A school is a place where students learn under the guidance of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, and attendance is often compulsory.
Schools can be public or private. They can teach a broad range of subjects or be focused on one subject. Some schools are also social institutions.
History
Historically, schools were an important part of economics, providing a workforce that could carry out the work required for society. Education became increasingly secular over time, but the primary function remained that of conveying quintessential knowledge to students.
Schools support community development by teaching students the value of civic engagement. They also help students develop leadership abilities by empowering them to organize initiatives that benefit their community.
Throughout history, schools have reflected the prevailing social values of their time. In the era of the Enlightenment, which shook Europe in the 18th century, philosophies such as “liberty, equality and fraternity” drove educational reforms. In the early 19th century, Horace Mann advocated a comprehensive public school system. He established a network of normal schools, which trained teachers to establish and expand elementary school systems. These schools later evolved into teacher-training colleges, or universities.
Purpose
Schools serve multiple purposes, from promoting intellectual growth to training students for their careers. However, these purposes can conflict with each other. One issue is that pursuing one goal may mean giving up another.
School can also help kids become socially adept, building up friendships with kids from different backgrounds and helping them to build a sense of community within the school. Kids may even form close ties with teachers, which can be important in their lives outside of school.
In addition, schooling often involves a process of cultural transmission, teaching children the values and beliefs of their culture. Whether this occurs in the classroom or in extracurricular activities, it can shape the way that kids think about themselves and others. It can even influence their future career goals and aspirations.
Structure
Schools have a formal structure which encompasses all policies, practices and procedures. They also have physical structures including classrooms specialized for different subjects and all-purpose playgrounds, cafeterias and janitorial services.
A school’s administrative team handles supervision and making decisions for the entire school, while teachers are organized into departments based on subjects they teach. Students are also separated into age groups to make it easier to manage them.
The organization of a school often follows a standard hierarchy with administrators reporting to the district level, which in turn reports to the state. The overall effect of the structure of a school is to maintain a balance of power between various social and economic classes at local, regional and national levels. In this way, schools can operate as sorting and selection devices for certain types of students.
Teachers
Teachers are the backbone of education and offer guidance to young people. They encourage students to follow their dreams and achieve great things. They also teach them moral values and ethics. Teachers are regarded as the builders of human civilization and have played an important role in enabling countries to further develop socially and economically.
Teachers possess excellent communication skills and are able to explain complex concepts in simple ways. They understand their students’ learning needs and can design individual educational plans for each child. Teachers are also able to resolve conflicts and deal with disagreements among students.
Some teachers like to take on extracurricular activities such as coaching softball or advising student council. However, they must be careful not to overload themselves with work or risk jeopardizing their job security.
Students
Students play a critical role in school life. They help keep the school environment clean, participate in classroom & school activities & do their assigned work on time. They should also show respect to their teachers & classmates.
Some schools promote mastery over performance through assessments that provide feedback and opportunities to revise. They also cultivate student inquiry through capstone projects, where students learn deeply about a subject they care about and often work to create change in their community.
Research shows that strong teacher-student relationships are associated with a sense of school belonging. However, creating these relationships within highly complex educational systems can be challenging. Nevertheless, there is growing evidence that students with strong, supportive relationships have better academic outcomes. In addition, they have healthier mental and emotional well-being.