The Value of Education
By Dr. Jane Stavem, Superintendent
What is the value of education? That single question can set off a tsunami of opinions. The first thing that might come to mind is dollars and cents and the associated methods and costs for funding schools. Another angle might be public versus private and school choice. Some may think about higher education and the relevance of a college degree, while others might think about the current social controversy and political upheaval centered around education.
I would ask you to put those thoughts aside and consider the question again. What is the value of education?
I have three volumes of an old set of books called Public School Methods, published in the early 1900s. They include subject matter information for each grade level in many academic areas - geography, music, agriculture, mathematics, just to name a few, and the scope of what was covered more than a century ago is pretty impressive.
Surprisingly, many non-academic areas were also covered. Over a hundred years ago, the importance of social skills, tolerance of others, manners, civility, critical thinking, civics, and morality were included as vital parts of a child’s education. Today, the same topics may be viewed as new and necessary or even political and controversial.
The overall purpose of an education was stated very simply - it was to prepare children to be self-sufficient adults who could become contributing citizens as part of the greater community. Seems pretty relevant today.
A hundred years ago, the primary source of information was the schoolhouse and a capable teacher. In our current world, knowledge is found everywhere at the touch of a screen. But just because knowledge is available doesn’t mean it automatically becomes part of a child’s education.
So why do we continue to educate children? How do we determine what is important enough to include in a textbook? Many important, historic, and relevant events have occurred since my old methods books were printed. What information is worth spending time on when we don’t know what a child will become as an adult? Why not just turn kids loose with an iPad and search engine and tell them to find out about whatever interests them and see what happens?
What is the value of education? I would offer this answer: The value of education is the opportunity for children to learn along with, and from, others in a place that still says learning is important - a school.
Many things have changed and will continue to change in our world. What I hope never changes is the high value this community places on education and on school. Sioux Falls values and supports classrooms. You make sure there are plenty of opportunities for children. This community cares about what happens to the future of its citizenry. If those things remain the focus over the next 100 years, today’s children will be tomorrow’s leaders in a hope-filled community where anything is possible.