What Does It Mean To Be Well Educated?

Clearly, when tackling a subject as debatable as this, there won't be one consensus answer. One's view all depends on their upbringing, experiences and goals. I will take my best stab at explaining what I think a well educated person can possibly do. Here goes nothing...

First off, I do not feel just showing up means you are going to be an educated and well-prepared student. It won't mean squat if you cannot retain the information being presented and APPLY it to future instances. Just because Student A shows up to class 100% of the time does not mean that they are going to be a straight A student. I would even go as far to say that I would take Student B who shows up 75% of the time, but when they are in my classroom, they are engaged, participating and working to become a better student and individual. Bold? Maybe. But as a teacher, what good is a student who does not want to be there and will more than likely be dragging down those around them.

Next, there is this notion that those who know the most trivial information are the ones who will be most successful in life. Hats off to those who can memorize facts and numbers, but I feel it would be more beneficial for somebody to use these facts in a conversation or life experience outside of the confines of the school. It is great that students can think of devices to help them remember difficult things, but this should not be the gauge to judge their academic ability on. Again, I go back to my key word of being able to APPLY that knowledge and put it to use in a situation outside of a test or the classroom.

Whatever vocation, job set, or future endeavor one chooses; there is going to be an array of skills needed to succeed. Who are we to say that there is one finite way to define somebody being well educated? Student A may be one of the best mechanics in their respected profession, but they did not get a high score on the SAT...does this mean they are an uneducated or less educated student? On the flip side, we have student B who excelled on their SAT, went to an Ivy League school and eventually became a lawyer. Is this the bar we should hold every student to? I say absolutely not. There are so many external factors (i.e. family life, economic status, genetics, environment, etc) that play a huge role in one's outcome. Setting a personal bar on what YOU feel it means to be well educated is the message I want to resonate.

There is no right way to define this, and as teachers I feel we tend to believe that because students do not see or think the way that we do, they may be wrong. Student A, the mechanic, may not have the best test scores but they are well educated in their field. Once we, as a society, accept the fact that not one individual has been the same, is the same, nor will be the same on most every level, we will be far better off. Holding everybody to an individual standard will enable more students to have a sense of self-worth and accomplishment.

Best,

Travis