A school is a place where people learn. It can also refer to a group of students or a discipline. The words teach, instruct, educate, train, and discipline all have similar meanings.
School is important for kids because it gives them a foundation in life. It also helps them prepare for their future careers.
Learning for its own sake
There’s a growing movement in education to encourage students to learn for their own sake, rather than out of a desire to get good grades or impress peers. This approach is backed by research that shows that intrinsic motivation leads to better academic outcomes.
Interest is a family of emotions that motivate people to engage with unfamiliar topics. It’s one of the earliest emotions to develop, and it can be a powerful motivator for lifelong learning.
When we’re focused on schools as the primary solution to inequality, it’s easy to forget that intellectual pursuits can also be a source of pleasure. The enjoyment that comes from a well-researched paper or the elegance of a math problem can pique student curiosity and inspire creative thinking.
Exposure to a wide variety of subjects
Subjects like history and sociology are crucial for students to gain a deeper understanding of the world around them. They provide insights into societal structures, human behaviour and the importance of cultural diversity. Without access to these subjects, young people may grow up with limited empathy and understanding towards others.
Moreover, these subjects foster transferable skills such as collaboration, problem solving and communication, which are increasingly important for careers in the digital economy. This is why schools need to connect the worlds of learning and work for their students – including through careers talks, mentoring programmes and excursions to job sites. By integrating these into the curriculum, students will be ready for the rigours of the modern workplace. Diverse learning environments also encourage innovation by fostering an intellectual melting pot.
Building self-confidence
The ability to build self-confidence is a crucial component of lifelong learning. It is defined as a belief in one’s own worth and capacity to succeed. This confidence enables individuals to tackle challenges and take risks in pursuit of their goals.
A lack of self-confidence can have negative impacts on student performance, including anxiety and social isolation. It can also interfere with learning by limiting classroom engagement and lowering the ability to focus.
To help students develop a positive sense of self-worth, teachers can provide encouragement and support. They can also encourage students to set realistic goals and break them down into manageable steps. This approach can help students feel a sense of accomplishment each time they reach one of these milestones, which in turn boosts their confidence.
Developing life skills
Schools have a responsibility to prepare their students for the world outside of the classroom. Life skills are a crucial part of that preparation. These skills can help students become more independent, manage their emotions, and make responsible decisions.
Developing life skills through schooling is also important for pupils’ social development, health, and well-being. It is a way for them to learn how to live with others (cognitive development), deal with their emotions and behaviours in a group or society (emotional development), and build supportive relationships with their peers and family.
This scoping review analysed 55 publications from English and French that provide conceptual definitions of Life Skills in the context of research on health promotion at school. It is possible that a consensual definition of Life Skills is not yet available because this topic sits at the intersection of different fields.
Continuing your education as an adult
Whether you want to finish a degree that you began as a teenager, or are thinking about making a career change, there are many options for adults looking to learn. Adult learning can provide a new sense of purpose and increased self-esteem, as well as a more diversified skill set that may boost your income.
Schools can be government run, known as public or state schools, or private, which charge tuition. They can also be religious, such as gurukula (Hindu schools), madrasa (Islamic school), hawzas (Shi’i Muslim school) or yeshivas (Jewish school).
Research has shown that participation in education in adulthood leads to a higher earning potential and greater access to employment opportunities. However, the likelihood of educational participation varies by a number of factors including age, gender, and early life context.