What Is An Education? :: essays research papers

What is an Education?According to the Oxford English Dictionary one of the definitions of theword " teaching method" is "The systematic control, development or training given tothe late in preparation for the work of life by extension, similar instructionor training obtained in adult age. Also, the whole course of scholasticinstruction which a person has received. Often with limiting words denoting thenature of the predominant subject of the instruction or kind of life it prepares,as classical, legal, medical, technical, commercial, art education." Althoughthis is an perfect description of what an actual education may be, there is agreat deal more to the process of becoming educated than the actual instructionand schooling one may receive.     If you asked a person in high school or college exactly why he is inschool his response would likely have something to do with "getting aneducation." Is that really why he is there? The next qu estion you may ask is"what are you going to do with your education?" The response would undoubtedlyinclude something about "getting a good job" or perhaps "to make a lot ofmoney." Most of the the great unwashed in the United States have been brainwashed to thinkthat unless one has at least a high school diploma there is no proximo anywherefor him. This is completely un accredited. There is no guarantee that getting a highschool "education" is going to get you anywhere. A student may spend eightyears between high school and college getting an "education." He can graduatefrom college with As in every class, but still, this "education" marrow nothing.For example, suppose this "Straight A" student goes for a job interview.Obviously one of the first things to be looked at is the college diploma. Goodgrades, which by todays standards are an reference of an educated individual,are usually very helpful in getting a good job. But alo ne, good grades are acompletely unfair indication of how a person will perform under the pressures ofthe real world. Instead of looking at a persons grades during a job interviewand deciding whether that person is eligible for a particular position, why nottry something realistic? To determine a particular persons "education" why not entrust the individual to apply what he knows to his position in the workplace.This is the true test of what an education is. The application of knowledgeacquired is a much better determinant of true education than whether or not aperson got an A in Wood Shop or World History.A good percentage of stack in the United States graduated from high school.