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The ideal education for students is one that builds on their passions in life.  Currently there is so much bureaucracy in education that it drowns out the voices of students, educators, families, and communities.  The education system is built on archaic beliefs which range from anything like the grade level system to daily schedules.  The current educational system is limiting and it should be enriching and additive in nature.

The school environment  should be fluid and not confined within the four walls of a school.  It would be great if learning occurred within the fabric of daily living.  Concepts and skills could be taught in settings such as parks, stores, universities, interning at businesses, and self-selected environments.  It is quite limiting when teachers are thwarted with a scripted lesson plan, scripted resources, and limitations that prevent students from moving ahead and extending their learning.  I am hopeful that things will change.  In the interim , we have grat educators that do their very best for students in spite of challenges.

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Education is fundamental in our society because it is one of the key factors to success. Not only is education used to allow an individual to reach their highest potential, but it also allows students to be successful in and outside of the workforce. As for the role of education for society, the aim is to help the individual dive deep into their role of society. When the roles of education within and individual and society are accomplished, the student will be able to easily adjust to the workforce and will be able to contribute to societal success.

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In an ideal learning environment, students are comfortable to express themselves, acquire new knowledge and skills, and not just seen as a score/grade. With a rise in student population from diverse cultures in a classroom setting, as an educator it’s important to encourage curiosity rather than judgment of a students' culture, as students will learn to be culturally competent and coexist with their peers. This may help build camaraderie among them, allowing an environment of no judgment and a safe place to learn.

As an educator, do you believe there might be a bias concerning a student’s score/grade? Of course, using a student’s score/grade can help educators see where a student might have difficulty understanding a concept, but it shouldn’t be the only way to measure their success. Doctor (2019) mentioned considering a student’s rate of improvement, their level of effort, and how engaged in classroom activities as a few methods to evaluate a student besides grades.

Reference:

Doctor, T. (2019). How to Evaluate Students Without Using Grades. Tutor Doctor. https://www.tutordoctor.com/blog/2019/december/how-to-evaluate-students-without-using-grades/

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What is the purpose of education for individual students?
I believe that the purpose of education for individual students is that of growth and discovery that they can learn anything. I remember doubting myself when I was younger thinking I was unable to be good at math and it took me getting the right teacher who showed me that I had the potential to be good at math. I remember the first time I actually felt confident and thought wow I can  be good at this. I think that the way educators approach teaching is important, sometimes it takes a little effort to reach certain students but with the right tools you can teach them to believe in themselves and their capacity to learn.
What is the purpose of education for society?
I think that the purpose of education for society is to instill a baseline of general knowledge. How to read, write, solve equations, infer, question and understand history are all things that contribute to a working society. While not everyone goes on to get a college degree, you still have to have basic academic skills even when working a trade. While some schools offer specific endorsements such as health, communications or technology which help guide students on a track to potential careers they also offer courses in fashion design, culinary and automotive. Education is a way for society to ensure that there will always be individuals who can contribute to the betterment of society.

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The moment we put education in a box or cap it, is the moment we have limited it and students. In its most basic form, education is learning and knowledge, yet we separate the three terms. Society often associates education with the institution of education (higher education, classroom, etc.) and “learning” as everything else. We reserve education as a place of prestige. However, we fall short of education when approached this way because it is not merely reserved for “students”, for are we not all students? Society put weight on education and made the intangible tangible by saying, “the more you have of this, the more valuable or higher up you will go”. In this way, we have made it untouchable, almost unattainable. Education is almost made “hard” on purpose to keep it reserved. Society has made it appear that education is only for some. As if a leverage, so as to keep distance or separation, therefore widening the academic achievement gap . The perspective society has about education is, in my opinion, the reason for a lack of diversity in the classroom because it is a pedestal some were never intended to reach. As a society we have taken general things meant to be shared and kept them for currency and prize- causing great divide.

In saying that, my ideal leaning environment begins with society because what is happening/happens in the classroom is the effect of larger systemic issues at work. Therefore, my ideal learning environment is one in which there is no numeric values. An environment where there is no weight on assignments or GPA because students begin to value their self and intelligence off an assessment number. I also believe teachers gain biases about students based on students’ previous grades instead of each student coming to their class with a clean slate. In my opinion, this is another division aspect that leads to comparison and “access”. There still needs to be some way to assess where individuals are but that should be done through individual assessments in which each student meets with a group of staff members (teachers, administrators, etc.)- a group as opposed to one person to remove ill motives or biases- and students must be checked off on understanding of topics. At the classroom level this looks like students getting a check off on an assignment or more practice. The ideal classroom is one that is culturally relevant, adaptable, and intentional in efforts to grow and move against the grain of tradition. It is an environment in which learning and students are the focus not a feature. It is a place where servitude and selflessness take place, the perspective is not dominance but dynamic, it is a place changed by perspective that reflects a multicultural classroom and learning. It is not operated on the basis of hierarchy or numeric value, but equal to all students because outside the four walls of a school and behind “student” is a person. Associating oneself with numeric value starts early and the purpose of education is for the individual student to gain knowledge, not gain at the cost of being stripped. My ideal learning environment is an environment changed from the inside out. As a society we promote and partake in this by preparing students for what is to come by viewing education as something that can take place in the workplace and implementing multiculturalism in such places. I believe, if this change only happens in schools, then it will stop there and perpetuate the notion that learning only takes place in academic settings.

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Education should be individualized but instead, education is generalized and quite biased. Students need education to be personalized because we are all individuals who learn different from each other. I like to read and actually see how things work, while someone else may just learn from listening or through hands on. People learn in different ways so teaching them the same mundane way, really benefits no one. If our education were to start catering towards the individual, then we would get more well-rounded students. These students will eventually become our leaders and superior so we need to focus on giving them all the tools to help them better themselves.

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My "vision" of a ideal learning environment is not only set for one child, one classroom, but it is set for the community I live in. It would consist of every child getting equal opportunities to gain the proper knowledge to become the best student and person they can be in life. For me, the purpose of education for individual students would be to prepare them for the future, and helping them strive to become what they are aiming to be (doctor, lawyer, business owner, etc). However, the purpose for education for the society may be slightly different, it may consist more so on emphasizing on better the youth as a whole and not just focusing on one individual at a time. Education its self is the root to planting a successful mindset in students. One of my favorite sayings are "Education is the most powerful weapon, which you can use to change the world." by Nelson Mandela

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The vision of the school is to prepare students for the future. This is the ideal picture. However, as a teacher, I see my students as individuals and encourage them to go more to the school's purpose of education. The purpose of education is great, but it is not enough.
The purpose of education for society is to have good people to work. However, not everyone has the same opportunities. Also, the purpose of education for society is limited to the students. The school cares about testing rather than providing a safe place for individuals.

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What education do we want? This is a loaded question and the answer is ambiguous, indefinite, and not concrete but more theoretical. In theory, everyone wants the perfect education that meets the needs of all who cross the doors and embraces the classroom, but in reality, it's not logical in the format or place that we are in now. So many factors play a part in education and there is so much history in the American education system that undermines the perfect system to the point where education in America is laughable to some and a shame to others. Furthermore, the vision of education for some can be skewed to benefit the deep pockets for others while hurting the needs of the students we service, leaving a marginal gap in the system, and forcing teachers to involuntarily become the under paved bridges in a never ending construction zone, without examining the cemented cavities detriment to building a solid foundation. The ideal for education, individually and societally, would be the pledge we recite 5 days of week, “One nation, under God, with justice and liberty for all”, but reality contradicts the ideal and is far-fetched from “all”.

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The ideal learning environment for me is where learners are free to ask questions, have open discussions with their peers in the language that best represents who they are, and have a positive relationship with the teacher facilitating the learning. I also envision a space that is organized and where systems have been put in place so that learning time is maximized. I strongly believe that in order for an individual to WANT to learn, he or she must be in trusting relationship with their teacher. Trust is built by intentional relationship building. Once this happens, the individuals doing the learning can then begin to take responsibility for their learning. It's at this point that an impact on society can take place, which when we think about why many of us have become educators, it's because we want to make a difference in the life of students so they make a difference in the future.

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The purpose of education for individuals is to provide them an avenue to be successful and the best version of themselves. But it should also be inclusive. We want to see individuals in this world succeed and lead. The other important thing is to make education accessible. There are a lot of areas or school districts in which schools are not considered top tier, presumably because of low-income types of places, even poverty-related areas. So, for me, the “purpose of education for individual students” is a way for them to succeed in life and grow.
The purpose of education for society could be for you to partake in and contribute to the community. Being a “role model citizen” and making a difference in your career field. As teachers, it’s our job to prepare students for that societal world. On the other hand, from a societal perspective, education for society should also be a safe place for those avenues of education to be acceptable (just different, not your typical white-collar job fields). In a way, society could look at non-white collar jobs in more optimistic, acceptable forms. Some examples could be working in the arts, sports, or trade professions. Not just your standard fields like health, medical, business, etc. Another aspect is making education affordable everywhere as well. As a society, it’s our job to work together in groups from various backgrounds to provide resources and accessibility to those who don’t have much access to stuff compared to people living in urban or affluent areas.

An ideal learning environment is where a student feels safe and is eager to learn and grow. They are open to different ideas and perspectives and thirst to grow and learn more. I am a very hands-on learner, so I feel that if students learned well that way, I would be very open to teaching that way; additionally, if other learning styles cater more to specific students, I would also want to create an inclusive and positive environment in which I could use different teaching styles to meet that need. I believe in following your passions and staying true to yourself, which I encourage my students to do. Having different dreams and goals is okay as long as it brings you happiness... One should pursue that avenue. Nowadays, students face many challenges mentally, emotionally, and physically. I want to create an environment where they feel safe to talk about their struggles and seek guidance and help; they shouldn’t feel they have no one to turn to.

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I want quality education. One that will guarantee that my grandson, the son of a second-generation immigrant, will have the opportunity to be admitted into an Ivy League college based on academic merit and not on quota or athletic ability.Quality education that will not allow my grandchildren to be dropout statistics. An education system that is looking out for the welfare of the child and the benefit of his future. An education system that is not concentrating its resources on aesthetic repairs but is building future leaders. An education system that does not ignore or sweep under the rug its inefficiencies, like what I pointed out last week regarding the failing of tests grades that have not been corrected in the past ten years. What is the purpose of collecting data if nothing will be done about it? As a taxpayer, we will pay $2500  to the LISD this year. Imagine if 100 households pay that amount, it will be $250,000 in a year, and believe me, there are more than one hundred homes in Lewisville. I think that, as taxpayers, we are not getting our money’s worth.

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As educators it is important to set a clear vision on how we view the ideal learning environment. It is crucial to keep in mind who our students are not just academically but personally. The greatest impact can be made when students are provided a safe, inviting and nurturing environment.

The purpose of education for students is to support and mold them into lifelong learners. Encouraging students to become problem solvers, creative thinkers, culturally aware, innovators and fully using their potential can be accomplished by developing a positive learning environment. The ideology of using one method does not exist. There should be opportunities for differentiation, enrichment and ongoing support to continue monitoring students' progress.  It takes setting achievable expectations and guidance to allow students to enhance their abilities by accepting the qualities they have and bring into the classroom. In the article, “The Culturally Responsive Teacher” It shared many great points on the importance of culture and language. These two components play a significant role in becoming aware of the world our students live in. As educators we need to see beyond our own lives but look through the experience of our students. It is clear that it is imperative that as teachers we create those safe learning spaces that will continue to encourage students to achieve their goals and dreams.

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What is the purpose of education for individual students? Education for individual students - particularly pedagogy - is training them to be able to recognize and interpret an issue (be it a "problem" or something else). Andragogy, on the other hand, is providing a much more sophisticated person - an adult in this case - with a problem and the tools necessary to analyze and offer solutions. The purpose of education for society? The overarching goal of education is to create a society of persons with that ability to work together in analyzing and offering solutions to problems. Another goal would be to better "pass it along" (knowledge) to the next generation.

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As a student my ideal learning environment is where I can grow, through activities that are meaningful to me and help me develop the purpose I want out of my education. I can basically read, watch a video, write about my understanding and opinion and interact with my fellow students now and then through different platforms.

In a perfect world as an educator my purpose is to learn about my student’s different learning styles so that during my lessons I can help each of them. Give each and everyone the time to build rapport and develop their own uniqueness. I should create or have interactive activities to develop their understanding of the world around us. I need to continuously scaffold their learning through and accepting, welcoming and culture rich atmosphere. Accept every child with what he/she already brings and discover the path they need to continuously grow. I must have confidence that my lessons will help them all succeed at least a year’s worth and hopefully pass the State’s standardized tests. If my lessons aren’t helping everyone I must differentiate depending on the student’s needs.   Our learning environment has to be full of mindfulness, peace, and tranquility so that they learn to be good citizens in a not so perfect world.

When they do go into the world their education should show that they are global citizens capable of working with different personalities, able to solve problems, knowledgeable in technology, science, languages and mathematics.

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As a future educator, I want my students to learn in an environment where they are comfortable, have access to everything they need, and different learning styles are incorporated. When students are comfortable, they can relax and better focus on learning (Weinschreider, 2020). I will provide each student with what they need as individuals. Since equity gives all students what they require, it allows differentiated instruction for those who need it (Brown-Jeffy & Cooper, 2011). Since students learn in different ways, I will implement many different learning styles so they can better understand topics. Education assists individual students in various ways. "The main purpose of education is to provide the opportunity for acquiring knowledge and skills that will enable people to develop their full potential, and become successful members of society" (What is the purpose of education?, 2023). Since education provides opportunities for individuals to become successful members of society, the purpose of education in society is to develop a thriving civilization. I look forward to being a future educator and hope to implement my vision in the classroom.

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My vision of an ideal learning environment is somewhere I feel safe, and comfortable. I work best in places where my presence is valued and not stressed out. When I feel comfortable, I don't feel like I'm holding back my own thoughts or questions. I feel like I can truly be who I am and ask the questions needed for me to succeed. The purpose for education in individual students is to bring out the best in each student and help them feel comfortable for who they are. Every student has different needs and we need to make everyone realize that it is normal. The purpose of education in society is nothing but academics and tests scores. We need to create a place where all students will be seen, have their needs met, and still succeed in everyday work in a fun and non stressful way.

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In an ideal learning environment, I believe that all students are taught in a way that best fits their needs so that they can learn to be themselves. When students needs are being met they are more engaged in their learning and begin to get a sense of who they are along the process.

Education plays a huge role in students’ social development and in exploring who they are. Our education system fosters independence, uniqueness, and diversity. If we want education to be diverse, we need to help build students socially. The purpose of education for individual students is to help foster learning, healthy relationship building, and learning who they are as people. Gaining a sense of oneself happens during our school years. Teachers help students learn things they will use in life but also guide students into becoming themselves and help build relationships in a manner that is respectful and kind.

Within our society the purpose of education is to give students knowledge they will use later in life. Additionally, education is a student’s first time out in the world. They are exposed to different things, people, and experiences. While students learn basic skills, they use every day they are also learning about who they are becoming. Overall education opens the doors to many things in our lives such as careers, but it also pushes us to be diverse and respectful people in society.

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My vision of an ideal learning environment would include a classroom environment that is calm and inviting. I thrive in a place I feel comfortable and where I can ask questions and learn in multiple different learning styles. The purpose of education for an individual student is to better themselves and help them grow into the best well-rounded person they can be. An individual peruses an education to set them up for a successful career later in life. The purpose of education for society is to create a society of intellectual people that can better the world.

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The education system continues to evolve but at a different pace than the classroom is growing in diversity. As learners, we don't all learn the same. Yet, we all bring so much to the table. Diversity is a beautiful thing; having an open mind about one another can help us grow and adapt to our dynamic world. Creating an environment where it's more than just the educator talking and spilling all this new information to the students. Creating an environment where we can allow students to feel seen, heard, and appreciated is crucial.
To help our society continue developing, we need
to surpass just the academic side of learning. Covid-19 has taught us that we weren’t
prepared for the “real world.” Nothing was prioritized other than academics. We
must prioritize mental health, life coaching, cultural awareness, and more! We need to start individually focusing on what each student needs and brings into the classroom.

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The purpose of education is to challenge students and bring out the best in them by expanding creativity and a love for learning. If students are challenged to their full potential they can become unstoppable. The classroom should be a place where students can be themselves by expressing their different interests, and learning styles. As an educator, it can be difficult to have students at different academic levels because lessons have to be tailored to the student’s needs. However, giving them an opportunity to learn at their own pace can be rewarding in the long run. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen in our education system because it has become so saturated with assessments, more assignments, reading levels, meetings, and a lack of parent support. We are failing our students by leaving some behind and passing them on creating a wider learning gap. Then you have the students who are academically ahead of their peers they tend to get bored with school because the classwork is too easy for them to complete.

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What is the purpose of education? I think that we have to separate the institution of education and education itself. Because of the politics and bureaucracy involved in setting education rules and laws, it can be hard to imagine the ideal scenario because there always seems to be red tape to cut through to make those ideals a reality.

All of that being said, for me the ideal learning environment will always have students at the heart. One of the hardest things about being a teacher is learning that the experience is ultimately not about you. It really isn't. In my early years of working in education, I was somewhat old school. I thought these kids should be in rows, staying in line, being obedient little students, etc. But I had a master co-teacher set me down and say "Hey, if these kids don't like being here, if they dread coming here, you will never reach them." And that statement changed my whole outlook on what it meant to teach and turned everything I thought about education on its head.

The question I asked is, what is education? Is it something we do? Is it a place we go to? Is it an identity? For me, it's something that we do and is also a part of all of us throughout life when cultivated and allowed to grow. Often times what we see is that school's sometimes stifle that. I remember a teacher that told my mom that my younger brother had to stop reading books because he was farther ahead than she was ready to teach. This was different than the teachers I had who had encouraged to read anything we could get our hands on. Thus, an ideal educational environment adjusts for the students. It doesn't require the student to adjust for the institution.

Schools should be designed to draw out the natural curiosity that already exists in young humans and cultivate and nurture that so it leads to life-long learning. In reality, we all learn something throughout our life as technology and social contracts change. But when we foster a true love for learning, the things in which we as people are capable of expand.

I realize that a lot of this is becoming popular talking points in the field of education but its extremely slow in actually implementing and adapting it. I think in order for an ideal education system to exist, we need a little less
bureaucracy, and a little more faith put into teachers and the people who interact with students every day. Why do we go through all these rigorous courses, testing, and training if we are still going to be told what to do by some politician completely disconnected from what's going on?

Schools should connect learning activities with the students world. This mean culturally sensitive activities as well, but within reason. It is great to celebrate culture but is it really possible to incorporate every culture in every aspect of the classroom? This seems like a utopia but ultimately, there has to be an agreed upon collective culture that incorporates elements and teaches that we won't always agree on certain things but we should still learn about them. Thus, teaching to co-exist and treat each other decently even if we don't have the same perspective.

Cultures function because they have an unofficial that says "these are our values as a collective society". This allows for culturally diversity to be celebrated but also allows us to help us teach a cohesive message.

The ideal learning environment would be inquiry-based, collaborative between students, peers, and teachers. It would give teachers and schools more freedom to adapt learning models, curriculum, and environments for the students they serve.

I think there should be flexibility. A teaching license is great, but how many untapped teachers are there that are experts that could come in and be a guest teacher for a week or too when teaching a specific lesson or theme? I've met many of these types of people in my alternate path to teaching. There are valuable resources that people don't even consider because everyone is checking credentials instead of asking people what they know.

I am not criticizing teacher training and ensuring they know their craft, I am just saying that education would be better if there was a larger community effort in educating students instead of just sticking them in a square room for 8 hours, isolated from life experiences.

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In a prefect educational system every classroom would have a Culturally Responsive teacher. Providing students with an education that values relationships, empowers students and creates a culturally aware and diverse classroom. The purpose of educating individuals is to help develop their individuality as learners and expand their minds to new worlds. Helping each type of learner understand the world a little bit better will later on in life help them contribute back to the world around them, allowing for a well balanced and functioning society. As a teacher I aim to create a safe and inclusive learning environment because I believe every students has the ability to be successful when given the right tools and guidance.