An Analysis Of Alfie Kohn 's ' What Does It Mean You Be Well Educated ' Essay

In “The Other Education” written by, author, David Brook he describes a secondary form of education. He describes the secondary/emotional form of education as an education that is served indirectly as compared to a scholastic education which is direct. In scholastic education a teacher provides students with information directly, explains how one should process it and the class moves on to the next subject. Brook states that a secondary education is a “byproduct of the search of pleasure, and the learning is indirect and unconscious”. (Brooks 2011) Meaning that the learning that takes place outside of the normal educational setting is

Knowledgeable, educated, and wise have become descriptive characteristics that have become seemingly interchangeable in today’s society. However, what does it mean to be educated, wise or knowledgeable? In the article “The Educated Student: Global Citizen or Global Consumer” by Benjamin Barber, he says “…young people were exposed more and more to tutors other than teachers in their classrooms or even those who were in their churches, their synagogues-and today their mosques as well.” (417). It is suggested that the places where these characteristics are obtained have changed with industrialization and capitalism. “The Student and the University (from the Closing of the American Mind)” by Allen Bloom directly postulates from the vantage

Many people consider book smart the only form of intelligence, but a lot of people who attended college and obtained a degree can’t perform a basic task of changing a flat tire. So does that make those people unintelligent? Mike Rose explains in “Blue Collar Brilliance” and Gerald Graff explains in “Hidden Intellectualism” that there are many different forms of intelligence. In Rose’s article, he explains how he observed his mother along with other family members work blue-collar jobs. He explains how everyone involved with blue collared work develops a sense of intelligence in many different forms. In Graff’s article, he explains how schools and colleges are doing a poor job at getting the full potential out of students. Graff thinks that if we give students things they like to read then they will progress to more scholarly readings. Both authors describe how society doesn’t value all types of intellectualism. Rose explains how people are stereotyping blue-collared jobs and not appreciating them. Graff explains how schools and colleges aren’t fostering intellectualism because they don’t take interests into account.

In “The Poet of Our Dreams: The Real Meaning of Education,” David James discusses defining an educated person. He strongly believes that no one has the same definition due to individual differences in religion, ethnicity, gender, nationality, geography, culture, and many more factors. James identified many issues that often surface in education today including: should sex education be infused into the curriculum, are values appropriate in an academic environment, and if technology should take precedence over books. These problems he believes are due to lack of consensus and preference will always win out. No matter what the case is, we as individuals are given the responsibility to define our own lives and have different strengths and weaknesses,

In the United States, there has been, and always will be a debate on education.While some feel it is very important and crucial to success, others feel it is unessential to our happiness and well being. Many assume that education and success are directly associated with intellectualism. In this essay, I will review the current trend in research on intellectualism, which many feel is to enforce pursuing a higher education, due to a common belief among the American people that those who do not receive a higher education are seemingly less intelligent. Research on this topic increasingly suggests that those who receive a higher education, tend to make more money, rating them as more successful in the eyes of

Academic work should not define intelligence nor should a job define ability; a person, regardless of grades, degrees, or job title, is an intellect. Together, Gerald Graff, a coauthor of They Say I say, professor, and former anti-intellect, author of "Hidden Intellectualism," and Mike Rose, professor, author, and in depth thinker, author of "Blue-Collar Brilliance," share two different perspectives on what an intellect truly is. Yet, both writings hold meaningful points and experiences to prove who qualifies to be an intellect. Society continuously focuses on what leads to a successful and rounded life: go to school, graduate, go back to school, get a degree, and then a job. It is believed that these high expectations of higher academics enables one to be more successful is correct; however, it is not. It is a person’s individual goals that give them the success they wish to have whether that be education, volunteering, or donating. Also, street smarts is not to be overlooked; a person with common sense can know more than a Doctor. Typically, a person can have either common sense or intelligence, not both. Street smarts is, without a doubt, a superior quality to possess as it encompasses more in life than just a degree does. For example, it is more appropriate to know how to cross a street properly in life than know how to perform a craniotomy. Furthermore, one does not gain knowledge and life lessons through school alone, but through experience,

Many people in today’s society tend to believe that a good education is the fastest way to move up the ladder in their chosen. People believe that those who seek further education at a college or university are more intelligent. Indeed, a college education is a basic requirement for many white collar, and some blue collar, jobs. In an effort to persuade his audience that intelligence cannot be measured by the amount of education a person has Mike Rose wrote an article entitled “Blue Collar Brilliance”. The article that appeared in the American Scholar, a quarterly literary magazine of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, established in 1932. The American Scholar audience includes, Company’s , Employees,

Sitting in a classroom for a certain number of hours does not make one well-educated (Kohn). Throughout the school day of an average high school for example how much time do you actual spend learning? An average school day is around seven hours with about nine periods dividing up the day. If each period is around forty minutes with five minutes to get to your classes you spend almost an hour in between periods getting from one class to another throughout the course of a day. You have about forty minutes for lunch, a study hall or sometimes two and some kind of elective like gym or art. That’s not much time left for actually learning anything useful. When I was in middle school I remember my teachers wasting almost half of the period explaining in detail what we would be doing for the day instead of actually doing it. If the time you spent at school measures how well you’re educated than it’s not a very good measurement to go on. If the time you spent in school meant you are well-educated then you can easily agree that every student is well-educated and we know that’s not the

What does it mean to be well educated? To be well educated it is a balance between academics and practical knowledge. Throughout this paper I will show that one does not necessarily need a college degree to be deemed as well educated. I will explore both aspects of academics and practical knowledge and how it affects individuals.

When the definition of education is looked up in the dictionary it comes out as “a degree, level, or kind of schooling”. While attending a university or obtaining a degree is largely viewed as being educated, there are many other ways to become educated rather than a degree with your name on it. Gerald Graff, and Mike Rose show their personal experience of being educated without a degree. Being educated is different for everybody, and regardless it’s the person’s personal experiences and lessons that lead them to thrive for an education in their own unique fashion. Mike Rose, professor at the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, comes from a family of blue-collar workers.

Some people might like education, others might dread it and really don’t see a reason to continue learning about it. Today, for teachers and professors it’s easy to them to tell how the education they teach is effective for an individual student. As we know, education is being taught at school, home, and a little of both. For America today, most children attend preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle school, high school, and college. Depending on the pupil's career choice, it can take up to 20 or more years completing their schooling system, Usually, during the middle and or high school years in America, professors teach you valid things pupils will be using in life.

Charles Murray’s article Are Too Many People Going to College? describes the nature of education in America and some of the factors that should be considered before enrolling in a four year college. Every member of a society should have what Murray calls “core knowledge.” This knowledge is the common ground between every different way of life and type of person within a nation or group.

Brilliance,” Mike Rose, is a professor of education and information studies at the University of

People who are educated are likely to seek health care in order to have good health. According to Ross and Wu, people who are educated are less likely to smoke and drink, more likely to be physically active, and get regular health check-ups (1995, p. 719). The article claims education is measured by surveying students and determining which grade level they are in. Education can also be measured by the highest degree or diploma obtained for those who have left school (Garcia & McCarthy, p. 42). Measuring education using this method provides researchers with information regarding how many years of schooling people have received. This measurement is also seen in the study of Schneider. According to Schneider, the highest level of education successfully completed is either indicated by the highest educational qualification achieved or by the number of years of education or schooling completed (2011, p. 2). The information is obtained from surveys completed by respondents. This measure however, does

What were the educational values like as I was growing up? What were the expectations your family, teachers and friends had for education? What is the value of education in your culture, in your family? What is the educational background of your parents and siblings? When you had homework, did anyone in your family make sure it was done? I had some positive and negative feelings about my educational experiences. Are women and men entitled to the same educational advantages? Is there an expectation of finishing high school, college, or advanced degrees?