Wednesday 5 September 2007

What could be considered the essential components of a "good" education

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It seems that the 21st century is the century of education and it is the one of the most important aspects of person’s life. However, a person who has a degree or diploma and graduated from university is not necessarily well educated. Even though there are no perfect things in the world, what do people understand by the term a “good” education? There are many different opinions about this, however it is widely accepted that there are three main components of education, the school systems, teachers and parents.
Firstly, it is almost an accepted fact that students cannot get enough knowledge without school. Even though some people such a Holt (1969), think that school is a passive process and argue that students who go to school are made to feel like a blank sheet for other people to write on, (Holt, 1969) schools have not yet lost their value because there is a big difference between academic and empiric knowledge. Even though children can obtain empiric education through their lifetime, a “good” education would be found only through the academic education system, which includes school and teachers.
Secondly, teachers play an important role in providing a “good” education. Even though, some people say that contemporary high development of technology and a virtual teaching system can substitute for teachers. This assumes CD-Rom, software and long distance teaching are thought better than teachers but such devices have limited resources and answers. The only real teacher is one that can provide students with answers to their many “why?” questions and teaches them not only theory but also real life experience. This could be the main value of a “good” education. Once a famous reporter mentioned that if he had not met his teacher he would not have become a reporter (Gage, 1989). Good teachers can direct their students the appropriate way of life. It is possible to identify that people such teachers and parents are better than machines and computers in solving a problem. Sometimes students need people who encourage them to study hard and give them good advice. Initially, those people would be student’s parents as well as teachers.
Thirdly, parents’ assistance and help are immeasurable in educating their children. This factor appears especially in Japan; it is obvious in the manner that Japanese mothers are readily seen to sacrifice themselves for their children’s future (Simons, 1987). Actually it is fairly common knowledge that mothers provide direct help for their children. On the other hand, it is unfair to say as some people do that poor fathers do nothing because they help their children indirectly, like paying their tuition. The parents’ main duty in contributing to a “good” education might be to create a balanced life for their children as a foundation for this. A good upbringing, which is passed on by supportive parents, is the main root of a “good” education. According to Simons, Japanese husbands cannot sleep with their wives in one room because of the deep connection between mother and child. As a result Japanese students are among highest scoring students in the world (Simons, 1987), If those students had not passed their exams, their fathers would have not allowed them to sleep with “their wives”. It means fathers also indirectly play a very important role in their child’s achievement of a “good” education. Summing up, there are many components of a “good” education. Moreover, it seems that the significance of those components depends on family lifestyle and how much they value a “good” education. Not everyone agrees on the meaning of a “good” education but it is possible to say again that a “good” education is passed on through school, teachers and parents.
But good eduction does guarantee that to let educated guys have a good job in Mongolia?

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