What's the Point of Education? (degree, school, pay, history)

[Eyenuhsoo]

What do you believe is the point of education? If you are a parent what do you think your children should learn? If you are a child what do you want to learn? If you are a teacher what is important to teach? Where do schools fit in? If you are a politician/administrator, what is your role?

[Pitt Chick]

Someone writing a paper?

[citylove101]

Point of schooling (K-12)

1. To make everyone competent enough in basic math, english, and science to function and understand the modern world
2. To impart enough of a sense of history to understand their stake in citizenship (state, local, and national)
3. To expose all kids to ideas, books, and arts that they otherwise would not see or get
4. To teach kids how to search out material and information they will want or need in the future for their own reasons.
5. To help "socialize" kids in understanding required norms of behavior in the adult world

If kids get all five of these they'll have a solid education. If they get one thing more --wisdom in addition to knowledge -- it's gravy.

[Adrian71]

Big difference between schooling and education.

The point of education is to give people a well-rounded view of their society, helping them develop the tools they need to succeed and the knowledge to help them navigate the world around them.

The point of schooling is to enforce obedience and conformity, creating people just smart enough to run the machines but not smart enough to ask the right questions about why things are the way they are.

You don't necessarily need schooling to get an education.

[Ivorytickler]

I think the purpose of public education is to educate the masses to a level that allows them to be functioning members of society. To make sure they can read, write and do basic math. In theory anyway.

[citylove101]

Originally Posted by Adrian71

Big difference between schooling and education.

The point of education is to give people a well-rounded view of their society, helping them develop the tools they need to succeed and the knowledge to help them navigate the world around them.

The point of schooling is to enforce obedience and conformity, creating people just smart enough to run the machines but not smart enough to ask the right questions about why things are the way they are.

You don't necessarily need schooling to get an education.

Point taken, though I use the words "schooling" and "education" interchangeably in my post. You should get both in the same place, but of course many times you don't. At worst, you don't get either, whether in a traditional classroom or outside of it.

And I consider that "understanding one's stake in citizenship" includes the questioning of "why things are the way they are." That's one of the things citizenship is about, at least IMO. As to obedience and conformity, those are neutral values, not negative ones. The trick is for a student to decide what he wants to obey and conform to, and whether that will get him what he wants out of life. That's where wisdom comes in.

[Ohiogirl81]

If you have to ask ...

[hotzcatz]

So folks can get employed and pay taxes of course!

[Nor'Eastah]

The purpose of education is to produce another generation of young adults who will be productive members of society. Some degree of obedience and conformity is also required for a smoothly running society. It is not necessary to learn any of this in school. In fact, most of it is (or should be) taught by the parents. The fact that many parents do not do so today, speaks volumes about the causes of today's school problems. Good parenting is the 'foundation' of good education.

[Clevelander17]

So Pearson can make a lot of money, Michelle Rhee can feed her ego, Bill Gates can feel important, and schools get as many students as possible to pass tests.