Essence ofEducation.doc

Text B Essence of Education (14 paras.) (It points out that the essence of education lies in students’ acquisition of facts and reasoning skills) Essence of Education Robery W. Tracinki 1. The essence of education is the teaching of facts and reasoning skills to our children, so that they learn to think. 2. Yet almost a century, our schools have been under assault by an approach to education that elevates feelings over facts. Under the influence of Progressive Education -- It is now more important than getting him in touch with the facts of history, mathematics or geography. Note: elevate v. to make more important or to improve e.g. They want to elevate the status of teachers. 3. Creative spelling-- in which students are encouraged to spell words in whatever way they feel is correct - is more important than the rules of language. Urging children to feel good about themselves is more important than ensuring that they acquire the knowledge necessary for living successfully. 4. This emotion-centered, anti-reason assault on education has found a new ally: those who believe the literal words of the Bible. The Kansas Board of Education has just excised the theory of evolution from the states official science standards. Several other states have enacted similar anti-evolution policies, thereby elevating the feeling of religious fundamentalists over the accumulated evidence of the entire science of biology. Note: Ally n. a person or organization that cooperates with or helps another in a particular activity. Excise v. to remove as if by cutting e.g. The official censors have excised the controversial sections of the report. 5. These policies do not actually ban the teaching of evolution, nor do they mandate the teaching of “Creationism” ----biblical claim that the Earth and all life on it were created in six days. They simply drop evolution from the required curriculum. The goal of the religious activities is t