Benjamin Franklin's Involvement In The Classroom

Benjamin Franklin once expressed a significant observation to the people of the eighteenth century: “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I learn.” Despite the hundreds of years that separate eighteenth and twenty-first centuries, this statement could not ring truer in today’s society. Franklin intricately connects the past and present by illustrating the impact of humanity’s innate curiosity. Only through active participation can a person truly understand the world around him. The Enlightenment, the period in which Franklin lived, encouraged this exact notion of exploration, which resulted in rapid advancements across many fields: from science to politics. Franklin rose to the forefront in his time not because he was taught the most information in school but because he involved himself in current affairs and scientific developments. In fact, Franklin received little formal education: he only remained in school until ten years old (An Extraordinary Life). It was
Today, students and teachers understand the importance of student’s involvement in lessons. Many teachers today utilize the Socratic method of teaching, which encourages active involvement from all students: “In the Socratic method, the classroom experience is a shared dialogue between teacher and students in which both are responsible for pushing the dialogue forward through questioning” (Reich). This method of learning surpasses conventional teaching because, unlike conventional teaching methods, it requires students and teachers alike to understand and synthesize information through involvement. Moreover, the Socratic method fosters young students who will grow up to think critically and solve global issues due to their exceptional education as youths. Thus, the education system acts as an adamant supporter of Franklin’s wisdom regarding