Education

I scan headlines and the education articles I read. Mostly everyone believes in education. It’s at what and how that we start to diversify. Wouldn’t it be perfect to look into non-focused eyes of a new born and say, ” For your calling in life you will need Astrophysics, Advanced math courses, 2 semesters of Chinese history, and a smattering of ethics to balance certain situations.” Hopefully, he or she would also be enough of a self-starter to regroup if needs changed along the way.

This is my op-ed piece. You are not required to agree, just to note the opinion of one who gave her life to the noun education, to the verb educate, and to the adjective that defines a person in a positive way: educated. At the lowest level could be reading – even if just knowing what the sign on a door says; writing – filling out a form for a job; and arithmetic – interest costs more money. Beyond that and the web of knowledge varies. Don’t test me on technology.

I went back to reread daily journals from 1998 and these two quoted paragraphs led me to put these thoughts out there. August 17: “Education – the start of school today. I have good memories of classes – those given to me and those where I was the teacher. So many in the world have passed the same four walls and never have taken mind expanding activities outside that space. Help me teach what learning is!” August 27: “Yesterday was a tangled garden hose at school. The rain didn’t help. Does what we teach make for a difference or just how we teach? If we create a desire for knowledge and ways to get it, does that help more than specific facts. All education is foundation and exposure.”

Spread out what is life knowledge for you. My three dictums each year were these. Everything you know is a hook for for something else. Be alert how or where to learn something new. New knowledge takes time and effort. Stick with it until you can shout, “EUREKA! I FOUND IT!”

One blessing of good knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of those who have it.

Ecclesiastes 7:12b