A Simple Guide for Parents in Understanding Education

 Volume 6: Towards a Philosophy of Education by CM

vol 6, page 1

Understanding Education: A Simple Guide for Parents

In today's world, education is a crucial topic for many parents and teachers. We take pride in the courage and strength shown by our people, especially during difficult times, and we know that our schools play a significant role in shaping such strong characters. But we also see that many people, who might seem educated because they can read and write, lack deeper understanding and critical thinking. This raises an important question: Are we truly educating our children the right way?

What Does Education Really Mean?

Often, we think of education as the ability to read, write, and solve problems. But true education is much more than that. It’s about developing a person’s mind, character, and ability to think clearly. Unfortunately, many schools focus only on training children to do tasks or jobs, rather than helping them grow into thoughtful, knowledgeable individuals.

The Importance of Knowledge

A major mistake in education is the belief that it doesn't matter what children learn, as long as they learn how to do it. This idea leads to schools teaching very little content, under the assumption that the process of learning is more important than what is learned. However, real education is about feeding the mind with knowledge, just like how food nourishes the body. Children need to learn facts, ideas, and stories that help them understand the world and think for themselves.

Education vs. Training

There is a difference between education and training. Education is about developing the mind, while training focuses on teaching specific skills for a job. While skills are important, education is what helps a person think, understand, and make good decisions in life. Parents often want their children to be prepared for life, not just for a job, and true education does exactly that.

Learning from History

History shows us the dangers of wrong thinking. For example, in Germany, certain ideas about survival and power became popular, leading to harmful beliefs and actions. These ideas were based on a misunderstanding of scientific theories, like Darwin’s theory of natural selection. This shows how important it is to teach children to think critically and understand the consequences of their beliefs.

Conclusion: A Call for Better Education

We need to rethink our approach to education. It’s not enough to just teach children to read and write. We must help them become thoughtful, informed individuals who can contribute positively to society. This means providing them with rich knowledge and encouraging them to think deeply about what they learn. As parents, it’s important to seek out an education for our children that goes beyond basic skills, helping them grow into wise and capable adults.