The Next Generation of Education
My mother has been a grade school teacher for a number of years. After one school year a student’s parents gave her a parting gift, thanking her for a job well done. The gift was a plaque, on which was inscribed, “The aim of education should be to teach us how to think, not what to think.” The complete quote from Bill Beattie actually reads;
“The aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think, than what to think – rather to improve our minds so as to enable us to think for ourselves, than to load the memory with thoughts of other men.”
This should be the primary goal of all educators, to ensure future generations of innovative thinkers and problem solvers. Education should prepare us for a future of uncertainty and provide us with the necessary skill sets to meet and overcome all obstacles in our path.
To prepare the next generation to handle the challenges of life in the information age a proper balance of combining traditional classroom style courses with cutting edge job training programs is imperative. Students must be prepared to adapt to ever-changing roles in the world of business and academia. They must understand how to use technology to carve out their place in history and further the pursuits of mankind.
The goal of the education system should be to provide each and every child that sets foot through the doors a clear and concise path to a bright and fulfilling future. To help them take the first steps towards the rest of their lives. Education should be measured not by standardized tests and scripts but by the direction and value it imparts on tomorrow.
It is unfortunate when the standard education system fails one of our young. While we must accept that not every person can be a philosopher, surgeon, or magistrate, almost all of the worlds next generation workers will need to possess the skills associated with a high school education. For those who have fallen from the path of knowledge, summer schools are a saving grace.
There are many online private summer school options and job training programs available to those who may have taken a hiatus from their education. A high school diploma is an accomplishment to be proud of and a key to many doors. Many online programs afford students the opportunity to work at their own pace and to their strengths. There are even tutors and advisors available to help students overcome their weaknesses and accomplish their goals.
There are even services and websites designed to help match prospective students to their dream schools and job training programs. These services use personality tests and profiles to help students identify areas of interest and strength and them match the students with schools which offer courses in those areas. The end result is a more personalized education. One that successfully teaches students how to think, and not what to think, and education that prepares students for the future and opens the doors to opportunity and success.
About the author:
This article is written by Jayson Bailey.
