education

Derived from Latin educo = I lead out.

Indicating the true purpose of education is not drilling, or teaching a lot of useless facts (which one can find on the Internet anyway), nor submission to established societal values, but leading out that which already is within. An educator, then, is a person who helps one achieve the fullness of one's potential without trying to impose his own viewpoints.

American students are products produced on an assembly line rather than individual works of art crafted by caring designers. Students attend institutions wired with the information that has been superficially declared important for them to know. If the students can retain and recreate the information correctly they go to the next station on the assembly line. That is not how education should be and I plan on educating students differently. I feel that education will be better in my classroom; it will be like finger painting, much like how I learned to ride a horse.

Education and finger painting are the same. This most basic form of artistic creation is made up of the handprints of children. Although each child posses a handprint that may look similar to others at first, everyone has their own unique handprint. Finger painting cannot be done wrong. Everyone's art is different but it all has its good characteristics and is valued. To many adults a finger painting may look small and insignificant, but it is a base for the child to grow upon. Finger painting can be done alone or by several people. The outcome of finger painting can vary greatly just as can the outcome of education. Education doesn't need to be a precision manufacturing process, where the students produced are expected to be identical in appearance, personality, and performance. Diversity should be encouraged and unique talents cherished.

When I think of the greatest epiphany I've ever had I think of the process I went through learning to ride a horse. When I first rode a horse I was nervous and stiff, worried about performing the correct actions in the desired order to achieve the perfect outcome. After four lessons I loosened up. I began to work with the horse and read the horse's body language. There came a day when I realized that horse riding is about a unity between the horse and rider, and now riding is a very natural thing for me. After that day I have always moved correctly with the horse's movements, going up and down with the horse, knowing when the horse is going to jump, and when a horse is going to cause trouble.

After riding for about a year I began working at the barn. In the mornings I would bring the horses in and feed them. I began training some of the horses because I had learned that the real meaning of horse riding is moving with the horse and a unity with the horse. It was a sudden and unexpected clarity when I realized how I should horse ride. My instructor allowed me to learn this for myself, and fostered the differences between me and her other students.

I am majoring in education and worked at The Young School for over a year as well as Emmanuel Methodist Summer Camp. The Young School encouraged students to explore and learn for themselves as well as developed the differences between the children. Students were put into situations where there was nothing they could do wrong and encouraged to explore and learn for themselves in ways that interested them. When I become a teacher I am going to make sure I encourage the differences in students and remember what may seem insignificant to me may mean a lot to the students. The finger painting comparison represents how my classroom will be and how I treat the children. The room will be colorful and encourage diversity. I will supply the knowledge for their education and the paint for their finger painting.

Ed`u*ca"tion (?; 135), n. [L. educatio; cf. F. 'education.]

The act or process of educating; the result of educating, as determined by the knowledge skill, or discipline of character, acquired; also, the act or process of training by a prescribed or customary course of study or discipline; as, an education for the bar or the pulpit; he has finished his education.

To prepare us for complete living is the function which education has to discharge. H. Spenser.

Syn. -- Education, Instruction, Teaching, Training, Breeding. Education, properly a drawing forth, implies not so much the communication of knowledge as the discipline of the intellect, the establishment of the principles, and the regulation of the heart. Instruction is that part of education which furnishes the mind with knowledge. Teaching is the same, being simply more familiar. It is also applied to practice; as, teaching to speak a language; teaching a dog to do tricks. Training is a department of education in which the chief element is exercise or practice for the purpose of imparting facility in any physical or mental operation. Breeding commonly relates to the manners and outward conduct.

© Webster 1913.