Required Question for Take Home 1

During class we have had much discussion about defining what makes a person an “educated citizen.” It is not something that can be easily defined and can not be easily explained. Many of my classmates, including myself, had some difficulty figuring out how exactly to answer this question. Does it mean a citizen that has attended all levels of education and now holds a job that corresponds to their degree? Does it mean a citizen that is active in many different organizations and fights for what they believe in? Does it mean a citizen that is familiar with all politics and what is occurring around them regarding the government? All of these possible definitions are great ones, but what is the right one?
We are all entitled to our own opinion and here lies the opportunity to state and back up our own individual opinions. It would be easy for my to pick one of the above stated definitions, but I would not fully agree with any of them. I think an “educated citizen” is one that has a broad understanding of how things around them work and how they can use the things around them to the fullest to help them achieve what they want to achieve in life. Yes, you can become educated by going through years and years of schooling, but are you going to achieve everything you want to by just attending school? It is important to realize that education goes beyond the classroom and involved learning from mistakes and learning from what life hands you. Every individual comes from a different background and goes through different events to make them who they are. Yes, some people might go through different things than others, but they are all equally educated because they have an understanding of what has occurred. Being an “educated citizen” should come naturally and you should want to be one. Every person should be going through each day feeling lucky and grateful for what they are learning about themselves, society, and in the classroom. It is not about the information you learn, it is about what you do with that information.
Although schools are not the only place where a citizen becomes “educated” it would be helpful if public schools could help this process along. The normal math problems, history tests, grammar checks, and much more are very important, but there are some other things that children and young adults should learn to make them more “educated.” On page two of the article “Educating the ‘Good’ Citizen: Political Choices and Pedagogical Goals” there is a chart that describes three different citizens; the Personally Responsible Citizen, the Participatory Citizen, and the Justice-oriented Citizen. Not only does this chart describe different “good” citizens, but I think that it is also describing different educated citizens. To act responsibly in his or her community, organize community efforts, address areas of injustice, and much more are all listed in describing these citizens. These details are not taught in schools. Yes, students learn the facts and know what is right from wrong, but how they be able to put their education into full effect if they do not know how to act like an “educated citizen.” It is one thing to be able to say you are something, but it is something completely different to be able to show it. Public schools need to guide students and show them how to use their knowledge in other areas and help where they see help needed.