Purpose of Education Statement :: Philosophy of Education Teaching Teachers Essays

Purpose of Education Statement The educational system in America serves many purposes, all of which are important in their own ways. Historically, education has served as both a building block and a cornerstone of our society, providing both childcare for working adults and a station for administering formal learning. Within the overall purpose of the educational system there lie different questions that must be answered in order to compile a formulaic and comprehensive rationale for the American educational system. These questions involve the structure of the system – why do we start at age 6 and end at age 18? What is involved in the education of youth? And why do we do it? The structure of the American education system is historically rooted in the farming system. It has remained as it is because of culture and tradition, but is also seeing a recent shift towards home schooling. I believe that this shift is a result of the surge of corporations allowing their employees to work at home – a direct result of technological advances in communications that have recently developed. With parents working at home, they are able to home school their children at the same time. Despite this increase in home schooling, however, the majority of the workforce must go out of the home. Public and private school systems, then, serve as childcare for parents who must work, which is the majority of the population. I believe that schooling begins at age 6 (approximately) and ends at age 18 (approximately) because at age 6, children are mature enough to be away from their mothers and fathers and participate in a structured learning and social environment. By the time that high school is over, students are normally 18 years old. I believe that the reason that school now ends at this age is because at this point in someone’s life, they are legally able to make their own life decisions and are (normally) mature enough to do the same. Now as to why we educate – what is the purpose? I believe that the purpose of education is to keep America as a competitive world power.