Paper Example - The Purposes of Education

There are several purposes of education. For instance, in my opinion, education serves to develop the intellects of individuals so that they can contribute to the growth of the economy and serve social needs (Hopkins, 2013). In so doing, education creates a workforce by preparing learners for employment as well as promoting political and social systems. I also consider education as a tool that serves the purpose of enabling learners to develop into sequential and orderly members of society by providing for them whatever they need for such development.

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As such, I consider someone who is educated to have the ability to concentrate and as well as worthy objectives for such concentrations. I also believe that education should serve the purpose of teaching individuals to think critically and intensively so that they can solve the most challenging and pressing issues of society.

However, it is essential to note that education that stops with efficiency is likely to be a menace to society, especially when a person is gifted with the ability to think but has low morals. As such, education serves to provide holistic development to the learners necessary for moral, creative, and productive engagements within society (Hopkins, 2013). Therefore, it is essential to mention that real education must impart to the learners good morals, and intelligence for education without morals is dead.

Appropriate Curricular Content

The curriculum content relates to whatever is taught within the classroom setup. Such contents include the principles, essential facts, as well as concepts that need to be known by the learners. I perceive that appropriate curriculum content should highlight the clear objectives and learning expectations as well as how such objectives would be achieved. An appropriate curriculum must contain the learning experiences which relate to the programs and the programs the learner is expected to participate in.

Appropriate curricular content ought to be self-sufficient so learners can observe, experiment, and conduct studies on their own. I also believe that proper curricular content should be significant in the sense that it is designed to develop the learning skills, attitudes, and processes that could help solve problems within the country. Such curricular content should also be valid such that it promotes the realization of the intended outcomes. To achieve the validity criteria, the curricular content needs to be checked regularly, and replacements done accordingly.

Relationships between Teachers and Students

In my opinion, there ought to be a positive relationship between the teachers and the students. Such positive relationships enable students to feel more comfortable and safe within the classroom environment. Therefore, such a comfortable and relaxed environment is suitable for learning as it enables the students to participate actively in the classroom. I believe that a positive student-teacher relationship acts as a cornerstone of the social maturation process of children.

The positive rapport enables the students to define themselves grow both social and emotional intelligence, and adapt to the learning environment. As such, a positive relationship between the students and the teachers has been linked to improved academic performance and learning outcomes. The teachers could encourage the relationship through ensuring an improved attitude towards classwork.

I have always believed that when students realize that their teachers want the best for them, they develop a positive attitude of working harder, thus improving their overall academic performance. Effective teachers should take advantage of the positive relationship to transmit heritage, encourage self-expression, and construct knowledge for the learners.

The Impact of Cultural Background and Heritage on Learning

Culture relates to the general way of life of a person and presents itself in the form of religious traditions, celebrated holidays, meals, and recipes. I believe that cultural tendencies impact how children participate in education (Jin, 2019). To ensure adequate and efficient engagement of the students in the learning process, the teachers ought to focus on the academic abilities of the individual students rather than relying on the ethnic and cultural stereotypes meted on students of such similar backgrounds.

Teachers should know the diverse cultural backgrounds of their students lest they fall into the trap of misinterpretation and inaccurate judgment of the student's behaviors. For instance, I believe that in some cultures, it is considered inappropriate for the learners to maintain eye contact with the teachers, for example, among Asian students. As a result, teachers who are oblivious of that cultural fact within the classroom setting may misinterpret such behaviors as being disrespectful, thus negatively affecting the learning of such students.

In my opinion, therefore, the teacher cannot run away from the fact that the communication styles of the students have a reflection on their cultural backgrounds, thus capable of presenting both negative and positive impacts on the learning process. Most fundamentally, I acknowledge that ethnicity and race are essential in the children's identities since they contribute to the behavior and beliefs of such children.

Other Factors That Influence American Education

Other factors influence American education, such as social, economic, language, and historical factors. For instance, it is essential to note that there are numerous languages spoken within America when it comes to language factors. Even though the language is a sign of national unity, foreign languages have often been embraced in some of learning institutions, thus forcing the students to learn foreign languages before gaining access to some educational centers and facilities.

The development of the native language or the mother tongue enables the students to have a huge command of vocabulary, especially concerning most of daily activities and objects. Consequently, this may have a positive influence on the general academic performance of the students. Economic factors, however, relate the amount of revenue spent individually and by the government to fund knowledge acquisition. Economic factors in America influence the quality of and access to education. Some schools and colleges in America require relatively high tuition fees, thus preventing the low-class members of society from learning in such institutions.

In conclusion, education serves the purpose of developing the intellects of individuals so that they can contribute to the growth of the economy as well as serve social needs. Appropriate curricular content ought to be self-sufficient such that learners are allowed to observe, experiment, and conduct studies on their own. A positive relationship between the students and the teachers has been linked to improved academic performance and learning outcomes. Teachers should know the diverse cultural backgrounds of their students lest they fall into the trap of misinterpretation and inaccurate judgment of the student's behaviors. Other factors influence American education, such as social, economic, language, and historical factors, among others.

References

Hopkins, C. (2013). Educating for sustainability: An emerging purpose of education. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 49(3), 122-125. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/00228958.2013.819193

Jin, X. (2019). Heritage Language Learning and Self-identity. Retrieved from https://etda.libraries.psu.edu/catalog/16393xuj35