By Daniel Millions

The basic tenant of education encompasses more than just the teaching of what we know to our young. As well as passing on essential skills like language and the basic functions of living, education passes on the culture of a society. These are the intangible patterns of behavior that distinguish each group of people as a unique set. Education is designed to show how the information learned can be used to make judgment decisions and thereby construct new ways of combining that information into a basis of wisdom.

Education of the young begins at infancy with the teaching of basic activity. Most early education involved physical activity and coordination. With time, language skills are added and the beginnings of socialization take place as the toddler is instructed on what is considered proper behavior for their society. This early, at-home, education may include not only the practical aspects of life but religious or spiritual instruction as well.

Since the education of the young is of utmost importance to the continued health of a society, most governing bodies have a schooling system in place where a standardized series of instruction can be presented. In the formal educational system teaching is the primary form of delivering the instruction to the students. Specific skills and knowledge are passed on in the form of lectures, work sessions and reading material. The hands-on approach to learning is a very effective form of education. By performing the selected task themselves, students are more likely to gain a deeper understanding of how the instruction they have been given actually relates to the task.

The cultures of the modern industrialized world generally divide the levels of education for their young into several specific groupings. Primary education deals with the more fundamental knowledge topics. Here language skills of reading and writing are supplemented with mathematics, science and history. Once the student has obtained a firm base of information they are promoted to a secondary level where more individualized or specialized skills are acquired. Mathematics will be extended to geometry and calculus. General science will branch out to separate fields of biology, health and chemistry. In the United States particularly, these first two levels of education are required of all citizens as a base education to be a functioning member of society.

Beyond the initial required educational levels are the university levels of education. These institutions provide voluntary education in which it is the student’s responsibility to further their education in the specific fields of knowledge they require finding their selected occupation in life. Many skilled occupations require at least one degree from an institution of higher learning and some will demand even longer periods of educational study.

Besides the academic fields of education, there are numerous trade schools that are designed to train individuals in the intricacies of a specific trade or occupation. These schools are not designed for general educational pursuits but focus directly on one area or career. With the availability of scholarships and student loans, a solid education is within the range of most citizens.

The increased focus on re-training has opened up the opportunities for even older people to start a new series of educational studies for more flexibility in their career choices. Truly education is a process that the active mind will continue throughout their entire life as new experiences daily add to the wealth of knowledge that can be obtained.

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