A worthwhile education
We go to school every day, for years on end, with the intent of receiving an education. We have an innate desire to learn. But, are the educational systems really teaching us what we need to know?
Students are bombarded with facts, ideas, opinions, numbers and so much
more, but they can still end the school day feeling like they took nothing out. An article produced by Lory Hough at the Harvard Graduate School of Education covers this topic.
In her article, Hough says: 'The hard fact is that our minds hold on only to the knowledge we have occasion to use in some corner of our lives. ... Overwhelmingly, knowledge unused is forgotten. It’s gone.' If we so easily forget unused knowledge, why then must we force students to sit through hours of facts, rather than teach them useful knowledge, such as money management and family strengthening techniques?
It is not necessary to cut out the math or history or any subject for that matter; however, these subjects should be tailored to take away meaningful life lessons that can be used on a daily basis as to not lose the valuable knowledge gained through education.
Shaelyn Bundy
Modesto, CA
A disruptive time
This has been a challenging time for many. Normal life has been shaken up and we are learning how to cope; however, we have the hope that with time, things will return to how they were before.
Sadly, there are many who have lost that hope. Students across Utah have been given the news that classes will be taught remotely online. I think of the seniors who won’t have the chance to return to their normal lives when this all “blows over.” For them, life will never be the same.
For all of this time “real life” was looming somewhere past their last game, past their last performance or on the other side of a senior banquet and graduation. Now, it’s all disappeared. “Real life” is suddenly around the corner and change is imminent. Friends move away, pressures increase and expectations change. All of these things are difficult to wrap your head around in a normal situation. I can’t imagine what it would be to deal with them on top of all of the COVID-19 concerns.
Try to be understanding as these young adults come to grips with what has just happened. Lend a listening ear and offer hope.
Liany Holdsworth
Orem, UT
Effective communication
It has been said that knowledge is power, and modern-day America heavily buys into this. Billions of dollars in time and resources are spent every year in educating young adults across the United States. Colleges and universities play a major role in our country’s economy, politics and culture. We rely on these institutions to properly prepare our future doctors, lawyers, teachers, counselors, scientists and engineers. How effective are our colleges at shaping the future leaders of America? They may not be as effective as you would hope.
While our higher education system does well at presenting information, its greatest weakness is its ineffectiveness at teaching students to efficiently communicate. Effective communication, the ability to relate to someone else and form a relationship with that person, is a crucial skill that too many of our graduating college students lack.
This weakness in our college students is a driving force behind many of the social problems we are seeing today. And until our colleges and universities learn to teach these necessary communicative skills, our country will continue to see the social and political problems that currently plague our society.
Noah Quist
Santaquin, UT