Educational Insight by Lucia

Educational Insight by Lucia - April 2015 Scholarship Essay

Intelligence is the product of understanding, a general comprehension of the world and the way it functions. It can be found in many different aspects of a person: the way they communicate (socially), their knowledge of a subject (academically), or their philosophy on life (worldly). The purpose of education is to nurture these different types of intelligence and to help them evolve.

Schools accomplish this in many ways. Through clubs and sports, they encourage students to interact on a personal level. This teaches compassion, cooperation and communication, all of the things that people use in real life occupations. Schools hire teachers to nurture the academic side of students. This is crucial in providing a foundation of knowledge about the world we live in (government, economics, science). Lastly, schools encourage discussion (debates, Socratic seminars, questions) in order encourage thoughtfulness. Everyone has an opinion and not everyone will agree. These are the core elements of a multidimensional education.

With just one element, a student is blind-sided and unprepared for the world ahead. This is why students are not only encouraged to do their homework, but they are also encouraged to join clubs that interest them. This is why students can be intelligent even if they do not excel in their math class. Intelligence comes in different forms, and a beneficial education will touch upon all of them.