Realizing the true purpose of schools

For many professionals who are involved in the education sector, there exists a glaring error that needs to be remedied as soon as possible. The American education system, some education experts argue, has deviated from the path that it should be taking. It now exists as something that prepares students to be workers instead of encouraging them to be lifelong learners and productive members of a democratic community.


Nikhil Goyal, a student and the author of One Size Does Not Fit All: A Student's Assessment of School, argues that in spite of all the discussions on educational reform, the people involved often overlook one of the most obvious questions that need to be answered: What is the purpose of schools? And only after arriving at an answer to this question should education experts then try to define what good education is.

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The problem with the current attitudes toward education is that far too many people place an emphasis on the importance of good grades and of performance in class. It seems that many educators of today have chosen to place less importance on qualities such as creativity, curiosity, and the inclination for exploration and innovation. Many just aim to teach students to be better at remembering information, following instructions, and conforming to the rules and to traditions.

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It seems now, that there is much that needs to be changed both within the learning institutions and the nation that supports and is supported by the development of the education sector. When the nation learns to encourage young students to be lifelong learners, then it takes one step toward the realization of the true purpose of education and schooling.

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Frank Biden is involved in Mavericks High, an educational institution that provides alternative learning programs for at-risk and dropout students.

Making education matter: Taking cue from the students' interests and circumstances

Sometimes, educators need to cut back on their use of traditional learning methods and take a look at the situations and the interests of their students to find novel ways to make learning more enjoyable and more relevant.

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Evidence of the importance of a change in approach can be found in the success of alternative learning institutions such as the Frank Biden-supported Mavericks High, which has schools designed to be simple, inviting, and reflective of a teen’s lifestyle, and the use of Skype in the classroom initiative, which grants teachers with a free and easy way to open up the classroom.

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In many alternative learning institutions, students who found themselves hindered by traditional learning methods are given a unique opportunity to earn a state-recognized diploma in a school environment that matches their pace of learning instead of leaving them unable to catch up.

Meanwhile, through alternative learning opportunities that take technology that the students of today are used to seeing and using in their leisure time, educators can keep their students more engaged with the lesson. It also fosters the sense of curiosity that is inherently within young students, giving them the motivation to pursue topics related to what they have just learned.

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With educators who are able to take into account the students’ interests and their situations in and out of school, the students are able to focus on their studies better and are empowered to take charge of their own future.

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