Education not so Academic

Education should not only include academics but also social skills. This would improve society by starting with the individual; This in turn influences the community, the nation and then the world. The teaching system builds the foundation of the economy. It develops the base of human character. This type of education can change the way we see the world and how we act in it.
When character is developed through life skills we learn social values that create stability, functionality, responsibility and accountability. These bi-products of good social values create wholeness in relationships, good parenting skills, and the ability to responsibly handle life issues. The challenge is figuring out the essential program that would help us think critically in our decisions making; and recalculate our thoughts to combat the unending problem of crime and recidivism. It is important to understand the nature of education; we can then learn to comprehend the True Nature of Self.

The nature of education represent the natural world that foster an environment that manifest the personality which gives description and quality to the individual being taught. It creates the atmosphere of nurturing and rearing that produce the backdrop to the life and career we choose.
The transformation of the education system will help create, adjust and recalculated unwanted behavior. To change behavior, we have to comprehend the true nature of self. We must find the place called the “darkroom” that holds the power of self renewal. It is the platform or black board to negotiate the thought patterns that produce the good and the bad thoughts corresponding actions. Charles Reade (June 8, 1814 - April 11, 1884) was an English novelist and play writer made the following proclamation: “Sow a thought, Reap an act, Sow an act, and you reap a habit; Sow a habit, and you reap a character; Sow a character, and you reap a destiny (Charles Reade).” What a person does in his mental activities, so shall you see in his actions.

The perils of not utilizing education to its fullest potential have brought us this volatile environment that struggles to maintain its equilibrium. It rest in the quagmire of chaos writhing escape from its turmoil, because it can not find the darkroom in the mind. An enigmatic place, where all learned behavior is expressed repetitiously in daily life. It appears in what we do when no ones looking; what we teach our children when we are not paying attention, like depression, bad habits in relationships, manner and attitudes.

There are some group that would say it is the parent responsibility to teach manners and behavior skills, and that our society teaches the rules and laws, however according to the White House Conference on Faith-Based and Community initiatives Conference:
Approximately 13 million children under the age of
18- almost a fifth of America’s young people-go hungry
or are at risk of being hungry. Close to 2 million
children have a parent in prison. Last year, 22 Americans
had substance dependence or abuse problems. (2)

What is being taught by parenting and society is not the reality of what we see. What we see ignites the emotions that overwhelming the human experience. It laces it self in the mind as a poison dressed up as greed, hatred and ignorance. The social sufferings induce the sickness in an individual that influence the community, national and all conflict in the world. There is a path out of the old school routine set by a few community schools.
Some of these examples are Quaker schools. They hold one of the keys to creating better program within the education system. Germantown Friends School (GFS) teaches “seek the truth, challenge the intellect, honor differences, embrace the city, and nurture each student’s mind, body and spirit.” The philosophy of the school emphasis is that they want their students to develop the capacity for responsible choice.

Through our varied curriculum - rich in the academic disciplines, in the creative and performing arts, and in athletics and activities - our students come to understand their strengths and limitations, learning to integrate their own aspirations with the claims and values of others. For this they not only need facts about the world, they must know how to find and assess those facts. They must learn to distinguish the genuine from the artificial, the essential from the peripheral. They must learn to think clearly, and to communicate and act upon what they know. To act responsibly, they must know themselves and value themselves and others. We challenge them, increasingly as they are able, to exercise choice in many areas of school and community life. For it is our hope that in each of our students, as in ourselves, a sense of commitment to all their communities will grow from a responsible role in this one. (GFS)

The schools are divided in 3 levels in the first level. Megan Hess a teacher stated “I hope to find work for them that develop not only their minds, but also their hearts and souls. I hope they leave us always wanting to learn more." (Hess) Jeff Fetterman another teacher stated “There’s a lot of power in experiential learning, especially for kids this age six grade level. To them, we're learning 'survival.' In reality, we're building community. We're shifting our environment so we can have different conversations. We're learning about ourselves."(Fetterman) The upper level is built on the foundation of the first two levels with integrity being paramount with college preparation. These are the private schools that people that can afford it send there children, like presidents, and dignitaries.

These teachings should also be allocated to the public system as well. There is always room for improvement, so a program that expands on teaching life skills, to include the paradigm of GFS will improve the quality of life for our children. A life skills program in the judicial system would create an atmosphere that fosters better individual. These are the tools to develop the mind, negotiate the thoughts, and recalculate the thinking.

We should take this opportunity to focus on creating a better education system. It is in our best interest to begin the task of changing how we raise our children, and recalculate our own human development. Learning how to have better relationships, leads to better relationships. Learning how to become better parents, lead to becoming better parents. The foundation of the program will cultivate the mind, enhance the spirit, creates self development. This will lead to a better person. A better person leads to a better community and so on. This would improve society by starting with the individual, to influence the community, the nation and then the world.

Cited Work
Bush, George W., White House Conference on Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
Fact Sheet, Pittsburg , PA: The White House Conference, 2 (2004)
Germantown Friends School, "Our Mission as a Quaker School." Germantown Friends
School. 2007. 28 Jan 2009 .
Jensen, MS, David G. "Science & Soul." Advance For imaging and Radiation Therapy
Professionals 2 Feb 2009 .
Reade, Charles. "Charles Reade quotes."Think exist .com. 1800. 28 Jan 2009
.