Classical Image of Education - Essay Example

Classical Image of Education Before anyone ever enters a school they should be forced to define education. This would give the new students a clearer sense of purpose and a direction that would steer them to a better understanding of why, and what, they were learning. Asking a hundred people for a definition of education would yield a hundred different answers, and if supplied multiple choice the answer would be 'all of the above'. Nothing is more highly prized and less understood than education. From an early age our culture encourages us to receive a good education, and obtain enough of it to be able to become competent competitors of the global job market. Then, after years of reading, studying, learning, and reflecting we wonder if we truly acquired an education, or just an introduction to its possibilities. Though it defies description and is not easily defined, we know it when we see it as our imagination offers us a clue to its possibilities. Our classical image of education and its definition falls short of the true meaning when it is applied to a lifetime of learning. Typically, an education has been thought of as a specified period of time in which certain subjects are learned to a pre-determined level. Education is sometimes mistaken for the Bachelor's or Master's degree that indicates we have attended school, but it is not an education. Albert Einstein once said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world". The spark that ignites our imagination is education. The subjects taught in pursuit of these goals give us information and provides us with a key to further learning, but this is not education. Learning to appreciate art, perform logical operations, or the history of rock and roll are interesting to know, but they do not qualify as education. All of these activities and endeavors are simply the tools required to begin to mine an education. Yet, listing all the tools and components involved in making an education would be of no more relevance than calling a list of ingredients a cake. The traditional view of 120 credits, electives, and compulsory courses fails to completely define education. Education is the creation of a task, concept, or belief that we find useful in our life and defines us as a human being. The formal learning that was required to obtain a degree becomes useful as we enter the workplace and begin to assimilate with the culture of our livelihood. Here we learn what is expected of us, what is needed to make progress on a task, and how to complete a workplace function. Logic and art may help us temper the new environment and give us a sense of deeper understanding of the world around us, but the education takes place when we learn to undertake a project and develop the confidence that gives us our self-identity. Information needs to be put to use and contribute to our sense of self-worth to be considered education. In essence, we define education by how education defines us and the way that we define ourselves. Education is part and parcel of the human spirit that drives us to imagine, create, inspire, innovate, and invent. We may have an intricate knowledge of calculus, but in its dormant state it adds nothing to our education. Education is an action word that demands that we act and react to the facts and information we gained from attending school. When we encounter a new situation that requires us to solve a problem we create a solution from the tools we gained from our classroom experience. The innovative experience that we create out of our limited knowledge is the true meaning of education. It is not simply the information or the knowledge that defines us. Education is the inspiration we receive when we put our knowledge into action. When we integrate several fields of knowledge, while we stretch to invent a new process or concept, we can then say that the experience was 'a real education'. We have defined our education by our ability and willingness to take a risk and create something that will further define us. Education is the coalition of information that comes together when we put our knowledge into action. Education cannot be static. If education were defined as simply the know how that we have gained throughout our life, then the books on the library shelf could be considered an education. However, it is merely static information that lies and waits to be put into action, but does not resemble an education. Independent knowledge is of little or no value on its own. Proficiency in art, calculus, and engineering only becomes an education when it is put into action to create a bridge that is a thing of beauty. Knowledge has allied with action to create a meaningful life and results in a self-identity for the educated. In conclusion, trying to define education is like trying to watch the wind. We can see where it has been by the impact it has on the surroundings, but it is transparent with no obvious source. We know education has a quality as we strive to get a 'good' education. We know it has a quantity as we worry whether or not we have enough education. Yet, it has no color and no mass. By itself it is as elusive as the wind. As soon as we approach a definition, we realize that it has escaped our grasp and we are left empty handed with only the lesson that we've learned. Just as watching the wind glide through the leaves on a tree requires action to observe, education needs a creative spirit to put knowledge to work. When that occurs, we see the results of education. Education is the confidence to create a unique product of our knowledge and in doing so we create our own self-identity. Works Cited Einstein, Albert. English Teachers Network. 1997. ETNI. 31 Oct. 2008 . Read More