The Concept of Education
...l be the skills we use to develop business associates or contacts for future jobs. After kindergarten the newness wears off and we begin to focus on the class work and homework. We only get thirty minutes to play at recess and we can’t wait for summer time to come. Our day starts to be very structured with a schedule for Reading, Art, and Math. We start the day by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and singing the Star Spangled Banner which helps in developing a common identity with our peers and even promotes Patriotism for our country. We don’t realize it but we are learning cultural norms and values as we do these things everyday. By teaching children these values and norms we insure that our society remains unified. In a culturally diverse society it is very important to pass on a sense of unity early in life. This type of structured day continues throughout your elementary education. As we proceed into junior high and high school we begin to learn and take on new roles. We also learn the behaviors that are expected of us as we perform those roles. We learn about responsibility and get our first lessons in hard work. Our performance in school is evaluated on the basis of achievement. Ideally, schooling enhances the desire to make a greater effort to be viewed positively by teachers and peers. That idea is later taken into the work place where advancement in career positions is based on performance. We begin to learn about other American values like individualism and competition. As we try out for the football or baseball team we realize victory or disappointment as our individual efforts allow us to either make the team or not make it. We see how competitive a sport can be since we are no longer guaranteed a spot on the team like it was in the recreation leagues. We begin to look for our individual strengths and find things we are successful at. As we start to realize the American idea of individualism and the fact that we are responsible for our own successes and failures we fear not being accepted by our peers so we look for constant approval from others. We are beginning to grasp these ideas but still need time to develop into our individual selves. Educational institutions provide us with the knowledge we need to begin to think for ourselves. We are faced with more complex thoughts and enhance our problem-solving skills as we make more adult-like decisions. We are also placed ...