Raising an Active Generation In his book Creative Schools, Ken Robinson lists four pillars of education—personal, cultural, social, and economic—and states that the purpose of education is “to enable students to understand the world around them and the talents within them so that they can become fulfilled individuals and active, compassionate citizens”. This comprehensive statement resonates with me because it presents the final outcome of education as a balance between knowledge, self-fulfillment, and social responsibility. While teaching students to think critically will be a daily mission, raising compassionate citizens who can actively participate in our democratic system and generate the change needed in society will be my ultimate goal …show more content…
As students, we were told to faithfully listen to teachers and were neither encouraged nor allowed to challenge the information being delivered or the methods being used. I recall a powerless school government that seemed to exist for recreational purposes but not to address any important issues. Clearly, students were at the bottom of the hierarchy scheme and I never felt that I had a voice to express my concerns or that anyone actually cared about them. At home, my parents were not interested in politics and were quick to dismiss anything related to the government as corrupt, fruitless, or dishonest. Not surprisingly, growing up in a false democracy, I was never interested or involved in any political …show more content…
However, it was not until I started attending community college a couple of years ago that I was involved in something that had the potential to benefit my community. Pursuing my A.A. in Education, I realized that the teaching career was changing drastically and that students lacked the support needed to overcome the many new challenges they were facing. I decided to take action and founded a student organization called the Future Teachers Club with the goal to provide the support network that was so desperately needed. During my year as the founding president, I was involved in different aspects of college life, listened to the needs and problems of my classmates, and met with professors and administrators searching for solutions. I was able to help others and I grew tremendously as a student and as an