How much do you value education?
This question is extremely complex, and one that raises even more questions, including a very basic one: What does ‘education’ really mean?
Let’s consider this as a definition:
Education is the wealth of knowledge acquired after studying subject matter, or experiencing life lessons through instruction or composed literature, which provides an understanding of something.
This definition suggests, quite rightly, that we are all educated. We are certainly not, however – and we never can be – educated in the same something. We all have different ways of receiving, processing, producing, sharing and using what we know, do and understand.
Consider these four levels of capability: craft, skill, trade and profession.
1. To have a craft is to demonstrate a competency – generally using your hands.
2. A skill is acquired through making deliberate and sustained efforts to carry out complex tasks.
3. Competency in a trade requires special training in manual work.
4. To have a profession, you must have acquired mastery of complex knowledge and skills, through study and practical experience, over a sustained period of time.
Each of these levels requires study, instruction and the relevant literature. In other words, these levels represent four different ways of acquiring education. They have, however, a crucial factor in common.
In order to know, to do and to understand, a craftsman, a skilled labourer, a tradesperson and a professional must, to varying degrees, have a level of competency in the English language.
The measure of an education, then, could be said to be a measure of language competency.
We are not all educated in the same ‘something’ – but our education depends on something vital.
Let’s return to the original question: How much do you value education? Perhaps the value we place on education can be the measure of our own willingness to invest in that certain ‘something’ – the English language.
Copyright © 2018 Cheryl Lacey All rights reserved.
Parent, educationist, author, speaker and advocate of agitating change in Australian education. By raising the bar we can face any global challenges facing Australia and Australians.
I work with school campus leaders to become master learners and agents of change.
Contact me at cheryl@cheryllacey.com to learn how we can work together
If you’re looking for a thought provoking presenter or speaker for your next professional learning day or event, reach out.
cheryl@cheryllacey.com or +61 419 518 811
