An Excellent Education: Definition

We frequently hear utterances such as, "All of our children deserve an excellent education." When such statements are made, there is an abiding assumption that everyone has an idea of the constituent components of an excellent education, and even that there is a common understanding of what constitutes an excellent education.

In fact, very few people have a firm notion of what would be meant by an excellent education. Many people attended 13 years (K-12) in the public schools without ever having anyone really explain an overriding theory guiding that education; furthermore, many others went through an undergraduate and even graduate education experience without ever forming an idea of the constituent components of an excellent education, or having anyone in the relevant institutions proffer such an explanation.

In the meantime, many people would be entirely comfortable with each of the following statements if presented to them by someone who they felt understood education, or even by someone who spoke without having given the matter any systematic thought:

"Chlldren should be free to explore their own interests in the creation of their own education."

"Children should receive effective instruction in reading, writing, math, and the liberal arts."

Implementation of a program in fulfillment of one of these two statements very likely will give short shrift to the program that would flow from the other statement. Children left free to create their own education will with a high degree of likelihood not pursue or acquire a strong basic skills or liberal arts education. Children receiving effective instruction in basic skills and the liberal arts are mostly in a position of inheriting, rather than creating, their education.

For many decades now, university professors of education have emphasized the first, so-called "progressive" approach to education. This has done much harm to legions of students in the public schools (and many private schools, as well). Children should first and foremost receive solid fundamental reading, writing, and math skills; and they should have a solid knowledge base in natural science, history, economics, literature, and the fine arts. An excellent education transmits a solid knowledge base from well-educated adults to students who have little experience that would allow them to attain a cohesive liberal arts education for themselves.

Given a solid factual basis upon which to form opinions and pursue topics of interest, students under the guidance of a skilled teacher can exercise a great deal of intellectual creativity. But let me be clear: The information base transmitted from a knowledgeable professional comes first.

Here, then, is a working definition of an "excellent education":

>>>>> An excellent education is a matter of excellent teachers imparting a strong liberal arts curriculum to all students. <<<<<

Stay alert for my coming definition of an "excellent teacher," and my discussion of the importance of a "strong liberal arts curriculum."