Student vs Teacher: Where Education Falls in the System
“Okay everyone, let’s start the programming workshop.”
It’s something I’ve said about four times in the two years I have been the committee head of programming on the robotics team. It signaled that I was no longer in the position of a student, but rather more of a teacher or a mentor. Unlike in the typical environments of my classes, where the instruction was followed by a task where we would apply what we had learned, in robotics, the teaching and doing happen almost simultaneously. Of course, the pressure is still there, but it’s not from having to do well for a grade, but to be able to complete the robot within the six weeks we are given.
Because the skills used on the team typically are not taught in class, such as wiring components together, they are taught before build season starts so everyone can have a role in the rush to complete the robot. However, the teaching is not like how students are conventionally taught. Rather than drilling information and giving tests and projects to assess how well they have internalized what they’re supposed to know, it’s more of being tested as they go along. The team members are expected to contribute to some project during the meetings. As a result, the meetings tend to be low-stress.
However, in the classroom, the experiences for learning on a day-to-day routine are drastically different. Students panic over papers they have to write, projects that are due, and tests that need to be taken. It seems that there is more at risk because of the notion that one bad grade could ruin a student’s chance of ever getting into their dream school. Students are much more focused on the numbers and how their GPAs, extracurriculars, and classes compare to others instead of what they are supposed to be learning. This is especially apparent in course selection because they aren’t thinking about what really interests them in terms of potential career paths, but rather if they’re taking more AP’s than everyone else so they can have a stunning transcript.
I admit to using this as a part of my thought process while choosing classes, which has not always been the best for me. I started to compare myself to my brother, who made it into a top-ranked school, and whether or not I was matching his GPA and how many AP classes he has taken. It became more of a competition between myself and someone who I was never going to compete against in terms of schools and education. This often led to my disappointment when I didn’t quite meet the standards, despite the fact that many factors had changed. I obsessed over trying to get the highest grade and trying to figure out who was my real “competition” in my classes, although this was somewhat enforced by my parents and influenced by how well my brother did.
I am aware of the fact that there are many other students that are motivated by the same idea. They want a transcript on steroids, loaded with APs while somehow achieving the impossible task of maintaining a perfect GPA. Some do put forth their best effort to do well and show what they can do when they challenge themselves, but others are known to cut corners. One of the most common practices I’ve noticed around the school is cheating on tests. Ultimately, it’s only the numbers that count, right? Oftentimes, this practice not only harms those who take part by robbing them of an opportunity to get to know the content better and refine their studying skills for future use, but it also hurts those who have worked hard prior to tests and papers, yet may receive a lower grade. Although this goes back to the numbers, which should not be the main focus of school, other students are still punished for the mistakes of one person or a group of people.
But in the entire mess of this educational system, muddled with the pressure to stand out from the rest and complete everything in time, what does it mean to actually be educated? Is it the one who has the highest grades or the one who knows the widest variety of information? If the purpose of students going to school is so information can be passed down, those deemed as educated should be those who have not only learned what they choose to learn, but are also able to communicate it to others. As for why information should be passed down, the overarching idea would be to guarantee the continuation of progress in society, however cliché the statement may be.
In the case of my position on the robotics team, I’d like to think that I am educated in what I do. Along with knowing how to write code, I also have to know how to communicate my knowledge with others. Even if I were an expert on everything related to writing robot code, it would mean nothing if I stumbled over my words as I attempted to explain the basic syntax. This is the same for every other committee on the team. Those with expertise in a certain area are expected to teach the other members to ensure the continuation of each part and the team as a whole.
When judging how educated students are based off of the criteria of being able to pass down or explain information to others, the scale depends on what is being passed down. Even in the negative aspects of the system, there is some sort of learning going on. The cheaters who focus on the numbers rather than the information become educated on the best way to cut corners and keep their activities hidden, even if they don’t understand what they’re choosing or writing on exams. The overachievers learn what their limits are and how to cope with an excessive workload. Those who try hard in their classes learn more about the content. In all situations, knowledge is being passed down either from teacher to student or in between grades and encourages the continuation of the various components in the school. Obviously, it is more beneficial for everyone to follow the third scenario and attempt to learn the content rather than learn to how to cheat.
Outside of an academic environment, the concept still stands. Employers often look for knowledgeable people in their field, asking questions a potential employee should know. A confident response to a question specific to their field indicates that they possess the skills needed for the position they are applying for. A response that contains fundamental errors or is filled with hesitation demonstrates that they either do not have enough confidence in themselves or do not know their position well enough to reiterate what they know to another person. The employers typically want what’s best for their company and would opt to hire the one who not only has the correct answer, but is also able to explain it well.
Our role in the educational system, regardless of how flawed it may be, is to try to pass on information. What good would learning anything be if it only stayed in one generation? The flow of wisdom and information from generation to generation is what helps society progress. Within the progression of knowledge, the focus should be on practices that are more ethical. As students, it aids us in choosing a career path and getting a job in the future. In situations beyond the academic realm, it allows companies to flourish and push for new innovations when new ideas and skills are brought in. When one is educated, they can contribute to this progression, which connects back to the cliché statement of making sure society can progress.
After all, it’s best that we don’t stay in the same place forever.
