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An educated public is a benefit to society. By having an educated public,
we should be able to learn from past mistakes, and be better prepared not to repeat them.
A truly educated society will possess members who are able to think for themselves, and have the desire to continue
the learning process throughout their lives.
In order to have an educated public, society must provide a
solid foundation. That is, it must be committed to educate all of its members. And
it must be committed to instill in its citizenry the desire to learn. It is imperative
that this effort begin early in life.
Although parents are the first to provide their children with educational experiences, teachers are
fundamental in furthering the learning process. Young children have a natural
curiosity about everything. By nourishing this curiosity, good teachers promote
learning – because satisfying one’s curiosity is fun. When you enjoy
something, you want to continue that activity. And so it should be with every
child in our schools.
Educators should encourage different learning styles, and modify their teaching to include the different
styles of learning – auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. By incorporating
the three different styles into a lesson plan, teachers are attempting to ensure that all of their students truly understand
what is being taught.
A good teacher should remain open to innovative ideas that can inspire kids. These ideas can come from
many places, including the students. Both students and teachers will benefit
if the teacher is willing to learn from his or her students, in addition to teaching them.
Teachers should encourage students to take an active role in their education. Students should be encouraged to ask questions, and to pursue the answers.
The transformation from a rote-learner into a critical thinker is a necessary one for the full development of an educated
person.
As teachers, we should also show our students that we care about them as individuals. We should be available to help with issues and questions – even if they fall outside our lesson plan. Such caring is imperative, because the last thing we should do is stifle curiosity.
Children learn best when they can relate what they are learning to their lives. This adds a further challenge to a teacher’s responsibility: in the best of all possible worlds,
we should be aware of what’s going on in the child’s world. This
requires a continual give and take in the classroom – and into the community (family, friends and the general environs).
Finally, parental involvement is necessary in encouraging a pattern of life-long learning. By parental involvement, I am including any adult in that child’s life who acts in the role of a
parent. This could be a grandparent, aunt or uncle, or even an older sibling. Children prosper by having people take an active interest in their education. If the teacher can encourage parental involvement – through reading to the child,
sitting with them while they do their homework, or even chaperoning a field trip, that child will notice the importance of
an education.
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