What Is the Purpose of Education?

Keana Saunders Matthusen English Compositions 13 December 2012 What Is The Purpose of Education? Many students feel as though they are mandated to go to school. Should they feel this animosity toward education? Or is it just a personal pleasure for those who enjoy it? The purpose of education is to enhance one’s human values, create financial stability, and promote knowledge. The education system is flawed in these areas, they must work on these in order to create financial stability, and prevent being the reason for the social classes in society today. The education system should be designed to help the students make choices that will help them determine their goals for the future. Schools should be set up in a way that favors each and every individual. Everyone has things that they lack; the education system should be able to fill in the gaps, in order to create well rounded students. The human values that should be taught are communication, ambition, pride, and knowledge. Communication should be taught to help the student establish social skill. Mike Rose states that he “did learn things about the people and eventually came into my own socially”. He was placed in a different education environment that he did not believe he belonged in, however, being there helped him socially. He was able to create friendships and get involved in things he would have never thought of doing on his own such as joining the track team. This is where communication skills get a person respect and acknowledgment in society. Communication is one of the main keys to success. Not only will it make it easier for you to get your point across, you will be able to network with the people around you. You will also be able to build a relationship that can benefit you, in a long run. The education system should include classes that are more with networking than essay writing. Being able to write a great paper will benefit you but if you cannot speak the words you place on paper it will be hard to get somewhere professionally. The education system does not effective give all students the same type of drive. Your parents always tell you that you must work harder if you really want something. If all your classes require hard work and a lot of effort, these classes are helping you gain ambition. Those good grades are now your goal that you must meet in order to pass that class. In order to survive in the real world education should include real world skills. When the education system provides for students, the students will be able to provide for the education system. “As we help children get into the world, to do their learning there, we get more of the world into the schools”. Quoted by John Holt in School Is Bad For Children. Along with ambition students develop pride in what they do. They’re successful in these classes and it provides them with a personal pleasure to work harder. This is when students are working at their best to gain the knowledge to become the person you want to be. This is when you can say education is a personal pleasure. “You’re placed in a curriculum that isn’t designed to liberate you, but to occupy you, or, if you’re lucky, train you, though the training is for work the society does not esteem. “ Said Rose. When education becomes important to you it can be the key to financial stability. Education should give you the drive to want to do better for yourself. However, because of your fear of books, essays, and test many people do not have the money or the drive to succeed. This is when education becomes a tool for creating social classes instead of educating. The wealthy use their money to buy their way into knowledge while the poor are left out to dry and actually have to try to make it somewhere. This is when the type of school is looked at by your employers. When it comes to social classes you’ll notice that many of the more fortunate people have belonged to what we call “Brand Name” schools. These schools have the money for their student to receive the best resources and have the top teachers. These schools are what most people should look into. Going to a brand name school is what gets you into the working world. Graduating from Harvard would look better to any company compared to going to a community college such as Queens College. The brand named schools is what will give you a little more advantage in the working world. Therefore, every person should be given the chance to go to a school that will benefit them. Many people have been successful without going to a brand name school or even having a formal education. People such as Frederick Douglas were able to educate themselves. This is when it becomes a personal pleasure once again. People believe that education equips us with all that is needed to make dreams come true. However, if one does not find it appealing they will not put the effort in to reach these dreams. The education system should enforce their power and create a place for each and every person within it.