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Dennis Dillinger
Ms. Alapin
English 220-035
17 April 2014
My Educational Manifesto
Everything we do in life revolves around education. Is it the proper education we
have been receiving? When we think about education, we think about all the countless
hours weve put into school and where were going to go with it. Many would argue that
the education we all receive isnt how we should be educated. Instead they believe that
we should take a natural path of learning and be educated how we want. Although,
doesnt this natural path come away from school in our own time? Its a balance that we
acquire naturally where we put in the time at school, then away from school we choose to
do whatever we want. Learning naturally comes along with a structured system leading to
the proper education were receiving today.
This paper will look into my educational manifesto for you to understand what
education is and should be. It will be made up of four main sections, the first being my
interpretation of education along with my experience. In the second section I will look to
other interpretations to see what others believe education is and how it should be pursued.
On top of that I will discuss how I feel about those interpretations and whether or whether
not I agree with them. In the third section I will talk about what is natural in todays world
by including facts and what I feel a natural education is. In the fourth and final section I
will conclude by discussing the balance we need to have the right education. Now let me
share my experience with education.
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MY EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE
Like every other child with an opportunity to go to school, my educational path started
when I was young. At the time, I didnt know I had been on an educational path my
whole short-lived life. It took me until now to really see that during the time before
receiving a public education, was a time where I was being educated all along. Educated
in a way where I was open to anything. Curiosity got the best of me because I always
wanted to know something and I questioned everything. Im still somewhat like that
today but if I were to compare how I was then to now, the intensity has definitely
decreased. I believe my pursuit in public education is what changed that. My whole
perception of life slowly changed over the years as I entered, to me, a new reality. A
childs imagination is so big that almost everything is made up in the way they want, its
just all pretend. It just comes naturally with everything they first experience. When I first
started school I saw the opposite effect. I experienced the truth of what everything really
is with all the facts being thrown at me. Along with that I gained knowledge that I never
knew I would. With what I have gained I see as a tool that can be used to find an answer
for my curiosity, rather than questioning someone else. An even bigger gain that was
achieved is that a public education defined who I am at and away from school.
A big part of who I am today is because of receiving a public education. With all
the experience and factors within the structured system, the choices Ive made have
shaped me to think and believe the way I do. Before going to school, my only friends
were my family. By going to these public schools, I was introduced to many people that
could potentially be my life long friends or long-term peers. Some have greater or
different impacts than others, but any impact on your life matters, whether it is positive or
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negative. Everything Ive taken away from being in school, has been applied outside of
school in some type of way at various times. Even the things Ive learned outside of
school have been applied when Im in school. Its like they are connected, you cant have
a natural education without a public education. A public education is what makes a strong
natural education possible. The knowledge gained through school can be used to gain
other knowledge in your own time. Whos to say a public education isnt natural? Lets
turn to others to see what they think.
EDUCATION TO OTHERS
Throughout a lifetime we grow up through education and experience new things day after
day. When a human is first born they slowly educate themselves from what they see or
hear. As they grow up, all they know is what theyve experienced, as of yet at that time.
As Rousseau puts it, We are born weak, we need strength; we are born totally
unprovided, we need aid; we are born stupid, we need judgment (Rousseau 38). What he
means by this is everything we dont have when were born is given through education.
The type of education hes referring to is, what he believes comes from nature as well as
man and things. But of these elements he says they are almost impossible to become
educated by at the same time due to the lack of control over them. Anyone who comes
close is considered lucky. The nature aspect to him is just a habit where he compares the
habit of a plants vertical growth being interfered with. He says, The plant, set free, keeps
the inclination it was forced to take. But the sap has not as a result changed its original
direction; and if the plant continues to grow, its new growth resumes the vertical
direction (Rousseau 39). Ultimately he believes the education in his eyes is definitely
only habit. In terms of public education he believes it hinders the natural path of a human.
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Imagine if we were to get rid of public education, and also imagine if we never
went to school. We wouldnt be as educated as we are today. The time spent away from
school is where everything comes naturally. We choose to pursue whatever we want and
its a time where we can learn what were curious about. We could even say that the time
in school comes naturally because its been a structured system weve followed for many
years. Going to school seems so natural because its an everyday routine. When looking
at everything a public education offers, theres more to it than just going to school. The
people you meet and the activities available dont come from the education Rousseau
talks about. Being involved and knowing more people are crucial factors in everyday life.
They carry on to the natural path taken away from school. You learn more from being
with other people and experiencing new things because they have a big impact. If
Rousseau were alive today he may have realized that a public education could be
considered natural. As well as see how its a huge role in advancing a natural education.
Gandhi was one to do that after realizing theres no loss for being publicly educated.
Gandhi believed that education should be received through experience as well as
family. Rather then sending his children off to a public school he decides its best for him
to be their instructor. He chooses to do this because he feels that a public education
doesnt offer them the same natural imbibe a well-ordered household does (Gandhi 153).
Although, he does confess that he has sent his nephew and son to be educated at
residential schools. After recalling them, his son decided to continue being publicly
educated, while his nephew felt like Gandhi was providing him enough. By doing that, he
felt that experimenting was insufficient and that he couldn't devote enough time to his
children. Which prevented him from providing the literary education he wanted to. When
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he looks at it the other way, he feels that if he hadnt had constant contact with them, they
wouldnt have been taught the certain traits they show in their lives. Traits that he feels
cant be learned by reading a book, but rather from only life experiences. But then faced
with questions like, "What harm had there been, if I had given my boys an academical
education? What right had I thus to clip their wings? Why should I have come in the way
of their taking degrees and choosing their own careers?" (Gandhi 154). Gandhi realized
that having a public education is okay and that his children should be able to choose how
they want to be educated. Although he would prefer his way of educating, theres no
wrong that could come with a public education.
With Gandhi coming to that realization, theres really no reason not to. We should
all be able to choose how we want to become educated and the most common way is
going to a public school. Theres nothing to lose when you go to school because its an
opportunity to gain more knowledge. Without it, as Gandhi said, theres a lack of literary
education. Also without it though, he says that he was able to teach his children the
simplicity and the spirit of service that they show in their lives today (Gandhi 153).
Whether they were with or without a public education, he shouldnt have any problems
with teaching them those traits. The amount of time spent away from school is more than
enough for them to get educated in that aspect. Before and after school were with our
family in a household where natural life experiences occur. We naturally learn traits from
our parents however they decide to present them. After looking at older writings lets
look at a newer one that talks about what education should teach us.
Kovie Biakolo, who wrote a blog titled What Education Should Teach Us,
believes that we arent being educated in the proper way through public schools. To her,
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her perception of education isnt clich. She doesnt see it as something we do for hours
on end, but rather something that is a part of her identity. Education to her is a vocation
where as we pursue higher levels of the education process, we move up a structural
hierarchy where the knowledge acquisition process is more complex, and there is an
expectation that beyond reproducing knowledge, we will adopt critical thinking of any
acquired knowledge (Biakolo 1). What shes saying is that we have this process we go
through with schedules, tests and deadlines that prepare us for whats to come in our
future. A future consisting of work that she believes is the only thing education prepares
us for. From her believing that, she finds that only preparing us for the working life is
irrelevant. What is relevant to her is if education taught us how to engage in critical
thinking and discourse of who we are as individuals and in relation to the community -
the local one we find ourselves in, and the world at large (Biakolo 1). In other words she
wants education to teach us how we should contribute in society, ultimately having a
positive impact. If we arent receiving that type of education then were just receiving a
degree and no education at all.
Unlike Rousseau and Gandhi, Biakolo believes that we should definitely have a
public education. Although to her, the public education we are receiving, isnt an
education at all. While in agreement that we need to have a public education, theres no
reason to say that if were not getting educated properly, we arent really being educated.
Now she does give some good points of what education could be such as, education
should be an endeavor in which the learner receives knowledge and encounters and
experiences a change in how he or she perceives the world (Biakolo 1). But with this
statement, education in a way already does teach this. Not only at school but also the
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knowledge and tools you receive in school can be used away from school. From applying
what was just said to her words, we can say that we receive knowledge in school and the
goal is for us to use that knowledge in our encounters and experiences to change how we
perceive the world. Rather than being forced to see our perception of the world in a
public school, it should be something that comes naturally. Now what is natural today?
Weve heard what a natural education is to others and now its my turn to share what I
feel a natural education is today.
TODAYS NATURAL
In todays world going to school could be considered natural. This is because its
something that everyone with an opportunity does and has done for years. For those who
decide not to, they will never become fully educated. Like what was said before, without
a public education, a natural education has nothing to thrive off of. Also today,
technologies growth seems to be never ending. Can it be considered natural? A blog titled
Surprising Stats About Technology Use In College by Jeff Dunn that has many
interesting facts on how much a college student uses technology. Of the facts, 38% of
students cant go more than 10 minutes without checking their email, tablet, laptop, or
smartphone. 65% use digital devices to create presentations. 70% of students use
keyboards to take notes (no more paper) (Dunn 1). A statistic that stood out is 22 million
students take one or more online classes in 2014, thats an increase of 10 million from
five years ago. Now by briefly looking at a nation wide scale lets look at the usage of
technology. Based on a new study found, Jan Zverina who wrote an article called U.S
Media Consumption, found many statistics that are expected to rise. Looking ahead to
2015, an average 15.5 hours per person per day will be spent consuming media from
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technology. Thats basically our whole day of being awake and if this is what it is,
technology is nature.
As much as we use technology, it can be seen as natural in a way where were
capable of being educated from it. Its the main way we communicate as well as the best
way to access any type of information we want. With all the ways to see or hear
information, we can be educated in whatever were curious about. The literary education
we receive from school can be used towards the use of technology. It enhances our ability
in finding ways to explore what we want leading to experiences where more knowledge
can be gained. This brings me to my final section where Ill conclude my view on
education.
CONCLUSION
Education is never ending throughout our lives because were constantly being
enlightened and experiencing new things day after day. A public education doesnt hinder
the natural path of a person. It enhances it in a way where we can take what was obtained
from a public education and apply it to a natural education. If we were to get rid of our
structured educational system wed be losing a lot of information, required information
that cant be obtained through a natural way of learning. Away from school we have
plenty of time to have the opportunity to learn from family and experience. Along with
that comes with the way we perceive the world. In todays world technology is natural
and that enhances education even more. But without a public education, a natural
education will diminish. A balance between the two is absolutely necessary to receive the
proper education that will enlighten us the most.
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WORKS CITED
Gandhi, Mahatma. Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth.
Washington, D.C.: Public Affairs Press, 1948. Print.
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. Trans. Bloom, Allan. Emile or On Education. New York: Basic
Books, 1979. Print.
Biakolo, Kovie. "What Education Should Teach Us. Thought Catalog. 1 Mar. 2013.
Web.
Dunn, Jeff. "20 Surprising Stats About Technology Use In College." Edudemic. 21 May.
2012. Web.
Zverina, Jan U.S. Media Consumption to Rise to 15.5 Hours a Day Per Person by
2015 UC San Diego. 6 Nov. 2013. Web.