The Purpose of Education
I believe the purpose of education is to invest in our society by leading students to become problem solvers, good stewards, and productive citizens. This requires the structure of consistent high standards to create a space that naturally yields progress. A student’s education should provide them opportunities to learn how to manage their own social and academic life, and offer rewarding electives that enhances their development and equips them for the real world. Education should encourage students to become independent decision makers by making connections and carefully broadening their perspective. Compulsory education has given schools the opportunity to become community centers and provide social welfare. Schools should use this position to create both student centered and family centered events to build relationships, provide information, and share resources.
The Role of the Student
A student's job is to open themselves to constructive feedback that enables them to progressively learn and mature as an individual. This requires honesty, courage, and hard work. Students should make goals to challenge themselves to improve in all areas of their life. A student is to become a self-advocate who builds positive, proactive habits. A student should work toward leaving all the distractions of life at the threshold of every class they enter, and actively persevere in the subject at hand with their thoughts and actions. A class should work to becoming a cohesive team. Teammates support each other, allow each other space to grow, and hold each other accountable. Teammates are respectful, encouraging, and have integrity. As students are given more freedom, they are also given more responsibility and have greater expectations.
The Role of the Teacher
A teacher should be an approachable parent like figure that provides appropriate levels of care, challenge, and discipline to ensure the growth of each student. In this role, a teacher should provide authoritative guidance that helps students along in their journey. Teachers must work to get to know and form connections with students, and to bridge the gap with parents and other stakeholders in a student’s life. A teacher should also build a cohesive and efficient culture. This involves creating a well regulated environment, providing security where students can learn in peace and make positive connections with others. A teacher should continue building this culture by modeling mature communication, and problem-solving skills. Each lesson should seek to meet students where they are with enjoyable experiences that bring lessons into their own world, explore the details of the how and why of things, and engage students in meaningful discussion.