Modern Schooling

 

 Education is a fickle thing because as society changes there is discussion about it, what does it mean, how should it be implemented, and what criteria can be used to measure success.  Students, like me, are recipients of education through the course of our lives, but I can admit that what and how we learn has changed through time.  The other part is the structure of learning is so interwoven with many moving parts that can be elusive to quantify.  In addition, the professionals in charge of education have varying viewpoints, and so do the students, and we must not forget the parents have a voice in this as well.

I am a big fan of people.  If there is one area of education that can be addressed immediately and with ease, it is the individual teacher.  We should value that position more than it appears we do.  I speak from my own personal life experience, but also give credence to the sentiments of those in the profession.  It is no secret that teacher in the United States, in general, have expressed feelings of being overwhelmed and undervalued.  The class has produced videos that support this, and in comparison, to teachers in other parts of the globe, those experiences cannot be discounted. They need support financially, and emotionally.  I don’t know the statistics of male to female, regarding the number of teaching professionals across the country, but we should take this figure into account when seeking to provide the necessary support that may be different depending on the group.  I, also, am a strong proponent for tax breaks or shelters for the teaching community.  It is my contention that to keep continuity in some communities, the housing needs of teachers should be met in such a way that it is favorable to remain in schools.  Thus, cities and counties can create tax rules that are beneficiary to homeowners that are in the teaching profession.

The reason I believe so ardently in the teachers is because they have the most impact on the student outside of the home.  If we really want to invest in education, then we should invest in the very first frontier children are exposed to in the learning environment.  In my preference we should take serious stock of the inventory of K-12 and below and have the discussion on how to produce better teachers.  I know people think that the materials, products, computers, and aids utilized in the learning environment are tantamount to producing educational success based on whatever criteria, but if the instructor does not have the requisite skills and graces to create an environment conducive to learning, then all the external aids will not reach their full potential use.

The other area of concern for me in modern schooling would be allocation of resources across the board to environs that lack them.  No more excuses that have been used for decades should be allowed. There is no reason that children and their education should not be prioritized in the percentage of the GDP nationally and regionally.  The country knows the problem exists and knows where the areas of need are. Education may be a privilege around the world but providing it is an honor and a duty of all responsible members of society and governments.

In an ideal modern school, we should have great communicators who enhance the ability of the student to learn.  We should take care to have great facilities equipped with adequate supplies and the latest available aids. If information is free, then we should encourage learning that allows the minds to be freely cultivated and not indoctrinated with slanted views of the world.  One of the gravest results of education is to teach a worldview that when encountered by the student upon leaving the classroom is totally in contrast to reality.  We have minds and consciences, and that is part of the preciousness of human experience.  The biblical word would be nouthesia, a Greek word reference admonition accompanied with nurturing.  That should be the goal of modern teaching to provide a nurturing environment whereby the individual child can grow and aspire in life.