What Does It Mean to Be Well Educated free essay sample

This is the knowledge that tells us to look both ways before crossing the street and that something is hot or cold. This knowledge can go much deeper than this. This is the knowledge that also tells us that something is wrong. The knowledge that tells us that someone is following us or we are in danger. Some individuals do not possess enough of this practical knowledge. Somehow it has been suppressed. Either it was not given to them as a child by their parents or their upbringing was very different than others. Then there are those individuals that have too uch of this knowledge brought on by their upbringing.Academics is an area that we all are given, but what we chose to do with is another matter. Some individuals tend to do better in this area than others. Some individuals excel in this area and continue on to college and pursue other degrees and credentials. We will write a custom essay sample on What Does It Mean to Be Well Educated or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Unfortunately, when this happens their practical knowledge is lost. Kohn states in his article: No one should offer pronouncements about what it means to be well-educated without meeting my ex-wife. When I met her, she was at Harvard, putting the finishing touches on her doctoral issertation in anthropology.A year later, having spent her entire life in school, she decided to do the only logical thing and apply to medical school. She will, however, freeze up if you ask her what 8 times 7 is, because she never learned the multiplication table. (Kohn 2003) Some of the most well educated people do not possess college degrees. What about the Amish people? This subculture of people quit school in the 8th grade, but they possess the skills to run successful businesses, raise livestock, run farms, and build some of the most elaborate and well made furniture.They live a simple life with no Google to search things just practical knowledge to get them by. What about those individuals that are academically gifted but are unable to care for themselves, are they well educated? To be educated shouldnt one be both academic and practical. I am not saying that one must possess a college degree because I know for some that this is not possible, and for some this opportunity may not come until later in life. One should possess basic knowledge that we obtain from school.We need to know about the past so that that following generations do not repeat it. We also need to know math and reading so that we can communicate as a society. Science, also important so that we understand how things function as a whole and why. As for practical knowledge, people need to know how to take care of themselves the basic survival needs. It goes back to the survival of the fittest. There are too many young adults being sent into the world unable to fend for themselves. They cant cook, clean up after themselves or even do their own laundry.My daughters are being taught different than most want them to have both the cademics and the practical knowledge needed to survive in this world and to be considered well educated. My wife and I both agree that by doing this we will be setting our daughters up for success in the future and not failure. My daughter started early to learn that academics are important, but so is being well rounded. They also do sports, play musical instruments, and are involved in many community service projects. want them to understand that its not about them. There are also required to do chores around the house as part of being in the family.Being well educated also requires one to be compassionate and caring for those around you. They have bible studies and Sunday school and special clubs that surround them with the love of God so that they never forget the sacrifices that Jesus made for them. For example, Nel Noddings, professor emerita at Stanford university, urges us to reject the deadly notion that the schools first priority should be intellectual development and contends that the main aim of education should be to produce competent, caring, loving, and lovable people (Kohn 2003). This tatement tells us that if we were to produce students that were competent, caring and loving then we would have a better society, but is this really what are schools are trying to do? So to be well educated is it to be based on what you know now or where you received your degree from. If this is the case then a lot of well educated people have degrees that are useless because they are nothing more than a piece of paper in a frame on the wall. Those that are not college graduates are the ones that will be able to survive if ever comes a time when the world collapses.