What does education mean to you?

An education is not something everyone is offered around the world. Some

countries cannot afford to have schools, and in some countries, women are not allowed

to be educated in schools. Getting an education in school is often take for granted by

some people because its not interesting. According to Websters Dictionary, an

education is defined as: the process of receiving or giving systematic instruction,

especially at a school or university. However, to me education means- any learning

opportunity we have whether it is in a school or not.

I think that receiving an education is assumed to be only occurring inside of a

classroom. This is a common belief in todays society because that is what we

understood while in our early years of schooling. Although, according to the definition

made by the guys with an education, it doesnt say that an education is given only while

in school. Every day we acquire an education no matter our age; we learn new things

every day.

An education is based upon the knowledge we have collected throughout our life.

In the very first weeks of our life, we have already gained critical information. By age

two, most children will know the names of familiar people, body parts, how to throw

things overhand, actions learned through mimicking, and how to decently handle

themselves as an independent in groups of kids. These things were not taught to the

child inside of a classroom. All of the new skills they have gained were learned from

their parents. Parents arent technically teachers, and the actions they do around their

child is perceived by the child itself. Nobody told them to do it, and often not how to do it

either, but this is a child in the process of receiving an education.

Even now, I am almost 18 and getting an education in and outside of the classroom. I

could be trying to do one thing, but botch it and end up doing something completely

different. This trial and error is not always a bad thing. I could be learning a new pitch for

baseball and hold the ball the wrong way and accidentally throw a completely new and

different pitch. A lot of people build up on their education today as technologies

advance, and new things are discovered.

An education is not just something you pick up while sitting at a desk, or having

someone tell you how to do an activity to gain an education. An education is something

we gain everyday through any learning opportunity in life. That is what an education

means to me.