Education Matters
Right education changes kids’ lives
Nelson Mandela, a revolutionary President of South Africa, once said, “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” The benefits of an education are ample and copious; education provides individuals with lessons that remain with them throughout their entire lives. An education, all inclusively, is intended to develop an individual's lifelong intellect, including their reading, writing, and thinking capabilities. Education encourages and engages critical thinking, creates open-mindedness, and inspires change and innovation in individuals.
Critical thinking refers to making clear and rational judgments based upon assessment, but it also contributes to the basic elements of communication: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. One important aspect of the school is the skills and strategies learned that may be applied to problem-solving. An element that allows for this type of growth and development is the atmosphere in which the learning occurs. Discussions prove an important aspect of learning as they implore a sense of establishment and a true form of deep thinking. Essays also grant students the opportunity to build upon their critical thinking capabilities, along with teaching them how to expand upon them and create a full work from their individual thoughts and ideas. Critical thinking, when facilitated in an intellectual environment, encourages students to think broadly, outside of the box, and allows them to develop their communication skills.
The implementation of critical thinking also helps to develop open-mindedness within individuals. Open-mindedness is an important quality to maintain throughout life because it allows individuals to experience new ideas and thoughts and also allows individuals to strengthen themselves through newfound knowledge. With an open mind, you are able to continually build upon the prior knowledge and platform that you have already established. Having an open mind allows for an individual's confidence to grow and expand because they are not tied down by their own thoughts, nor are they tied down by others. Open-mindedness allows us to remove our prejudice and personal biases in order to immerse ourselves in any experience.
With the characteristics of critical thinking and open-mindedness, comes the desire for innovation and change. A critical thinker is able to identify, evaluate, and change issues that they are faced with; they are able to take a step back, assess the situation, and make the seemingly most competent choice in order to resolve the situation. The desire to learn and better ourselves is very important, as is doing the learning, and initiating the innovation required to make a change. The cycle is continuous, and in order for the world around us to become better, individuals must continue to learn and grow each and every day. Education allows for continual growth and fostering of knowledge. The communication skills and open mindedness developed through class discussions and the formation of critical thinking skills create everlasting positivity in one’s life.