Why do we do school?
In the last post, I said that the point of education should be thinking. Actually, I declared that the point of education is thinking -- and implied that maybe it really isn’t by parenthetically stating that it should be. And of course, that led me to a question -- is that really what I believe...that the purpose of education is ambiguous? As an educator, educator of educators, and a parent, with a front row view of what is happening in education in Indiana, my answer is “yes”. And I am not alone...a recent poll by Phi Delta Kappa showed that Americans are split in their view of the purpose of public education:
Don’t these outcomes all matter? What are the implications that arise from each different answer? What does it change about educational policy and practice if your view is that the ultimate outcome of the time students spend in school is being a “good citizen” vs. “prepared to work”?
The wording of questions matters, of course. Listen to these questions...are your answers the same to each?
These questions are not new. Read this fascinating article by Eleanor Roosevelt from 1930, in which she addresses the purpose of education, and concludes that citizenship training is the penultimate goal.
(For more context, check out:
Judith Lloyd Yero: http://teachinginmind.com/meaning-of-education.php,
Seth Godin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXpbONjV1Jc, Infographic: http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_update/eu201207_infographic.pdf)
So why do all or any of these questions matter?
Have you wrestled with these questions? Are there others to ask?
The wording of questions matters, of course. Listen to these questions...are your answers the same to each?
- What is the point of school?
- What should be the point of school?
- What is the point of getting an education?
- A free education?
- A public education?
- A compulsory education?
- What is the point of learning?
These questions are not new. Read this fascinating article by Eleanor Roosevelt from 1930, in which she addresses the purpose of education, and concludes that citizenship training is the penultimate goal.
(For more context, check out:
Judith Lloyd Yero: http://teachinginmind.com/meaning-of-education.php,
Seth Godin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXpbONjV1Jc, Infographic: http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_update/eu201207_infographic.pdf)
So why do all or any of these questions matter?
- If you don’t know why you are doing what you are doing, you won’t know when you have been successful. An attendance rate of 100% makes for a successful compulsory education system; but does the physical presence of a student necessarily result in learning?
- “Getting an education” has too often meant the ability to demonstrate obedience and compliance.
- When policy makers, practitioners (teachers, administrators), and parents have different answers to any of these questions, student outcomes will be varied at best and thoroughly inequitable at worst.
- In many educational experiences, the outcome has been a focus on skill-set development (ability to solve algebra problems) vs. mindset (having the grit, curiosity, resilience to know how and when to use algebra concepts).
- New technologies and societal needs are bring a change to education and a clear goal/purpose is essential to guide us all through this change.
Have you wrestled with these questions? Are there others to ask?