At our conversation on what the ultimate goal of education should be today our guest Speaker broought up the following points:
People today need to be open minded and be able to learn, unlearn and relearn.
Teachers need to move from being the knowlege giver to the knowledge facilitator.
OR
Instead of students following the teacher, the teacher should follow the students.
We need to find ways to customize the programs and let kids have a say in their education.
Niagara Resident Statistics:
50% or less have a highschool diploma
90% have not completed or attended post-secondary
15% live below the poverty line
Conversation was around the need to not only focus just on the basics in the classroom ie. reading and math; but to also look at the social skill development of kids.
The trend of education right now is stuck between two eras, with one foot still in the industrial age and the other in the new era of education.
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Book: Drive by Daniel Pink
Where he examines three elements of true motivation:
1. Autonomy
2. Mastery
3. Purpose
A question that was asked by one of our attendees at the end was “How do we decide that this is the type of person we want to crank out?”
My question to you is what do you think the ultimate goal of education today is?
Some say education is for:
-Training for a competitive workforce,
-Building citizenship skills and a sense of social responsibility,
-Or perhaps developing the self-awareness to lead a balanced and happy life?
