 What is Education? What is learning? Good Parenting Means Knowing the Difference.What is education? What is learning? This section willfocus on these two aspects of education, and on the importance to good parenting of knowing the difference between the two. Everyone agrees that a good education is important. But what is education? Simply put, education is what students learn in school. Specifically, education refers to the academic learning that occurs in school. But what is this academic learning that happens in school? Much of education consists of children learning massive amounts of information by rote learning. It is learning just to pass the test where understanding of what is being learned is not emphasized, whereas learning test taking skills is. What does rote learning, the learning, in a machine-like fashion of large amounts of information, as fast as possible, do to a child? What does rote learning that lacks meaning and importance to the child's life or future cause the child to experience during his first years of education? It bores him. It dulls his brain. Furthermore, eventually, this rote learning, can cause the brain to become sluggish, or even shut down. The child's ability to learn slows. The child feels stressed and uncomfortable, so he may begin to dislike, or even avoid learning. Now you understand why good parenting means asking the question, what is education? Education is often rote learning that floods our children's brains, boring them, and, eventually, it can even cause the brain to slow. The child loses his natural interest in learning, begins to dislike school, and the road to that child's failure has been paved, not by asphalt, but boredom and other negative feelings. All learning has feelings associated with it. Furthermore, feelings mediate and influence all learning. Negative feelings decrease learning. Positive feelings increase learning. Since too much rote learning can create anxiety, it can decrease learning. In asking the question, what is education, we arrive at another answer: Education is teaching. So, why would teachers allow so much emphasis on rote learning that leads to feelings of boredom and anxiety, which are feelings that interfere with learning? In answering this question, it must be borne in mind that, due to the use of standardized tests in schools, as mandated by the "No Child Left Behind Act," for example, teachers have been forced to teach their students how to take and pass tests or face the financial consequences. This is why rote learning is emphasized. In answering the question, what is education, we come to the conclusion that the emphasis on rote learning is not the teacher's fault. So don't blame your teacher. In fact, many teachers dislike this learning approach and have attempted to return to more interesting learning approaches. Asking the question, what is education, leads to another answer that includes, a type of general learning, I'll call natural learning, which is based on interest, excitement and inspiration. It is in depth learning based on logic, experience and understanding. Natural learning invigorates the child and engenders interest in learning. Again, what is education? Unfortunately, too much of it is about passing standardized tests so the schools and their students do not lose money. Education is not all rote learning, but too much rote learning under stressful conditions that bores our children and turns them off to schooling. The answer to the question, what is education, also, gives us the answer to a second question: Why do so many children who are eager to learn when they first begin school become bored with school a few years later? The answer appears to be the over emphasis on rote learning. Research indicates that some students experience significant drops in IQ between the primary grades and the beginning of their teenage years. Why shouldn't their intelligence drop if they are bored by school and the stress involved in learning to attain high scores on these standardized tests? Despite the challenges of education, positive parenting means that you will need to find ways to keep learning interesting for your child so he continues to enjoy learning and succeeds in school.
One answer to the what is education challenge is good
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