BY: Bailey, Ethan, Jilleen, Meghan
5/8/17
5/8/17
Is education important? By simply answering yes or no, we would be generalizing a very nuanced subject. Yes, there are multiple reasons why education is important; future careers, personal growth, etc. But what about kids whose families would have to sacrifice the money their child could be making to help sustain the family in order for that child to spend time at school? What about the artists or those who will not follow a career path schools are designed to prepare their students for? There are many benefits but also many costs to education, and each student must decide whether education is right for them.
In preschool, children learn their colors, digits, and the importance of naps. But as students reach higher academic levels, education helps them find future career interests, grow, and develop social skills necessary to interact within society. But not every child is raised in an environment that promotes education. Education does have one crucial downfall that every family could relate to; the financial burden. Education isn’t exactly free, the financial stress of education could make low-income families turn their heads in a different direction. The outrageous price of college is a major roadblock to gaining higher level education and college experience. High school also falls in line right behind colleges; constant projects, class material requirements, and after school sports leave families nickel and diming other daily expenses. If schools could provide the materials essential for students, then that would help struggling low-income families, even middle-class families, achieve the ability to get their child a good education. The haunting finances of school sidetrack families from the benefits of education; education could potentially help students uncover their hidden talents and passions to help grow their personal aspirations. Passions help a student to find out what their priorities are both in managing their time and their potential career paths. As students go through school, they discover their strengths and weaknesses and gain new skills that help the students use their strengths to help workout those weaknesses. These passions and skills can be applied to their lives outside of school in the groups and organizations they are involved in. Some schools have in-school programs to help further a student's learning and readiness for an upcoming job.
But finances aren’t the only thing stopping students from valuing education. To many students, the education system is obviously broken in a way that teachers, administrators, parents, and government officials don’t fully understand: they haven’t felt it, not recently anyway. These students sit in class every day and listen as teachers spout facts, but they don’t understand any of it. To these students, education simply doesn’t work. Others may go on about the importance of education in preparing you for the real world, but these students would ask how school prepares them for anything if they never learn what they’re being taught. When a student in math class asks “When will we ever use this?” it wouldn’t be inaccurate to say, “You won’t, but the smart kids might.” This ideology excludes not only those who are less academically inclined and those with talents outside of math or science or any form of traditional academia. Traditional methods of education may not help these students develop their talents which they could use to gain careers and greater happiness in a career that better plays to their strengths. This points out a fundamental flaw in the system: whether the teacher isn’t teaching well enough, or the student actually shouldn’t be learning math, I don’t know, but something has gone horribly wrong by the time the student asks “When will we ever use this?”
Education helps you grow. Growing up is like being an archaeologist arriving to a brand new dig site. Students have to excavate the limitless possibilities presented to them and education helps students to find their passions, strengths, and weaknesses through the process of learning how to learn. These newfound passions help students find what they want to make their priorities which will in turn help manage their time in an effective way. Weaknesses prevent you from going down certain paths unless the students are willing to turn those weaknesses into strengths, which education helps students to learn. Strengths promote confidence and provides career paths that would most benefit the student and society.
In preschool, children learn their colors, digits, and the importance of naps. But as students reach higher academic levels, education helps them find future career interests, grow, and develop social skills necessary to interact within society. But not every child is raised in an environment that promotes education. Education does have one crucial downfall that every family could relate to; the financial burden. Education isn’t exactly free, the financial stress of education could make low-income families turn their heads in a different direction. The outrageous price of college is a major roadblock to gaining higher level education and college experience. High school also falls in line right behind colleges; constant projects, class material requirements, and after school sports leave families nickel and diming other daily expenses. If schools could provide the materials essential for students, then that would help struggling low-income families, even middle-class families, achieve the ability to get their child a good education. The haunting finances of school sidetrack families from the benefits of education; education could potentially help students uncover their hidden talents and passions to help grow their personal aspirations. Passions help a student to find out what their priorities are both in managing their time and their potential career paths. As students go through school, they discover their strengths and weaknesses and gain new skills that help the students use their strengths to help workout those weaknesses. These passions and skills can be applied to their lives outside of school in the groups and organizations they are involved in. Some schools have in-school programs to help further a student's learning and readiness for an upcoming job.
But finances aren’t the only thing stopping students from valuing education. To many students, the education system is obviously broken in a way that teachers, administrators, parents, and government officials don’t fully understand: they haven’t felt it, not recently anyway. These students sit in class every day and listen as teachers spout facts, but they don’t understand any of it. To these students, education simply doesn’t work. Others may go on about the importance of education in preparing you for the real world, but these students would ask how school prepares them for anything if they never learn what they’re being taught. When a student in math class asks “When will we ever use this?” it wouldn’t be inaccurate to say, “You won’t, but the smart kids might.” This ideology excludes not only those who are less academically inclined and those with talents outside of math or science or any form of traditional academia. Traditional methods of education may not help these students develop their talents which they could use to gain careers and greater happiness in a career that better plays to their strengths. This points out a fundamental flaw in the system: whether the teacher isn’t teaching well enough, or the student actually shouldn’t be learning math, I don’t know, but something has gone horribly wrong by the time the student asks “When will we ever use this?”
Education helps you grow. Growing up is like being an archaeologist arriving to a brand new dig site. Students have to excavate the limitless possibilities presented to them and education helps students to find their passions, strengths, and weaknesses through the process of learning how to learn. These newfound passions help students find what they want to make their priorities which will in turn help manage their time in an effective way. Weaknesses prevent you from going down certain paths unless the students are willing to turn those weaknesses into strengths, which education helps students to learn. Strengths promote confidence and provides career paths that would most benefit the student and society.
Featured resources
The History of Education
Giving Students a Voice in Education Reform
The Argument for Tuition-Free College
Giving Students a Voice in Education Reform
The Argument for Tuition-Free College
Join the Discussion
What would you do to your own school system to benefit more students? What would you change about the education system in general? What does education mean to you?
Tweet your answers to these questions using #RONow17Edu or add your voice to the comments section below.
Tweet your answers to these questions using #RONow17Edu or add your voice to the comments section below.