This is the question posed by Robin Williams to his students (in a movie to which I do not know the title). Do we learn to earn more money? Do we learn just for the grades? Do we learn just to fulfill other people's expectations? Do we learn because we were forced to?
Or do we learn so that we can think for ourselves?
This is a critical question. It gives a whole new meaning to teaching and learning. NO one thought me that when I was young. No one ever paid attention to me anyway. Everyone was just so busy looking at the grades and the performance on paper. No one bothered to try to understand me and my interests. I think, it goes the same for many pupils. And this is sad.
School is a place where we explore the different faces of the world and of our short time span on earth. It is a place to learn about and from one another. Learning is supposed to help us open our mind and not restrict us. Has our learning become somewhat microscopic? I wonder.
While the basic principles of learning and teaching such as classroom discipline still holds, one must not forget the true essence of education. TO learn to think for ourselves.
I finally found the title. It is called "Dead Poets' Society". http://www.cinepad.com/reviews/deadpoets.htm
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