. Save as the efforts of the educator connect with some activity which the child is carrying on his own initiative independent of the educator, education becomes reduced to a pressure from without. It may, indeed, give certain external results but cannot truly be called educative. Without insight into the psychological structure and activities of the individual, the educative process will, therefore, be haphazard and arbitrary. If it chances to coincide with the child's activity it will get a leverage; if it does not, it will result in friction, or disintegration, or arrest of the child nature.
I believe that knowledge of social conditions, or the present state of civilization, is necessary in order properly to interpret the child's powers. The child has his own instincts and tendencies, but we do not know what these mean until we can translate them into their social equivalents. We must be able to carry them back into a social past and see them as the inheritance of previous race activities. We must also be able to project them into the future to see what their outcome and end will be. In the illustration just used, it is the ability to see in the child's babblings the promise and potency of a future intercourse and conversation which enables one to deal in the proper way with that instinct.
I believe that the psychological and social sides are organically related and that education cannot be regarded as a compromise between the two, or a superimposition of one upon the other. We are told that the psychological definition of education is barren and formal - that it gives us only the idea of a development of all the metal powers without giving us any idea of the use to which these powers are put. On the other hand, it is urged that the social definition of education, as getting adjusted to civilization, makes of it a forced and external process, and results in subordinating the freedom of the individual to a preconceived social and political status.
I believe each of these objections is true when urged against one side isolated from the other. In order to know what a power really is we must know what its end, use, or function is; and this we cannot know save as we conceive of the individual as active in social relationships. But, on the other hand, the only possible adjustment which we can give to the child under existing conditions, is that which arises through putting him in complete possession of all his powers. With the advent of democracy and modern industrial conditions, it is impossible to foretell definitely just what civilization will be twenty years from now. Hence it is impossible to prepare the child for any precise set of conditions. To prepare him for the future life means to give him command of himself; it means so to train him that he will have the full and ready use of all his capacities; that his eye and ear and hand may be tools ready to command, that his judgement may be capable of grasping the conditions under which it has to work, and the executive forces be trained to act economically and efficiently. It is impossible to read this sort of adjustment save as constant regard is had to the individual's own powers, tastes, and interests - say, that is, as education is continually converted into psychological terms.
In sum, I believe that the individual who is to be educated is a social individual and that society is an organic union of individuals. If we eliminate the social factor from the child we are left only with an abstraction; if we eliminate the individual factor from society, we are left only with an inert and lifeless mass. Education, therefore, must begin with a psychological insight into the child's capacities, interests, and habits. It must be controlled at every point by reference to these same considerations. These powers, interests, and habits must be continually interpreted - we must know what they mean. They must be translated into terms of their social equivalents - into terms of what they are capable of in the way of social service.
You may find the rest of Dewey's credo here.
The comments section contains credos students created for a class assignment. The assignment was as follows:
Your credo will be an articulation of what you believe the purpose of education and/or schooling is and/or should be. This is your opportunity to explain your personal philosophy of the aims of education and/or schooling. Simply tell me what you think the purpose of education/schooling is.
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Credo: Thoughts and Feelings on Education
ReplyDeleteI feel like there are many different aspects to education. From what I see, our education system is falling short. I know I cannot speak for a nation of schools, but from my experience even at “good schools” I had some terrible teachers and some very frustrating experiences. For instance the scenario mentioned in the Elkind reading, where in the “fun” classroom games, like around the world, the kids who were quicker at math and spelling got more practice and the whole class saw who was “smart” and not “smart.” It was a constant battle for me to do well and even in a small private school, had my parents not been so hands on I would have fallen through the cracks. Now that being said, in middle school it was obvious who’s parents did their science fair projects for them, and those kids got A’s while the kids who did the projects themselves often did not get A’s even when putting a hundred percent effort. We (fellow students) always felt like it was so unfair when the school obviously turned a blind eye to what was going on. It was easier not to address the problem. Much of my experience in school showed me that hard work does not always yield reward, and in many cases it does not.
This theme continued into high school when I had two teachers my junior year who were guilty of unfair grading in two very different ways. My chemistry teacher, we’ll call him Mr. H, taught two to three days out of the five day week. Students were thrilled about the circumstances it was a study hall for the majority of the week. It was a tough day at the end of the semester before midterms when he said he was going to be sending out report cards and he called the people with low grades up to his desk and said “Well I like you so have a B.” This is not an exaggeration, he only called the kids up who had not earned their grades the whole semester and gave them high grades anyway. I had a A- that I had actually earned while meanwhile the students who texted all through class had near to or higher than I. The worst part is that he did it in front of everyone.
Second teacher “Mrs. A” was guilty of similar practice. This class was English Literature, my favorite subject had always been English. Papers came back throughout the semester and I consistently received C’s but put few comments as to why, and even when I would confront her with the topic she never had a very good answer, it was also unfortunate that she was the department head. It became obvious that the reason I was receiving low grades was because she did not like the subject matter. During peer edit the other students said they did not understand why I would get low grades in her class. Although it is not as obvious as Mr. H’s practice it is equally unfair and harmful.
On the topic of subject matter in school a sensitive topic is always racism. During middle school and high school we read so many required reading books on the hardships of Blacks in American and Jewish people in the world that it is causing the reverse affect. Chris Rock said in a standup comedy show, “You know the black man can complain about the white man, but the white man can’t complain about the black man.” I do not think this is a beneficial point to get across. Reverse racism is just as big an issue in some instances but it is socially unacceptable to address this issue without being labeled as a racist. This was very obvious during the 2008 election, particularly in the college setting. White students were called racists by other students if they were not pro-Obama. I thought that the whole idea was not to choose a president because of race.
ReplyDeleteThis subject needs to be addressed in schools, as far as the other major flaws of the education system many of them would be solved if students held themselves to a higher standard but I know this is easier said than done. I do believe that school is necessary to have a general public that can think at least a little for themselves but I do have a different opinion about higher education.
Depending on the person individually, I feel that trade schools are much more valuable than universities. There is a stigma that surrounds not going to college; however it is not necessarily true. Trade schools set students up for a career that has no chance of being outsourced. This country will always need plumbers, electricians roofers, mechanics, contractors chefs and many more. Some of the most successful people never completed or even went to college i.e. Bill Gates, and my dad who despite having terrible schooling and never completing college, is one of the smartest people I know. I believe the education system can improve in these places where it is so weak. I know that in other ways the system is good, I have implemented many of the things I have learned in school, and hopefully the gaps will eventually be filled.
Nastasha Lauren Pollard
ReplyDeleteI have confidence that the main mission of education should be to educate and inspire all students while nurturing a student’s dream. With this, all students can achieve and work towards pursuing whatever aspiration they choose. While educating our students one essential aim should be to be inclusive of all students. Every student comes from different experiences and cultures, and learns differently; teachers should always be mindful of this. Another important educational aim should be to make learning fun. I believe that teachers should put more energy into making what they are instructing exciting and being enthusiastic about their subjects; they will get better results from students in the classroom. Finally, a third educational purpose should be to push towards creating more critical thinkers, rather than teaching to the test. I believe the education system has lost sight of what education really focus on. If these educational aims are put forth to fulfill what the purposes of education should encompass, students will be not only be very knowledgeable, but motivated to learn more and show better performance in school. With this motivation, students will then be able to contribute their knowledge to our dynamic world.
Education must be all encompassing. All teachers should make a promise to themselves to not make any assumptions of their students. Teachers must believe in not making judgments on the limitations of their students. For example, if a student is not learning their ‘traditional’ way, they should not be ignorant and give up on a student. Teachers need to be open- minded and aware of the fact that they may need to differentiate learning. Everyone doesn’t learn the same way. For example, my little sister is an active learner and learns more by doing, rather than just by listening. Teachers should explore a multitude of different models to teach. If they have a diversity of methods or at least a broad-minded approach to students who might not learn things one way, then they will be more successful teachers and have more successful students. Teachers must bring awareness to each other and remember that all their students come from different cultural backgrounds, are different ethnicities, have different resources, and come from different experiences that might affect them in the classroom. An example of this is a student performing well that comes from a very motivating family where education and doing well is held to high esteem. Where as a student who comes from an environment at home that doesn’t celebrate the importance of learning comes into the classroom with a different experience and attitude. To be knowledgeable of entities like that, teachers must learn from their students while their students learn from them. Teachers must comprehend their students’ interests and needs. In addition, I believe teachers are an integral part of youngster’s development. If teachers learn from their students and connect with them as a whole, they will be able to touch their students in ways beyond the classroom. Overall, teachers must rid of assumption, and consider their students’ perspective. I believe being able to teach all students with an unbiased attitude is an important pillar of education.
I believe engaging students by making the material captivating will result in students having a more positive perspective about learning. By doing this teachers need to be passionate about what they are teaching. How can students be enthusiastic about a subject if the educator isn’t? Students will follow their teacher’s attitude. Approaching students with the same mundane lesson plans and not having a stimulating attitude towards the information that needs to be learned, is not purposeful in educating students. Teachers need to not just feed out factual information about the topic to students because that doesn’t always work and can get boring. Lets face it, we all know that is usually when students space out and stop listening. Teachers need to engage students. Teachers need to brainstorm methods that will not only help their students comprehend the material better, but make students actually be motivated to want to understand the material. They need to keep their student’s attention and make their students feel positive about the material. In addition, I believe people remember and comprehend most what interests them. The information that students are being taught will be absorbed and remain with the student not only for the test, but also for the future if information is captivating and not just expected to be regurgitated. Over all, making teaching and learning fun will make students experience in school more pleasurable and significant.
ReplyDeleteFinally, a purpose of education should be to push to create more critical and analytical thinkers. Without these thinkers and problem solvers, how can we bring about change and new ideas in the future? I believe our education system has failed create these thinkers. Rather, teachers are teaching to tests. They are teaching the information that students need to know to pass tests, and that is their sole focus. Teachers who stray from the curriculum and don’t cover everything in a certain amount of time are penalized because they have supposedly failed the students. I feel we need to bring back the more important focus of what the purpose education is about. We need to think about what we are really teaching? Are we teaching memorization through tests or are we reaching for a true understanding of material that sticks with our students? Are we trying to create robots that can regurgitate information to pass a test or are we trying to bring about real thinkers in our students. I believe educators need to actually get their students’ minds working, and thinking about the information critically and analytically, so that the information stays with them and is not just being memorized. They need to let students learn through engaging in discussion. They need to let students question and investigate. Learning should be about developing and expanding the minds of our students. With this mindset, education will be more effective.
I believe the purpose of education should be to be a continual process of gaining knowledge and exchanging ideas through teaching and learning. Education can be enhanced by aims that focus on being inclusive of all students, and to be open-minded in the classroom. Also, if teachers make material that is being taught exciting and show passion for a subject, students will emulate their teachers. If teachers show a want for their students to comprehend and do well, students will be more motivated. If teachers work towards creating thinkers in the classroom, rather than students that are just good at memorizing information, education will have a more significant impact on students. With these perspectives on education, my main mission of the purpose of education being to educate and inspire all students will be accomplished.
Education is a word that is often deemed unnecessary to define,
ReplyDeleteHowever, many peoples’ definitions are different then mine.
Whether skills, knowledge, or values are learned,
Education takes place for those who yearn.
Adding to our education can take place in almost any situation,
From the classroom to the soccer field we are earning our education.
Now do not get me wrong, education and schooling are not the same,
Contrary to popular belief we cannot switch each name.
I see schooling as a large subset of education,
Just one place education can occur in the entire nation.
In school we are taught all the subject areas under a curriculum,
We are required to know certain things before moving on to the next one.
Under teacher supervision we learn science, mathematics, reading and more,
To me, these are the basic building blocks to making many peoples’ futures soar.
Throughout my life an A was required,
If I came home with anything less my parents inquired.
Not only is it crucial to learn the knowledge of each course,
We also learn values such as punctuality and politeness that the schools do endorse.
Each concept and value I have learned in school has shown through in my years,
If this were not true it would leave my parents in tears.
My family has long since cherished the concepts of schooling and success,
Breaking away from these ideals would be extremely hard to confess.
Although schooling is clearly such a large part of our education,
As I said before I do not believe it is the only way and place learning can be done.
Cards, sports, and vacations are all situations where we can learn something new,
Even trying a new kind of food can enhance our level of education a few.
Now that I have expressed my beliefs of both education and schooling,
I’ll conclude on a note that isn’t too fooling.
Schooling and education are intertwined in their meanings,
And this I feel is true because they compliment each other so well in their dealings.
Credo -- Short Story
ReplyDeleteEducation and schooling have always been very important to me and my family. Academics were top priority over anything else going on in our lives and any grade less than a B was unacceptable. If report cards were not up to standards, punishments would be given out such as loss of use of the computer or being grounded on the weekends. My brother was not allowed to play his X-Box or Playstation between Monday and Thursday because they felt he would never get his homework done. Athletics were encouraged unless they affected grades, which fortunately they never did.
There was also a lot of pressure to achieve good grades and do well in school. My sister and I always did pretty well; however, my brother was not always as smart as us and did not always receive the grades we did. High school, especially, showed the differences in grades and created a divide.
Although I did not see it then, I realize now and truly understand what education means to me and I would say most of my family. I believe education’s purpose is to give students all the necessary means in order to pursue an important future. It sets students up for higher education and important jobs. Schools are the means in which education is given. They are the place which enables students to learn. I view education in a very academic light, different from other skills, such as street smarts and keen common sense. Those skills can be helpful for some, even providing one with a bright future, but I believe more in academic education. I also believe education creates a pretty even playing field for all students; however it is up to each individual to take full advantage of it. I have worked in schools, especially in elementary classrooms and see the potential in those students, even at an early age.
Education from kindergarten through twelfth grade was based on preparing students to go onto college. College, for me, was a given, without a second thought. This value was passed down from my parents, both of whom never attended college. Don’t get me wrong, they are both pretty successful people; however, they acknowledge the fact that a college education is almost necessary and could have taken them even farther in life.
My family values have really helped shaped that way in which I view education. Having an education is super important to me and I will pass this trait on. I feel it is also valued by my siblings, who are still in high school and intend on going to college. All in all, the purpose of education is to help students succeed in life as much as they possibly can by giving them most of the academic tools they need to move onto higher education and beyond.
It seems that school has defined the majority of my existence, due to the fact that I have spent five days a week in a classroom since the age of four. As a child I believed that school and education share one meaning, but as I have spent more time being educated, I realize that the terms school and education do not share one definition.
ReplyDeleteI believe that school is about immersing children into a wide variety of activities and is also about allowing them to communicate with peers and teachers. School allows children and parents to create a social foundation, to network, and to learn from others. However, I have realized that learning from others in a school setting does not necessarily mean learning solely from the teacher. Many teachers state that they continue to go to school because they learn from the students and parents. This retracts me back to my point about school being a social foundation and a way to communicate and learn, not solely to listen to a teacher talk about algebra.
Parents have the option to send their children to a school full of students (public or private school), or to school their children in a private setting within the comfort of their homes (home school). Even though the schooling situations are different, both are legitimate under law. Although children who are home-schooled are not immersed into such social patterns, they create their own patterns. Home schooling is based on the premise that public schools are not sufficient enough, however I believe this leads to a restricted social environment by which to learn. I believe one of the most important aspects of school is to learn from others and when students are home schooled, they do not have the opportunity to work with other students or teachers.
I feel it is important for children to leave home with the intention of socializing with adults, but more importantly to interact with students outside of their family circle. A public school is about social interactions and working together. This includes school activities such as sports, theatre, and even school clubs. Although it may seem as if running with the ball in a soccer game is purely for pleasure, it is in fact educational. Through such activities, students may acquire a competitive streak, but they also gain the skill of working with others. This ultimately leads to the basis of wisdom, which I believe is the foundation of why society is educated. School creates an environment conducive to learning and becoming a good citizen by making information available to students in a variety of forms.
Although I do not believe school and education share the same meaning, they go hand-in-hand. Education allows students to gain information and apply such information the right way in order to gain wisdom. Wisdom is used throughout life in order to make just decisions and to exhibit good judgment. I believe when one attains wisdom they apply it to daily life matters, and ultimately find success through such knowledge. Wisdom has implication on everything in life, and students are taught this knowledge by receiving an adequate education.
As Jessica paced back and forth in her room, the anxiety of her first day of school hit her. She could not focus on watching her favorite episode of “SpongeBob SquarePants,” nor could she concentrate on cleaning up her Barbie dolls. According to the older kids at school, third grade was a lot more difficult than second. Jessica was going to have more classes, more homework, more activities, and she still would have to deal with her troubles at home.
ReplyDelete“MOM,” Jessica cried, “What are we having for dinner?” Her mother rolled her eyes and told her to just eat the leftover Chinese food sitting in the refrigerator. Jessica’s mother and father divorced when she was four years old. Ever since her father left, her mother had never been the same. The house looked as if her mom just moved in with unpacked boxes, dusty shelves, and clothes everywhere; yet they had lived there for the past three years. Later that night, Jessica asked her mom if she could watch the news with her to calm her nerves. Her mother agreed, but fell asleep after the first ten minutes of watching. Jessica thought to herself, “I hope tomorrow will be better.”
The bell rang when she walked into her first class: science. On the blackboard, Mrs. Stein wrote the words “1. Question 2. Hypothesis 3. Test 4. Analyze 5. Conclusion.” Mrs. Stein decided to start the year with the scientific method to teach her students some organizational skills, which they could all use in other classes, as well as in life. The students were first confused with these concepts, until Mrs. Stein let them practice the method through a small experiment - guessing how many beads were in a jar, and then finding out how many there actually were.
After science, Jessica had her least favorite subject: math. David Nielson, another student in the class, was ten minutes late to the strict Mrs. Becker’s math class. The teacher told him that he had to stay after class for an extra ten minutes since he was late. Mrs. Becker explained to the class that tardiness is not acceptable at their school, so they’d have to manage their time better. She continued her lesson, even after embarrassing David. From that point on, Jessica made sure that she would never want to be in David’s situation.
When Jessica walked into Mrs. Raisin’s warm classroom, she immediately felt at home. All over the reading/ writing classroom there were bright banners exclaiming, “Be Yourself, Stay Positive, Express Yourself!” Mrs. Raisin decided to start the year off right with a fun back-to-school Spelling Bee. She wanted to encourage the class, so she first started with easier words and then progressively moved on to more challenging words. Jessica and David were the final two students left in the Bee. Jessica won the Bee by spelling the word “dictionary” correctly. Jessica had never felt so proud of herself before.
Lunchtime was always difficult for Jessica, until she had met her best friend Sarah the year before during her after school activity. The cafeteria, though, was clearly separated into groups, even in third grade. All of the “cool kids” sat together near the playground, the “nerdy kids” ate lunch while trading Pokemon cards, and then there was Jessica and Sarah. The two of them ate turkey sandwiches and drank chocolate milk together every day. They would talk about their favorite T.V. shows, Disney princesses, and “Banana Splits.”
Jessica and Sarah were both placed into Banana Splits, an after school support group for children with divorced parents. Although both were opposed to the idea of joining such a group in the beginning of school, Jessica soon began to love Banana Splits. Children in the club made lasting friendships and could relate to one another about their family life. Jessica felt most comfortable with herself amongst the fellow Banana Splitters than amongst anyone else.
ReplyDeleteDuring Mrs. Pitt’s art class, she taught her students the importance of inspiration. Every day, Mrs. Pitt gave the students a piece of paper to sketch for the first couple minutes of class. Jessica had the chance to channel her thoughts and ideas. She drew a picture for her mother.
As Jessica came running through the door with excitement, her mother surprisingly asked how her first day of school had gone. Jessica rambled off about how she had learned the Scientific Method, won the Spelling Bee, eaten lunch with Sarah, and even drawn a picture for her mother. Although her mother didn’t seem too impressed with Jessica’s “scribbles,” Jessica cherished her first day of school and couldn’t wait until the next day.
Ultimately, school gave Jessica hope. The school system put Jessica on a track for success. She learned to stay organized in science class. She learned values that she could apply in the real world, such as time management. School allowed her to not only develop intellectually, but also socially and emotionally. She had the opportunity to socialize with her peers, while discussing emotional topics with Banana Splits. Jessica’s art class drove her to start thinking creatively as well. Education, to Jessica, as well as to her peers and to students everywhere, is more than just a process of storing information in students’ brains. Education should stimulate students in all aspects of their lives – lifelong values, social skills, emotional well-being, creativity, and knowledge – so that they’re always excited for another day of school.
Credo Assignment
ReplyDeleteMonologue
(Ms. Licata is in a meeting with a current student’s parents. His parents are concerned with the amount of homework that Ms. Licata gives out each week. Sean did not complete all the assigned work, therefore his grade is suffering. Ms. Licata is attempting to explain to Sean’s parents her point of view.)
Ms. Licata: I understand your concern Mr. and Mrs. Smith, but I have to be frank with you. When you send your child to school, you are making an agreement with yourself. Your role as a parent changes drastically. You are no longer the only glue that holds your son together. When Sean entered school eight years ago, he began to learn that his parent’s aren’t the only people who have a voice. He has his own too. When Sean entered high school this year, his voice becomes the only voice that will allow him to succeed or fail. (Beat. Parent’s continue to stare rather dumbfounded at Ms. Licata as she speaks) Alright, try to see it this way. The technical definition of a school is an institution where instruction is given. As the teacher, I am the instructor. My job is to make sure my students are able to leave my class with the proper knowledge to succeed. Whether they put in the effort to succeed is up to them. My job is not to make sure that students complete their work, nor is it my place to force students to put in 100 percent of their effort. My main concern is with understanding. I want each student to fully comprehend all the necessary information that I give them, so they are prepared for the future they choose. (Adjusts hair and takes a deep breath) Sean knew the assignments he was given. He knew when they were due. He knew exactly what to do to complete each piece of homework. I care very much about each and every one of my students, but personally, I do not care about his grade if he doesn’t. Sean is in my class everyday and actively participates. I know he is learning what I am teaching. Whether he wants to do the supplemental work to keep his grade up is his choice, not mine. I am here to help students learn and grow, not to make sure each student is completely taken care of and content all the time. And frankly, that’s not your job either. Your son is in charge of this part of his life. I’m not responsible for what he does with it, and neither are you. (Sean’s parents give Ms. Licata a look of defeat, but also seem to be really taking in everything she is saying)
All in all, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, you have a wonderful son, and he is attending an outstanding school. I appreciate that you put in the effort to set up this meeting, but it really doesn’t serve much of a purpose. It’s actually almost as if I am preaching to the choir. You coming here to talk about Sean’s work will not make Sean more motivated to do his assignments, nor will it convince me to change his grade or the amount of work I give him each night. As I’m sure you do as well, I hope very much that Sean finds the self-motivation to fully succeed in my class.
So instead of introducing this in an “introduction paragraph” I’ll get right into it and say that in theory school is a wonderful institution, because what it is supposed to do is present an environment that is conducive to teaching and learning. However this is often not the case because all students are not treated equally and those that want to learn are being interrupted half the time by morons who would rather learn how to make chicken noises in the back of the classroom than learn about psychological disorders in the front of the classroom (personal experience, sorry). School sounds great and seems like a completely wonderful way for kids to learn, it often becomes synonymous with education. But school and education don’t go hand in hand because when kids go to school to sit in a class and be distracted or feel too uncomfortable to raise their hands, are they really being educated?
ReplyDeleteSchool is formulaic. I was lucky enough (I’m not sure if that is the right way to phrase it) to go to private schools all my life where I was not in school basically being trained to take a test. So although I do not know of this firsthand I can tell you about a friend who from freshman year of high school to senior year brought up his GPA from a one point something to a high two point something or low three. Instead of being commended on his newfound focus and drive, he was almost not allowed to graduate because of low FCAT scores. So instead of schooling focusing on learning it focuses on regurgitation of knowledge on a test that the teachers teaching these courses did not even make. School didn’t teach him or his fellow students. It trained them to take a test well. I know plenty of bright, focused and driven individuals who in high school suffered because they did not score outstandingly on SAT’s, ACT’s or FCAT’s. These students did however excel in their classes with their homework, essays or in class quizzes and tests. These students, who unfortunately do not seem to make up the majority of student populations, were just trained in memorization. These students learned the subjects being taught to them. However “standardized” tests did not reflect this knowledge because not only is learning an art but test taking is one as well. And the students who are gifted in one are not necessarily gifted in the other.
In private schools the situation is a bit different. We aren’t trained to take a test such as the FCAT but we are trained to get good SAT scores so that we may get into a good college and reflect well upon our school. However, in certain cases we can bribe our professors into getting us good grades. Or we can complain to our parents, who will in turn complain to the administration, who will in turn complain to the teachers. Or if we are lucky enough to be athletic, all we need to do is be an indispensible star athlete and somehow the work gets done for you and you make it by just fine. If that’s the case, go ahead and miss all the classes you want, no big deal. And if you don’t fall into those categories, well then you probably just plain don’t want to be at school because coming from the wealthy family you most likely came from you feel entitled and aren’t interested in what some teacher has to “teach” you because there are so many better things you could be doing. So you sit in the back of a psychology classroom taught by a college professor who decided for some reason that he wanted to teach at a spoiled private high school and you make chicken noises because somehow that seems more important than learning about a subject that actually seems quite interesting (or maybe that was just me). Now I understand being bored in a class, but in a 45-minute class period can’t you keep the farm animals in check? Because not only is this obnoxious for the students who actually want to learn, it’s obnoxious for the students who want a good AP score too (I separate this because wanting to learn is not the same thing as wanting a good grade). But most of all it is terribly rude to the teacher who must feel self-conscious standing in front of a classroom where it is obvious that more than half of the students are not interested at all.
ReplyDeleteThen there are situations in which it is not necessarily the student’s fault but the teacher’s. For example (another personal experience), back in elementary/middle school social life is all about being in the “popular group.” And it’s bad enough to not be considered one of the “popular” people by your fellow students, but when teachers favor their “popular” students, then it brings the whole awful experience of feeling left out socially into the classroom. It turns the classroom into another social tier in which acceptance by the teacher is the ultimate “popularity.” In my fifth or sixth grade English classroom I had one such teacher. She seemed best friends with the “popular” kids and looked down upon the rest of us. As a figure of authority this does make a difference on young and impressionable students. After the first few weeks of school when this teacher realized which students were “popular” outside the classroom she made them her favorites inside the classroom. When questions needed to be answered she picked out of her favorite select few. When there was any sort of class interruption it was blamed on the outcasts of the classroom. After an entire school year of such treatment the outcasts no longer bothered to raise their hands. This teacher became very discouraging without even ever interacting with about half of her students. This has, I believed translated into my discomfort with raising my hand in any sort of class. I feel self-conscious when attempting to participate in any class for fear that I will be incorrect or mocked for whatever it is I have to say. This particular teacher was much less interested in teaching than she was in fitting in with her students.
Basically, I believe that, at least I have found from my experiences, that school pretty much sucks unless you either want to be in the class you are in, or are in some sort of higher level education course in which (hopefully) teachers are there because they want to be. Education is this great act of learning, absorbing, and sometimes even experiencing the knowledge that is passed down from a teacher to a student. But for this to happen, within schools or outside of them, students must be receptive and willing to learn and teachers must be interested and driven with their subject and their task of transferring knowledge to others. Schools don’t always, or often, reflect the idea of education (or at least not this idea).
ReplyDeleteEducation in the United States of America is considered a right. Public schools are available and all children are required to go to school from the age of five to sixteen. All public schools have rules and curriculums imposed from the national and state governments regulating what must be learned and in some cases how. Free education for all in schools that all follow the same rules sounds great, but this is in theory and is not in actuality. In actuality public schools are not equal and different schools in different areas emphasize different aspects. Schooling and education are not the same thing and how these two aspects are used affects the students.
ReplyDeleteI believe, in a perfect world, the purpose of education should be to further the knowledge and interest in academic subjects while promoting values such as respect for self and other. My experience in public schools has led me to this belief, but unfortunately my experience is the minority. I grew up in a bubble suburb outside of Chicago and attended public school my entire life. In grade school I never had a class over twenty-five and the curriculum was not only based on requirements. Learning academic material was stressed at an early age, as was the idea that one should go to college. Also, values on how to be a good citizen were stressed. Community service projects were started at an early age with trips to deliver candy to homeless shelters on Halloween in second grade. The mission of my public elementary school can me summed up in our school song that was sung every morning in class and is still ingrained in my memory: Avoca West our favorite place to be, we practice respect (clap), and responsibility, we love our school, and we just like to say, three cheers for Avoca West were learning lights the way.
My high school experience was similar. I went to New Trier Township High School where excellence is expected and feeling dumb is the norm even when test scores say otherwise. Spending per student is very high because of the tax bracket most of the community is in and because parents want the best for their children and are willing to pay for it. This was exemplified earlier this year when a referendum was passed to raise taxes; it was the only referendum to pass in Illinois in that election. Funding has never been an issue so extended class options, college counseling, and top quality extracurricular activities were all offered. Teaching classes in order to pass tests never seemed like a main objective of school. I had never been told anything more than to eat a good breakfast before state testing and was shocked to hear about mandatory FCAT classes my roommate freshman year was required to take in school.
ReplyDeleteBut, the options my public high school offered are not available, recommended, or possible for all. Public schools need to offer programs and curriculums that serve the best interest of their students. Education is important. Schooling, on the other hand, is not necessarily a good thing. Teaching positive values is fine, but many times our own bias colors what we think is important. Is standing in straight lines really that important or is it the bigger lesson of respecting those around us? Often schooling is what is taught instead of education. Through implicit bias, avoiding certain topics, and what class time is spent on students’ behavior is affected. Their views on the world, how to act in society, and what is expected of them can all be affected by schooling as well. I do not believe this should be the main goal of schools. When one is presented with knowledge of academic subjects and learning is valued goals form. This cannot be taught through schooling the way standing in a straight line can, rather it must be learned and accepted by the student.
To me the purpose of education should be to further academic study in order to prepare students best for life after high school. But, in a way this idea of education taught to me by my school that promoted college as the next step. There is an opposing argument that academics may not be that important to all and that teaching skills is important too. Not everyone needs to go to college. While there is value in this statement I believe that all options should be presented and that one should not be sold short by their school by being placed on a technical track at a young age. If one graduates from high school and decides to attend technical training or at the age of sixteen drops out of high school to pursue a skill that is their prerogative. But, I do not believe it is the purpose of school and education to teach technical skills. The purpose of education should be to further the knowledge and interest in academic subjects while promoting values such as respect for self and other.
Over the course of my academic life, I have gained an appreciation for school. Being able to educate myself has opened many doors in my life and led me to feel confident about myself. Education is a necessity in life because it is essential to survival. When people think of survival they think of eating and having a roof over their head, but my definition of surviving is being able to live without much worry. Living from paycheck to paycheck is not a desirable lifestyle and although you are technically “surviving,” you cannot relax because you are constantly worrying about paying the bills. I believe that if you take advantage of the education system then you can live a more relaxing lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteWith more and more students enrolling in college, it’s becoming increasingly hard to find a job. With the proper education, you can separate yourself from the competition. On the other hand, college isn’t for everyone and there are other forms of education such as trade schools. For example, my uncle flunked out of college so he decided to become a plumber about 9. He started out as an apprentice, learning from older and more experienced plumbers. After learning all the proper skills, he worked his way up the company and is now a manager earning six figures a year. This goes to show that education isn’t just going to college and reading books or studying biology. Not all professions require a college degree, but they do require that you have a particular set of skills. Unfortunately, the education system does not always prepare you correctly for future steps you will take in your life.
The education system has had the same criteria for years and even decades. Yes they cover all subjects from science to history to literature. Everyone who has ever sat in a classroom bored has asked themselves the question: “Why am I learning this if I’m never going to use it?” The answer is because you have to be there, in the classroom listening to something you won’t use later on in your life. At my high school, the graduation requirements are not the same as requirement to get into a four year college. I’m sure my school is not the only high school whose requirements are different for graduation and college entry. This is an example of schools not believing in students’ academic progress. As a country, we want our kids to become educated so they can continue to run the country. Not only run the country but you want them to succeed and live a better life than you did. How can students take advantage of the education system if there are trap doors along the way?
ReplyDeleteSchool should be a place where kids from an early age learn the different facets of life while combining that with the proper education to compete in a growing workforce. Although in the curriculum it may state that students learn about touchy subjects such as slavery, they are only given the details about what happened during that time period. When they need to know what caused slavery in order to understand how people have grown. Since the government uses school to instill certain mannerisms into its citizens, why not use it to instill the right characteristics of a human being who does not look at people as being from a certain background. School should also teach people how to think. There are a lot of curriculums that require schools to have uniform standardized tests which don’t accurately measure the student’s intellectual growth. It merely measures how much material a student has remembered from all the school lessons. To think is to create your own path to a common solution. I believe that if more people think rather than go along with what others say, we can solve many of the world’s problems such as AIDS, cancer, and global warming.
Although school provides a foundation for our life, there are several things I would want to change about its structure. Through educating ourselves, we can achieve anything if we know how to use it. Education should be wanted and not forced because it is not taken in at its purest form. The famous saying, “Knowledge is power” is an understatement but a true testament to how much education can do for a person. The key to a better person, society and world, is a proper education.
My Departure and My Destination Are One
ReplyDeleteThere’s always a first. Like that first day in kindergarten where the only consolation was the presence of my mother. It was a new setting, it was school or to be precise my new home. Yes, I cried for about five minutes but I knew this place was almost as cool as Disney World. The story begins in Bay Harbor Elementary and will most definitely end there. There’s not one day when I’ve changed my mind about this decision I made at five years old. I have to be a teacher. As I grow older I only convince myself more that I need to change the misconception so many kids have about school. I’ve seen children cry, say the H –letter word (hate) towards this institution, skip class, and unfortunately I’ve witnessed the downward spiral where this is all going. As we strive for new incentives in learning my belief has always been that at a young age one must be instilled with the confidence, the trust, that engaging attitude that drives a child to actually want to learn on their own. The mutual relationship that a teacher and student establish is the foundation for the rest of their school experience. To be an educator is to hold the power to motivate, to support, to challenge, and to understand that every pupil has a story that wants to be heard. It is to comprehend that they are agents of change.
Saved by the Bell
The alarm clock goes off, then the school bell rings, and everyone is settled into this routine that “imprisons” children from ages five to eighteen (if not older). What is school? I mean I’ve been in it for thirteen years now and it looks like a nice place with books and lots of other kids my age. School, however, should be where kids yearn to be not the place they want to avoid. School must become more than a second home. Where if the bell rings, children race to class because they don’t want to miss a minute of what does go on here– learning. The mind is fed, creativity is born, curiosity arises, knowledge is developed, friendships are formed and it all happens in the best structure ever created.
Leave a Legacy
I do remember. My elementary school experience had just the perfect touch of foolishness, timid giggles, and a speck of innocence. Life was bliss. Life was free of burdens. Life didn’t consist of worries, especially not when there was this sweet, compassionate, and driven woman named Dr.Sweeney standing before a class of twenty youngsters.
This is what I want to look back to, because in the end it’s one of my inspirations. I think if anything leads a person to become an educator it’s the impact that a teacher once left on them. Fifth grade was the pivotal year when I knew. Dr. Sweeney altered my whole existence. This companion of mine introduced me to the uniqueness of Indian cultures, to respect anyone who walks into my life and even those who dare to walk out, to find a passion for gaining knowledge, to believe in myself and comprehend that I’m the only obstacle to my own success.
Dr. Sweeney was present when the FCAT was a dreadful subject, when September 11th took place, when the end of elementary school was just around the corner, and whenever I needed a friend. I want to play her role.
She passed away in the summer after fifth grade due to throat cancer but the legacy of her dedication and effort will continue on.
Teacher Tips
What do I consider the characteristics of the best teacher?
Hands on activities and fieldtrips to reinforce material from class.
The class must engage in conversation/ group discussions.
The teacher must provide an interesting itinerary where students can learn but also have fun.
As a friend, the teacher should also take the time to get to know each student, not just their name and grade in that class.
As a professional, I’d assist any students showing difficulties in class work, homework and disciplinary problems.
Treating students with fairness is essential
Being PATIENT is a must.
A Peek into My Personal Philosophy
ReplyDeletePersonally, the aims of education should be to assist each child with their intellectual needs and to expand their insight in the cultural, technological, and everyday aspects of a young person’s life. From an early age there’s a bombardment of ideas from parents, peers, family, friends, and basically all grown ups. In spite of this, the classroom holds the escape to create your own opinions and to grasp information in a manner that has no limitations.
Improving the quality of regular classes so that students challenge their intellectual capacity and place even more effort into school is necessary. Teachers as well as parents must be supportive and encouraging so that the train of knowledge and curiosity never stops. Students need guidance and we can offer just that.
A Token That Empowers
This “melting pot” that we live in is the venue where countless cultures, traditions, races, and beliefs combine. However, there is one thought that will follow me across borders. Education can close that gap on the gender empowerment measure (GEM). It can be a less developed country, but a woman can take a book, take a night school course and make their own safety net out of poverty. This my other source of motivation.
I love the fact that with talent or an education, a student can unleash themselves out of their captivity and move towards their own success even if their nation isn’t. It may be a child in the slums of India or in Haiti, but what a teacher offers them is priceless.
There is more to education than expected. It offers a glimpse to change, it adapts, it gives hope. At times that’s what we all need. College students and even pre-k students search for optimism. They create expectations and strive to accomplish their goals. Education doesn’t
determine my financial success or my driving record, it simply establishes that I sat in a place for several years and gave myself a chance.
I see myself...
I honestly see myself teaching a class of second graders at Bay Harbor Elementary. Since I would line up my teddy bears to receive class diplomas and I walked to class with my big sister, Ale, I felt like I belonged here. I’ve always wondered how it would be to teach along with my former teachers, to set up activities with my children that I once participated in twenty years before. I know it might sound weird, but I loved that place.
What am I to do with a double major? Do exactly double the work, double the effort, and put double the time to reach my pupils and boost them to their maximum potential. Giving up is not an option and I just hope to let them see for themselves that at times they may struggle but eventually if they set their minds to it they’ll move along just fine.
Wrap it up
Technology, standardized tests, and even politics seem to be common “disturbances” to the tranquility of the educational atmosphere. Yet instead of being so focused on what score I get on an aptitude test I hope one day they look at the next generation’s “street” knowledge too and their dedication to school overall. There are more and more obstacles for families everyday and it’s important that we have a well rounded perspective on current events, on history, on math, science and the other basics. It’s time to acknowledge that there is another world other than the one found in textbooks and hopefully as I grow older and gain more experience I too can provide enough material on different topics for my students. We’re all in this together, or at least we try to coexist.
My education began from the moment I opened my eyes and began to explore the world. Some of the first lessons I understood were the fundamentals of how to distinguish between good and bad and what is right and wrong. For example when I touched a burner as a child I began to differentiate that once burned twice shy. Culture, environment and social acceptance played a huge role in how education affected me.
ReplyDeleteWhen I began preschool I was placed in a religious day school. At the temple, we not only began to learn the curriculum of a regular education but the Jewish traditions that make up our unique culture. This is distinctively different than those students that were placed in a non religious preschool, whom began to learn the curriculum that the state mandates. I believe my education in this institution created an appreciation for Jewish studies and shaped how I view the world. Religion in many cultures can affect the education of everyone in distinct ways. My education in religion taught me to appreciate that I am a part of a diverse culture which may view the world in a particular way.
Growing up in a middle class white family unquestionably narrowed my education, until I was exposed to people of multiple cultures. One main place education in my community began would be in the neighborhood I grew up in, as it was considered a safe, “quiet” community. The first person I was introduced to was a girl my age that happened to be of Hispanic origin. I began to spend time in her household, where Spanish was the primary language. The Hispanic culture was distinctly different from the culture of the neighborhood I grew up in. Our friendship provided me with a broader perspective and made me aware that my education had to be more profound in scope. Another example of how my knowledge of different cultures was altered began in visiting my cousin in his neighborhood, which was vastly different from mine. One major difference was that his part of town was considered exceedingly diverse, lower income and somewhat unsafe. I was allowed to explore with my cousin where I was introduced to multiple cultures all within one small neighborhood. I think being exposed to a variety of people and their cultural differences taught me not only about the prejudice people face everyday but the hardships and vast variation of their cultures from mine.
After preschool I was enrolled in a private institution where I stayed until I chose to leave for public school. At first my education at one of the prestigious schools in Miami seemed to be an excellent idea, swiftly changed to revulsion as I realized the most important objective of this school was money. I only began to understand the depths of how pretentious my school was, at the beginning of eighth grade. In that year students were separated into two distinct class differences; those with money and influence and those who were recruited for school purposes without the intent of an actual education. There was a second school associated with mine called Pinecrest. The students who had “learning disabilities” were sent to this campus. I met many of these students and learned that they were not “disabled” but not capable of paying for the regular school, and were placed there as a second thought. After discovering the above facts, I decided that public school would be a better option of me and transferred. As I soon realized, public school had a balance of ethnic and financial variations and that everyone was given an equal educational opportunity. I think that observing the educational experience from both perspectives, gave me a greater understanding of how school has shaped my identity.
Education begins from birth, and can be influenced by every experience one has. Most of what I began to learn has shaped my personality and outlook. I think three major themes; culture, environment and social acceptance have helped enhance my education. The educational environment provides numerous resources to draw upon in ones growth as an individual.
The importance of education is something that has been drilled into my brain by my parents throughout my entire life. Instead of being an option to take lightly, it is a must for my siblings and me. We are finishing high school, we are going to college, and if we “really want to enhance our future,” as my dad says, we will continue on with school and attend graduate school, medical school, or law school. Now that I am an adult and thinking about having kids of my own, as far into the future as that might be, I know that I too will stress the importance of education to my children. Over time I have come to agree with my parents’ values of education, but I think I have come to this understanding differently. For them, education is of great importance because “back in their day” they were lucky to go to school, and it was a privilege to be able to decide your future. For me, being in the situation that I am in, it is hard for me to appreciate school as my parents did. Therefore, I have had to make sense of what the purpose of schooling and education was in my own way.
ReplyDeleteI think it is obvious to most that when children first start school not all of the subject matter that they are learning is going to continue with them into their adult lives. No offense to my fourth grade teacher, but I’ve never used the fact that “Egyptians remove the brains of those who died through their noses” to advance in any area of my life. In fact, keeping that bit of information to myself is probably my best option. But what I did learn in fourth grade was how to work together with my peers. Even during physical activities such as “tug a war” I learned how to be a more aggressive leader or how to be a working member of a team. This in turn made me ready for fifth grade, when we were assigned to work in groups for almost every activity. As a psychology major, the information I was taught in my high school level introduction to psychology class will probably not be what I refer to when I have problems or questions as a therapist, but having that background information did better prepare me for my psychology 110 class in college. Preparation is what I believe education is all about. Whether it be for entering the next class, getting a job, or being able to interact with other people, school is what prepares a person for “life.”
In school you learn what is socially acceptable. Of course, the education you receive from your parents is valuable, but it is not until you are able to interact with people outside of your family that you learn what should and should not be done. The first time you fight with a classmate in kindergarten, and you are sent to the principal’s office you understand that fighting is not okay. You learn to respectfully interact with your peers as well as people in superior positions. This prepares you for forming future friendships and long lasting relationships. When you reach higher levels of education the subject matter becomes more specified and you meet and interact with those who have the same interests as you. With the ultimate goal of getting a job in mind, the knowledge gained from your classes along with the social skills you have acquired throughout your education will be crucial in order to accomplish this, especially if want to earn a comfortable living.
I do believe that having an education is vital in life. Without it, a person will of course survive, but will be missing opportunities and skills that create what society views as a successful life. I also believe however, that school systems do not cater to every person and opportunities are not given to everyone equally. Ideally though, the education system should be valued, enough so that it can be taken seriously and revised to accommodate everyone.
President Obama began his speech by giving the students he addressed a small synopsis of his childhood and his education. I think this was the right way to begin his speech on education to students because it shows that he can relate to them. Although it seems he might be talking down to the students at first, I believe he created a connection with them. And instead of begin his speech with large words and proposals that would turn many students off from listing. He explained that he comes from a family with low income and I believe many students who do come from situations will look up to someone in such a high power and trust the ideas that he proposes. I think the President had every right to give this speech, I have watched and read his speech , nowhere in there does he say, do or act in any way offensive to young children and students of any age. Not once did I see an example of him expressing his political views or telling students how to vote. Yes he did talk about the real world, about poverty and aids; I believe students should be aware of these issues and how they can help the world. One instance was when the president began giving examples of students who had overcome major obstacles but still worked hard to reach the goals they sought. He might have a meritocratic attitude toward achieving your goals, but I think this helps students realize that working hard can lead to results. I see no reason that schools should not show this speech to their students, if parents feel that this speech would affect their children in some way they should just keep them at home. Taking away the choice to even be allowed to see this speech is not very democratic in any way, I think students of various ages can and will be able to make the choice of accepting what the president said or not. Many issues in this speech may have differed from the views of these parents and many parents may be afraid for their children to hear about the real world especially since this speech was shown to students from age’s middle school to high school. Exposing students early to these issues of the world can actually help create more responsible kids in and out of school. Being the first bi-racial president has caused a great deal of controversy in this country and I think this plays a huge part in him addressing our students. Many presidents before him have addressed students in this same manner, but not one has created this debate within our country. I believe since he is our first black president, some people have not accepted his views based on his race or his background. Seeing that after reading this speech I could not find one item that did not relate to education, I do not see a reason to ban the showing of this speech. Taking away this speech shows how many people are not educated within themselves to show a speech that is harmless to students. Yes I think there should be a choice to watch his address, but deciding to not provide even the option to watch the speech was wrong. The choice should not have come from the school districts but the students themselves. I think students of the ages he were addressing could agree or disagree with what he was saying without the help of others making the decisions for them. Schools that refused to show this speech show there complete lack of confidence in the students within their district. Teaching that others can control how we see the world is detrimental to students of all ages. I think the content of this speech motivates students to work hard, and accomplish as much as they can. I feel sorry for those students who were not even given the option to watch this because they may have benefited a great deal from this.
ReplyDeleteTo some folks, education is the nearly unbearable routine of a teacher’s regurgitation of facts and dates to students that begins in kindergarten and ends after high school or college graduation. This is the unfortunate reality that schooling has become for many students. In my opinion, education, unlike schooling, is an ongoing evolution and growth of every person in his or her lifetime. Education knows no boundaries, no finite beginning or ending points. The quality of schooling is limited and bound in that not every person has the access or resources to a well-rounded education in an affluent institution for learning that they are most certainly entitled to. However, this does not make less fortunate students incapable of learning or being educated. I believe that education does not just take place in the traditional school setting. It is natural for humans to want to accumulate knowledge. Every math problem we master, every story we hear, every game we play, every note we sing—is knowledge waiting to be absorbed. Knowledge is all around us. It is available in unconventional fashions to anyone mentally aware enough to seek it out.
ReplyDeleteTeachers are the individuals in our society that face the exciting challenge of gathering and shedding their knowledge in a way that relates to and inspires young minds so that they can approach their everyday lives critically and better informed. However, that is not to say that teachers are responsible for all of the educating taking place, or even the majority of it. Education is by no means a one-way street. It is not teaching to a test; it is not memorization of dates and semantics; it is not a place for students to conform to their understood roles as clay for teachers to mold. Rather, education is an exchange—an interaction between teaching and learning. The role of student and teacher are interchangeable in my opinion. For instance, in my English class last semester, our class was assigned to write a paper on the importance of social networking sites to college students. In our papers, we were permitted to use any type of facebook lingo or terminology that we saw fit. But in order to help our teacher better understand the social networking jargon (terms such as “tag”, “friend request”, “mini feed” and “wall post”), our class held an open seminar in which we, the students, educated our teacher about the wonders that social networking has performed on our generation. Simultaneously, she, the teacher, was educating us, in that we began thinking more critically about our everyday activities through writing our papers. While schooling has become a regular 9am-3pm, Monday-Friday, September-June routine, education is not dictated or straightforward; it is a discovery process that can involve several parties and be approached from several different angles.
Students in schools nowadays always seem to be looking for the “right answer” to record in their notebooks and memorize for the test. However, I feel that students need to recognize that there may be more than one right answer, no wrong answer, or no right answer at all. As cliché as it may sound, I feel like the power of education really is based on the interpretation of the learner. Even two students sitting in the same classroom listening to the same lecture or engaging in the same activity can be creating completely different educational experiences for themselves. Likewise, two people can disagree on a controversial issue and both be correct in his or her own right, due to the fact that each person can gather the same information differently, interpret it uniquely, and earn a tailored education. For example, while one student might believe that Hitler was nothing but an evil tyrant, his or her fellow classmate would also be correct in arguing that Hitler was foremost a persuasive speaker and a top notch propagandist. While neither student has covered all sides of the story, both statements are correct in some respect. In addition, a student’s cultural background, socioeconomic status, religion, political affiliation and so on, can alter and affect his or her educational experiences. Therefore, two students can both think that Hitler was an evil tyrant, but if one of those students is Jewish, he or she may have extremely personal reasons to back up that statement which cannot be shared with those of other religions. However, Jewish students have their heritage and experiences to offer to the less informed and provide them with a well-rounded education on Jewish history and the Holocaust.
ReplyDeleteWhat I want to stress most of all is that we are all teachers, and we are all learners. While students have been fed the idea that “schooling” is the necessary routine in which the teacher prepares them for the next standardized gateway to higher levels of learning, I believe that education is an active and ongoing exchange. It takes place in school, as well as while we’re out to dinner with our families, in our backyard with friends, on top of the highest mountain and at the floor of the deepest ocean. Knowledge is everywhere. We must simply be open enough to our own experiences and the experiences of others, so that we can effectively absorb it.
I feel that school has become something mandatory that kids must attend and sometimes nothing more. This concept seems wrong to me because school is basically a home away from home for kids and therefore should feel like one. I understand that school is a place where kids should learn but that does not mean that any fun cannot be involved. School should be a place where kids develop in many more ways than just academically. Some schools may already meet this criterion but some schools may be forgetting about all the other areas besides academia.
ReplyDeleteFor high school, I attended a Catholic, all girl, private school. As a freshman, I felt overwhelmed with the academic responsibility I had and found it a little hard to accommodate. Even though my classes were hard, there were fun activities planned throughout the year that made school as much fun as it was hard. As the years passed and I became a senior, I noticed less time was schedule for recreation and more time was scheduled for class and study time. The school lost some of its charm along with the fun. Part of what made my freshmen year experience so great was that the school had mixed the concepts of being good students but also the concept that having fun while doing that is just as important. Still, I cannot complain because I always felt at home when I was at school. The teachers were welcoming and my overall experience left me prepared for life in many more ways then just academically.
I think every school should have that homey feel to it and in order to do so schools must have good teachers. In my opinion, the most important part of a school is its teachers. Without the teachers, the school could never feel like home. This is a part of why I would love to become a teacher. A teacher’s job is not just to educate the students in a subject area but also to make them feel comfortable in their environment and make them open to learning many things besides just the subject. It is obvious that not every teacher possesses this characteristic but some do and those make all the difference.
Schools sometimes, if not always, focus very much on just the grades. I will admit grades play an important part of school but if kids just go to school to get a grade and nothing more then it will also stand in the way of making school feel like a home away from home. School should be a place where sometimes we learn just to learn. Instead of memorizing for a test to get that A, sometimes we should read in order just to have a discussion or a debate with no grades attached. I feel that sometimes I have learned much more while having a simple discussion with the teacher and class instead of sitting at a desk memorizing a list of facts.
Taking into consideration what I have just mentioned, I strongly believe a school should have good teachers, a fun environment, and a learning atmosphere that does not always have a grade attached. I hope that when I become a teacher I will know how to incorporate them into my classroom and I hope that I will make a difference in doing so. I hope that most schools will soon be more than just getting A’s in math and science. I hope that developing knowledge of the world around you and having fun while doing it will also be an important goal of all schools.
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ReplyDeleteI believe that education is about passing fundamental knowledge down from generation to generation in order to both maintain and progress as people. What I mean by this is that I believe people all over the world have intellectual, social, physical, and countless other spheres of knowledge that they want to pass down to future generations as well as build upon with their own knowledge in order to continue to grow as a people. The specific goals of each nation’s educational system depend on what is valued and experienced most by that society. One of the main purposes is to make sure that our future generations are aware of the world that we live in and how it functions. When we are born we know literally nothing of the world we are brought into. We need to be educated on these things in order to survive and thrive. Education begins the moment we are held to our mother’s breast and taught that to latch on to a nipple means to be fed. It then continues as we learn to feed ourselves, to walk, and to speak and then it progresses to more complicated and diverse building blocks that take us into our career and follow us for our entire life time. We never stop learning or being educated, however I believe that a large portion of our education takes place in schools which are essentially vessels for education.
ReplyDeleteHere in America I believe our basic educational ideal has to do with schooling our children from an optional child care at birth or preschool at toddler age, all the way up to a government mandated Kindergarten to grade 12, and even further potentially with college, graduate, technical, and professional schools. The norm in schools across the age is to have children participate in classes to teach them what we have deemed the basic academic subjects; language arts/literature, math, science, social studies/history/civics, foreign language, arts, health education, physical education, and applied technical skills such as computers, home economics, automotive repair, etc. depending on each school’s specific curriculum. School has to do with learning the rules of behaving how our society has come to think of as correct such as standing in line, not talking out of turn or when somebody else, particularly someone of respect or authority such as a teacher is speaking. Also, basic rules of socializing with other people that perhaps some children (especially such as only children) wouldn’t learn without going to school. Even children who are home schooled are required to participate in group activities with other children to learn these schools as part of what we value as an educational ideal here in America. These things are taught through activities such as sharing, participating cooperatively in an activity with someone, making new friends, and so on.
From an academic viewpoint, schooling is where we get the education needed to produce, scientists, doctors, plumbers, carpenters, mechanics, pilots, all of the many different educational paths give us the ability to survive as a species. Without education for example we wouldn’t pass along the skills that help develop cures for diseases. Without schools to teach that knowledge in, we wouldn’t have rules and standards of evaluation to ensure that each doctor is equally capable and going to offer you competent care. From a practical standpoint, we can also get a lot of our education at home or out in the world through our experiences.
As I mentioned previously such as with breastfeeding, much of our practical education (or even “street smarts”) is taught at home, outside of school with peers, at our jobs, and so on and so forth. We learn to speak at home from our family, friends, neighbors, and being out in the world. Some children even learn multiple languages in the home beginning at birth. I know that as the youngest of five children I was often being educated by my older brothers and sisters in how to act and what kind of things were cool and whatnot. I also learned values and morals from my parents and other family members which are reflective of their family and their upbringing here in America. I have also been educated in how to behave and function in office and retail environments in my experiences professionally. There are also things that I have been able to teach myself through the simple act of trial and error.
ReplyDeleteEssentially, I believe that education is passing on information and ideas through writing, speaking, and experiencing things in the world. I believe one of the primary means of imparting education on society is through schooling. This is accomplished through the curriculum and the “hidden curriculum” as we discussed in class, or rather what is taught not explicitly, but may otherwise be conveyed through the way it is taught to us, or by what is not said just as much as what is said. I think that this is important to the understanding of schooling and education because neither is infallible. There are no perfect teachers or lesson plans, just as not even the most educated person can be knowledgeable in everything or be prepared for every situation. However, despite this we continue to gather knowledge and hopefully continue to improve schooling and the ways in which we educate.
I am sure that, along with myself, about ninety-five to ninety-nine percent of the class has chosen to write a traditional paper of about three to four pages made up of five sentence paragraphs. Although we were given the option to think outside of the box and turn in this assignment in any form, most will be in what I was taught to be a “cheeseburger” form with the “buns” of an introduction and a conclusion and the “meat, cheese, lettuce, and condiments” filling the space in between the buns. Oh, and don’t forget the seeds on the bun called the title. This traditional form of writing may not be the most exciting or entertaining way to communicate our opinions, but it in itself shows the exact purpose of schooling.
ReplyDeleteFrom the age of about four and five years old, we have all started some form of schooling and have begun to learn the basics of how to make things work when in a group. We are taught to put all of our backpacks and lunchboxes in one area of the room, to sit in the desk we are assigned to sit in, to follow the rules of the classroom and to listen to what the older, more experienced person in the room is teaching us. This is what schooling is all about. It is teaching young children of the world how to exist and function to benefit society as a whole in the best way for the rest of our lives. And although some people may argue that it is too structured or too one-sided, can you imagine if we were not taught to live and work together?
So, to me, schooling has the purpose of gathering the masses, teaching them to live and work together by following rules and completing tasks on time, in an orderly fashion. That is why the majority of us have chosen to write the traditional paper rather than composing some other form to get our point across. We have been conditioned to believe that this will work for ourselves and for the teacher, and to step outside of the box may be risking that good grade that we have also been conditioned to believe is the ultimate goal. In saying this, I want to make the point that it is not a bad thing to complete our tasks in the traditional form we have been taught because it shows that this thing we call “schooling” has done its proposed job.
On the other hand, I see a bit of a difference between the purposes of “schooling” and the purposes of “education.” Schooling, as I have just described, teaches students all of these “ways” to do things and how to benefit the world, but education has the purpose of increasing our knowledge and intellect. Education reaches out far beyond the classroom. We are educated by every word we hear and every experience we have. By going to school, we are more likely to hear more that we do not already know and that is the purpose of education through school.
ReplyDeleteIf I didn’t spend so much time in a classroom setting throughout life, I would still be educated by the encounters I have, the sights I see and anything else I may seek out through my own interest, but I would most likely not have the abundance of knowledge I have gained through education at school. In school, we are exposed to areas of knowledge we may never have explored on our own and although it may bore us, it is still knowledge and it still expands our minds. Education is so vital to our lives because even after we are done schooling, the education we have gained is what will take us places in our lives. The knowledge we acquire while learning will shape everything we do in life and help us to understand how the world goes around. In most cases we can say that the more education we have, the more chance we have of being successful people and using that education to our greatest benefit. And please don’t confuse that sentence with the more schooling we have will give us more of a chance at being successful because that is not the case, it is the more education we have.
As the “cheeseburger” form of writing would say, “in conclusion,” the purpose of schooling is to teach us how, when and what to do when surrounded by a group of people who are our classmates in school but who simulate our fellow citizens for the rest of our lives. It teaches every member of society the basics of cooperating with one another and listening to those who may have more knowledge than us. The purpose of education is to expand our minds in multiple ways. It teaches us why we do things and how we can do these things better than other people in order to find our own success. Schooling has taught me how to write this paper and turn it in to the professor on time, my education has taught me what to write in response to the proposed question.
Caterpillar
ReplyDeleteNow I close my eyes
And visualize
A classroom full of tots
Twelve on the floor
And three at the door
All of us holding our cots
Our ages, they range
From seven to nine
We all want to be heard and seen
Learning by action
Addition, subtraction
What is it and what does it mean
Please tell us a story
Ms. Montessori
And make it one full of clout
Who are we now?
Oh please show us how
To learn what we’re all about
What’s that that I see?
A story about me?
Eric Carle, he sure knows his stuff
Find my way through my day
I will stand and I’ll say
“I get it!” but it’s not enough
Supply more to ingest
Don’t think me a pest
And surely you will spy
As I grow and I show
The things that I know
You will call me a Butterfly
Teaching I feel is the core of education. How a teacher conveys their knowledge, how their class is structured, and their ability to connect with their students are all extremely important and vital to a student’s learning. It is a teacher’s main focus to provide the correct information in a way that students can easily understand and grow from. Their methods of explanation must be developed, practiced, and proven. A teacher however should not simply hand a student their education. They should challenge and strive to develop their student’s skills and experience. A student should feel comfortable with their teachers and be able to easily communicate with them. When a teacher provides a path for connection, the student’s experience will ultimately benefit and be enhanced. Teachers should establish authority but be able to balance putting themselves on a similar level as the students. I do not believe that examining a teacher’s ability to meet standards is the proper way to assess their true teaching abilities. I believe teachers should be flexible and be able to adjust to the different needs of their students and accommodate for every student. Today there is a lot of pressure on teachers to provide the values and morals that are no longer shown at home. Teaching is a very under-appreciated occupation and should be held on a higher pedestal.
ReplyDeleteEducation in general is the process of giving or obtaining knowledge. It is a prolonged experience with an ultimate goal. One must have a proper education in order to be respected and in most cases, successful. The years spent in school should be filled with progression and development. In “today’s society,” education is practically required in order to gain respect. I believe that there should be more focus on giving education and experience to students and less focus on rules and defining authority. Each student is unique in the ways that they learn best and in what backgrounds that they come from. A student’s culture and family life definitely affect their learning experience, but it is up to the teacher to adjust and improve the student in whatever ways and methods necessary. William Allin said, “education is not the answer to the question; education is the means to the answer to all questions.” The quality of ones schooling and teaching shape their education, and everyone who is interested deserves the best education possible. Those who aren’t interested deserve to be pushed to be interested and willing.
From as far back as I can remember school has been the one thing in my life that I just knew was a necessity and that would go on for what seemed like forever. I still remember sitting in kindergarten class, drawing the alphabet in shaving cream on the top of our desks. Back then I thought it was all fun and games, but looking back now I realize that was the very first step I needed to learn in school to understand really anything. Going through elementary, then middle, up to high school and now into college, it seems like it has been not only a journey, but such a huge accomplishment and a step closer to success. In my opinion, we need school to be successful. Rarely have I found anyone in my lifetime who is successful that has not received some sort of schooling. I don’t believe it’s possible. How can you know how to run a business if you’ve never been taught the right requirements? Not only do you need schooling but you need to know how to interact with people, and we learn that from day one in school.
ReplyDeleteSchool is here for so many reasons. Not only does it teach us reading, writing, and arithmetic’s, it also teaches us how to have respect, manners, discipline, friends, communication skills, and so many more attributes. I think school is amazing, to me it’s absolutely wonderful. I would not be where and more importantly who I am today if I had never been given the opportunity to go to school. Yes I had some amazing teachers, and some not to great ones too, but as hard as I have worked and as mad as I may have been at a teacher for giving us such a hard assignment, I understand now the reasoning behind it and I am thankful I have learned. School is a staircase and we start at the bottom. We make our way to the top by hard work and dedication. We learn more and more each grade and we carry that knowledge on to our next level and we continue to learn. We can never stop learning, and we even learn outside of school, but being in school is a controlled environment to where we are taught a certain requirement for success.
I am where I am now because I made a commitment and it’s the top goal on my list to graduate from school and be as successful as I can possibly be. I have noticed how hard it is to get a job these days and I believe just going to school gives you such a better opportunity. I could not imagine life without school. How would we know anything? Besides what you read and hear in books and newspapers, it goes way beyond that; school is an extremely important part of every child’s life and you take the skills you learn and carry them with you for the rest of your life. I know education is different from school but how would one ever get an education without school? It’s amazing to me that the through the amount of children around the world, the different languages that every child speaks, and the towns and environments we all grow up in, school is exactly the same concept. We all learn the same things in school. Our curriculums might differ, but we all learn our alphabets and we all learn how to be disciplined; it even goes way beyond that.
Now that I am older, I look at my nephew who is six and I see his school work, and it is exactly the same as mine was when I was in kindergarten and first grade. He draws pictures, he makes things out of paper, he brings home learning games; everything is the same. To me, that shows that the method of teaching has not changed, and I doubt things within the school system ever will change. We all have to start from scratch and build our way up through school and then through the rest of our life when we are beyond school. Graduating or finishing school does not mean we stop learning, it means we are old enough to take our knowledge of what we have learned in school and use it in life to be successful.
I have always been drawn to learning. It isn’t something that can really be described or explained, it’s just the way I am. I clearly remember one day in 1st grade, when we learned about different types of animals. I went to my teacher after school and asked her what I could do to learn more. She handed me a little packet about grizzly bears, and told me she’d give me a packet about a new animal everyday after school if that’s what I wanted. I took such joy in the fact that I was discovering all these new facts, and school suddenly became that much more enjoyable. I have dozens of similar personal experiences from my days in elementary school. I loved elementary school, come to think of it. I enjoyed learning about the American Revolution and basic scientific principles and how to spell. I graduated 5th grade winning the academic award and was on the top of the world. But I would never really enjoy school again.
ReplyDeleteUp until now, I had never really questioned why I disliked school so much beyond my elementary school years. But it dawned on me that once middle school began, “good grades” suddenly became the sole purpose of my schooling. As I sit here reminiscing about my days in middle school and high school, I honestly can’t remember too many times where I truly enjoyed learning something. Everything was black and white, and once one subject ended, we had a test. I was no longer learning just for the simple fact that I wanted to learn. I was learning to get a good grade on a test. It’s ridiculous to break down the snowball effect of one bad grade. If you didn’t get a good grade on one of those tests, you wouldn’t be able to maintain that coveted A-average. Now you’re unable to get into the honors program in your middle school, which means you won’t be in honors classes in high school. This isn’t that bad, but when you want to get into a top-tier college, it’s almost a necessity to have those honors or AP classes on your transcript. Apparently if I’m not in that top-tier college, I won’t get a good job, too. So as I sit here typing this assignment, enrolled in a university on the cusp of the top 50 in the rankings, I wonder if I would be in a top 25 university if I had gotten a few better grades. But then I also think, does it even matter?
In my opinion, the purpose of schooling for students is to learn and gain knowledge, with some emphasis on preparation for the future. I believe that children have a natural inclination to learn, which means school should be naturally enjoyable. I think too much emphasis on the testing of subjects almost turns off students to the actual learning.
My best friend Dylan and I have varying intelligences, study habits, and ways of viewing schooling. We were in the same social studies class in middle school. After we learned more in-depth about the Civil War and the end of slavery, I took some interest in the subject and began reading on my own. Even today, I have a great passion for that time in history. Before we took the test for the unit, my friend Dylan studied hours upon hours for the test, memorizing names and concepts. I did my fair share of studying, but not nearly as much as him. When it came time for the test, Dylan received an A+, while I received an A-. I still retain the knowledge from those lessons, while my friend retains none of it. So who comes out of that class more successful? I think society teaches us that my friend came out of the class more successful, yet I feel I was more successful for expanding my knowledge on the subject.
I don’t mean to demean the importance of grades, because there’s no other system, to my knowledge, capable of testing students on whether or not they’ve actually learned what they’re being taught. I believe when grades are put on a pedestal, it’s almost defeating the purpose of learning because students only learn in order to receive a good grade.
ReplyDeleteSchool also serves as something of a test for “the real world”, where the smart kids will be the successful lawyers and doctors, and the less intelligent students will be gas station attendants and janitors. Although this is almost unavoidable in our society, I think programs for “gifted” and “remedial” learning based off standardized tests are just outrageous. Students should be learning in an equal setting, not separated based off of their expected potential due to a test aimed at certain students.
In my opinion, learning should be the sole purpose of schooling. All else should come secondary, like preparation for the future. The school systems in our country have seemingly lost sight of this.
rowing up I was always told that education is important. In order to do well in life and get a good job I had to be educated. In order to get an education, I had to go to school everyday. However, no one ever explained what school or education was all I knew was that they were important.
ReplyDeleteToday, it seems as if school is where some kids go because they have to. It’s almost like school is free daycare for some students. They go to school because their parents have to work and cannot watch them and because the law says they have to. I believe that school is where children should be able to go to get an education. Parents should be able to rely on school to help educate their children and not simply watch them to make sure they don’t get in trouble.
One issue I have with today’s schools is that they need to worry less about drug and sex education, something that I feel should be taught at home. At the high school I attended, drug and sex education were called human growth and development and it was a required course for graduation. I believe that these topics could still be talked about in schools; however, I don’t think they need to be requirements for graduation. Students should have the option about whether they want to take the class or not. I feel that if schools spent less time educating students about abstinence and staying drug free, there would be more time to teach about more important topics.
I feel that today’s education is aimed at simply teaching students to get by in the world. It is aimed at teaching students to earn a living. It is also largely focused on teaching students to do well on standardized tests. In Florida, students have to worry about the FCAT in third and tenth grades. If you don’t pass the FCAT you don’t pass that grade or you could even fail high school. High school students also have to worry about the SAT and ACT in order to get into college. Too much time is being spent preparing students for standardized tests, than for life. I also feel that education is seen as teaching only the basics of math, reading and writing in order to be a somewhat functional member of society. However, this is a problem. Current education only allows students to get by, not to succeed to their fullest potential.
For me education should be about teaching students to think critically. It should allow students to question the world they live in. If you never question anything how do you that it’s right? Students should not be afraid to ask questions and teachers should not prevent or discourage students from asking questions. My personal experience in school, especially high school, I was taught what to think more so than how to think. My teachers never really deviated from the textbooks and they never gave their personal opinions. The few teachers that did allow me to question what was being taught are the ones that I remember the most and learned the most from. Being able to question the world around is important because it open’s your eyes to new ideas, it changes how you view things, and enhances your thinking skills.
Education should also involve the teaching of problem solving and communication skills. Both types of skills are especially important outside of school. Without either type of skill, it is difficult to function in society. You need to be able to communicate what you feel, think, etc. You also need to know how to properly deal with any problems you may have, whether at school, home or at work.
Education needs to be culturally and socially aware. It needs to be modern and broad enough that the students can relate to what is being taught. For me, the more I can relate to something, the more I am interested in learning about it and the more I pay attention. I blame the fact that education is not socially and culturally aware on the fact that many teachers and parents are afraid to teach what is not in textbooks. Teaching students about what is relevant to them is more important than teaching about history that doesn’t affect them at all.
Sophronie Dantica
ReplyDeleteMy parents were born and raised in Haiti. It is a very beautiful island but most of the habitants do not have a “formal education”. My parents, being one of them, based their lives of hard labor and doing pretty much anything to get a plate of food on the table. My parents believed in education and the benefits associated with it. They wanted us to have a good education, so that we could work in a cool air-conditioned office instead of working the fields and having the scorching sun beat down on us. When they came to America in 1994, they soon learned that the schools systems were much different then that of Haiti’s. In America, K-12 was free which gave every child the opportunity to get a formal education. In Haiti, there is a monthly tuition fee for primary education, and most families cannot afford to put their children I school. So most Haitians do not know how to read or write. However they are rich in knowledge. How could I say that they are rich in knowledge when they don’t even know how to write their names?
Education to me is having the knowledge to survive in a specific setting. This brings me to my point that education is not just being able to add and subtract fractions, but being able to survive in the setting that you are in and reap the benefits. Most Haitians may not be able to spell their name, but at least they know how to survive in the fields when the average American, holding a PhD could not. I’m not saying that formal education is not a good thing. It is just that many people believe that having a formal education is the only way to survive in life.
Schools are a great place to receive education, but are schools just limited to buildings with classrooms and desks? No. a school is any place that you received training (education). So, for the average Haitian, their school is the fields in which they work on, and their teacher is nature. But for the average American, school is a building that has classrooms, and desks and trained professional holding a college degree, as their teachers.
Education is much more that what you learn from the teacher as far as Mathematics, and English goes. Education shapes a persons character. Education is not just what’s underlined in textbooks, but the interactions and the connections that are being made in the classroom or the learning space.
Schools play an important role in the lives of many children. But I believe that school has taken on a greater role than originally thought. Schools teach us the basics and everything else we need to know about Math, Science, and English. But many things are taught in schools that are not part of the underlined curriculum, such as morals. Children spend most of their lives at school and that is where they develop and understanding of what is right and what is wrong, but coming from a conservative background, I feel that it is not the job of the schools to teach my child what is right and what is wrong. Because what society perceives to be right may ultimately be wrong and vice versa.
Education is very important for my family an especially for me. The only way for me to succeed in a country that is based solely on formal education, is for me to receive one too. I would like to become a doctor, and going to school is the only way for me to receive the “proper” education I need to become what I want to become. Schooling and education are very important aspects of one’s life and it should never be taken for granted.
Credo- Esse Quam Videri Part 1
ReplyDeleteIt’s common knowledge that a ‘C’ in private school is equivalent to an ‘A’ in public school—or so I used to think. After eleven years attending two elite private schools, I had cultivated a spectacularly narrow- minded assumption that private school offered the only means of a superior education. I mean, artistic geniuses like M. Night Shyamalan attended the same private school I had. The entire collection of Mercedes and BMW models decorated its parking lot, and students complimented their tailored uniforms with the chicest and clearly most expensive accessories. Even the entrance to the school, filled with a sweet Burberry aroma, sported a glamorous, handmade Persian rug. Everything presented itself so effortlessly ideal, that it seemed success would follow its students almost mechanically. Yet, despite all the advantages private school had to offer, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was hiding in a sea of superficial materialistic perfection. I wanted to know where that sea ended and the “continent” of my own character began. As I got older, I found it more and more difficult to push these thoughts from my mind. Finally, the insatiable itch of curiosity won out, and I made the abrupt decision to attend public school in September of my sophomore year in high school.
It’s funny how we rarely recognize the momentous decisions that shape our lives at the time that we actually make them--this was one of those decisions. Ironically, the meaning of that old school motto, “esse quam videri”--“to be rather than to seem to be”--resonated more profoundly with me after I left the Academy.
What had I gotten myself into?! As I navigated the vast maze of my new school, I was overwhelmed and scared. Never before had I seen so many different faces or races in one place. The halls were overcrowded, people didn’t all wear the same designer labels, and the teachers didn’t believe in extra credit! It seemed like somebody had picked me up and launched me headfirst out of the realms of my comfort zone, popping the bubble that had sheltered me so securely until now. Looking back, I realized that the second I walked through the front doors of this public school, my training wheels came off and the handholding stopped. For the first time in my life, I only had my own talents and instincts to rely upon—little did I know, I wasn’t just going to start learning, but also start thinking.
The beginning was rough. Teachers didn’t just naturally trust and appreciate me as they always had. The “Bobzin reputation” created by my twelve-varsity-letter-three-time-captain-valedictorian-Harvard-bound-lacrosse-superstar-big-sister had no validity here. I was in a pure state of shock after the first month and struggled to find my niche in this new environment. It seemed like all the other kids had something unique or special about them that made each one of them stand out. There was the popular artsy hippie who carried around her art under her arm to the cafeteria, the socially keen potential valedictorian who everyone visited at work, even the thespian track captain! They weren’t the same cookie-cutter intellectuals that I used to mimic in private school, rather they capitalized on the pursuit of their individual and diverse passions.
Part 2
ReplyDeleteMy high school experience school provided me with the opportunity to embrace myself and use my passions and interests, the things I care about most, to define myself and the world around me. Starting and ending an hour earlier than private school, public school provided me with the opportunity to spend more time at the barn, pursuing my passion for horses. I had more time to teach, ride, work, and I also met people at school who shared my interest. Some of my friends at public school rode different disciplines, and I was able to explore the different types of riding through them. Others helped me network and find stables closer to home where I could work. I would have never found these opportunities at private school because none of its students needed to work at any job, much less at a stable to pay for riding lessons. Unlike the equestrian enthusiasts at private school who defined their “passion” for riding by the dollar value of their horses and the number of horseshows they attended, the riders at public school were diverse. It was this diversity at public school that allowed me to pursue my passions, and allowed me to be me, rather than to seem to be the little-sister-legacy at private school.
I now realize that I don’t have to be a lacrosse prodigy or Harvard-bound to be considered successful, because it is my unconventional passion that makes me, Allison Bobzin, capable of achieving success through my own talents and abilities, based on my own merit. I now know that whenever I find myself facing a new challenge or adversity beyond my comfortable boundaries, I can adapt, grow, and learn.
For me that old private school motto “to be rather than to seem to be” defined my public school experience and should resonate with everyone else’s learning experiences as well. School is not just the 8a.m.-3p.m. socio-economic construct to cultivate (or federally mandate) intellect; rather it ought to a dynamic experience for each individual student to learn not only about the world around them, but about themselves as well. It is the combined academic and social curriculum that fosters the sense of confidence I attained through my experience. The lessons I learned after leaving private school taught me not only how to succeed academically, but to become more self-sufficient and independent. Far too frequently, education becomes too closely related with the attainment of wealth. Perhaps, this is a result of the capitalist society we live in; nevertheless people far too often forget that there is more to learn in life than how to make the most money by doing the least amount of work. School should be a place where children are not only learning critical thinking and analytical skills but also ideally, where they learn how to, in Ghandi’s words, “be the change they wish to see in the world”. If this Ghandi-inspired ideal is just that, too idealistic, so be it. However, school must be a place where children at least learn to coexist, to live, and to be.