My Views on Education
From birth until the age of formal learning,children can learn naturally and instinctively.They observe the real world around them.They explore; they try; they persevere; and they develop — all that are attracted by their own interests and at their own individual paces.Their achievements are spectacular.Though they always need others’ help,they are doing their own learning,pursuing what they need and what interests them.
When children are gradually growing up,however,they strangely find they cannot afford to learn what they want.They must have a grasp of some boring but required subjects (which are probably soon lost) just to pass the examination or to get a degree.Sometimes they do the scientific research only for their fame or the real benefits they can get.
So it is concerning a simple but abstract problem — what is the purpose of education?
Ideally,education,more exactly,learning is for pleasure.The true learning in my mind will help one neither to get a degree nor to earn one’s living,it will not teach one to operate a computer or sail a boat,but it will help one to live more fully.However,it cannot be done unless one enjoys learning.And in fact,if one is able to see or feel a need for something; if one has a personal interest in something; or if one just wants the challenge,if one is willing to learn actively,he will learn perfectly.From these points of view,children spend far more of their lives outside the 'real world',so their motivation is intrinsic and the learning itself,actually means something absorbing.
But unfortunately,the previous argument is too ideal to exist.Because the world has really turned very materialistic over the years,people are afraid to go back to the basics,to the simplicity.The grown-ups in the real world have much to consider so that education,which partly decides their future position or fate,is becoming complicated.Under these circumstances for them the aim of education should be valuable to the whole society.Everyone must be educated to fit him for life.But with the material civilization playing a more and more important role,there has been some popular phenomenon.For example,just in our city,we find a far larger number of people with university degrees than there are jobs for them to fill.Because of their degree,they refused to do what they think “low” jobs.In fact,work with hands is thought to be dirty and shameful.And how absurd it is!If no one wants to be a servant because nobody is willing to do such work,the professors have to waste much of their time doing housework.So the real meaning of valuable education should be that,firstly,each one can do whatever job is suited to his brain and ability.Not every one is designed to become a scientist or an engineer.Secondly,that all jobs are necessary to society,and that it is very bad to be unwilling to do one’s work,or to laugh at someone else’s.
Finally,I want to quote the remarks of Newton to end my article.“I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore.I have amused myself by now and then finding a smooth pebble or a pretty shell,but the great ocean of truth still lies before me unknown and unexplored.”