Education should promote learning outside the classroom as well as within.

Education should promote learning outside the classroom as well as within.

5:15-5:45

Education is a very indispensable part of any society because it helps develop the nation to be self sufficient. In particular education in the classroom promotes important goals of society but mostly is geared toward learning academics to be independent in their fields. Lessons in the core curriculum of math, reading, science and history are designed to further the growth of children so they can develop into well-functioning adults of society. Also education, comes in the form of practical experience outside of the classroom. In today’s world, education should not only promote learning within the classroom but give learning experiences in the real world, such as life skills.

Firstly consider a situation in which, education will promote learning outside the classroom.

Certain life skills cannot be covered by the school system and are better learned outside the classroom. This includes developing "street smarts" or the ability to protect oneself in an uncertain environment and "people smarts" or the ability to understand others by socializing with them. For instance, skills of reading and performing simple mathematics will help serve people's sense of independence and ability to do basic tasks outside the house. A person can go shopping and find one's way around a city. One can also develop a sense of civic responsibility out side the classroom by volunteering for various causes in society. With civic responsibility comes a greater awareness of the different types of people in society as well as what they can do to be a contributor in society.

Traditional curriculum of the classroom serves to promote skills that will allow citizens to function in a literate world such as in the job market. If the system promotes learning in the classroom as the only method of education, it will encourage one-sided citizens. Citizens that are limited in their ability to approach practical situations that cannot be learned through books. Citizens that cannot work well in groups or handle social situations. Indeed, education should also inspire curiosity of the world outside the classroom---particularly, an appreciation for students' surroundings and nature. Likewise there are times when education systems shall not promote ALL types of learning outside the classroom. For example, first-hand experience of certain things and acts that could endanger children should not be encouraged. Undoubtedly, the best way to learn about sex and drugs is to engage in them but schools should not promote this type of experimentation. They should, however, have the responsibility of somehow warning about the dangers of certain activities via the traditional curriculum.  By having traditional curriculum, can prevent unexpected strains on society such as abortions and teen pregnancies.

All in all, education should value both in classroom learning and also value the type of learning that can be achieved outside the classroom. Indeed, the school system aims to level the playing field by providing children with lessons of reading and numbers that may not necessarily be learned at home. Thus both in class learning and practical learning should be equally weighted to give a well rounded individual.