The Value of Education

As Elmo sings on a children's dvd, "Learning is everywhere...", * but as the dvd indicates, you have to recognize and take advantage of the opportunities. Education doesn't have to come from a classrom.  But to keep learning and expanding one's knowledge is important.

Different factors affect how much value a person places on learning. One huge factor is the environment that they grew up in. Was hard work and effort in school encouraged? Were life experiences used as lessons?  What importance was given to higher education?

In my family, completing high school was mostly expected. However, higher education such as college was optional. My parents did not see it as a necessity, unless one had a specific purpose for going. They disapproved of those who went to college "just to go" or those that appeared to be "lifelong college students.

From that philosophy, my siblings and I have all emerged with diverse educations. One has an associate's degree in nursing, another a master's liscense plumbing, another got a certificate in childcare, and the fourth obtained some schooling as an auctioneer. These educations were obtained in different ways, such as, community college, self-study, some work experience, or other method. We four siblings have different interests and abilities, but we have all furthered our education in some form.

But what is the value of this education? To me it is obvious. Education increases your knowledge and develops the understanding of a subject. It can open doors to opportunities in life that might otherwise be inaccessible.

A person might say some of the paths that we have chosen could be reached by hard work alone. Yes, experience is said to be a teacher. But seeking education might make reaching your goals and dreams  faster and less painful than the so-called "School of Hard Knocks."

People who think that they can't learn or that education isn't important are limiting themselves. Their world and opportunities are much smaller. Life is full of problems that without knowledge might be difficult to solve. Willingness to learn, and putting out the effort to do so, can make one's daily life easier in the long run. And if nothing else, there is the benefit of having possibly delayed your future dementia by exercising your brain cells.

* Name of dvd is Learning is Everywhere.