Everyone wants to become educated, right? Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles want their children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews to have the best education possible. Education is a hot topic in the media and in every community, even as we head toward summer vacation. Most people have an opinion on the best way to get an education. Here are seven ways to become educated.
School
School is usually at the top of the list of ways you become an educated person. Why? Because schools provide a formal environment, structure, discipline and course content delivered by trained teachers. Schools teach subjects you need in life; i.e. English, math, science, technology, the arts, etc. School teaches you how to be organized, responsible, how to manage your time, be social and get involved with activities you are interested in. No one can deny the importance of going to school. And remember, a person can go to school at any time in their life.
Reading
The more you read, the more you learn. What you read is important. Read things you are interested in. Read biographies, fact and fiction. Read for enjoyment and to gain information about things related to what you think you might like to do in your life. Read about people that interest you. Parents and family members should encourage students to read.
Work
Work educates you in a practical way. The skills and knowledge you gain by doing something requiring mental and physical effort stays with you a long time. Experiential, hands-on education results from doing something that requires thinking, being responsible and engaging people. Working can be, for some people, a more effective way of learning and becoming educated. At HOPE, the Student’s Bridge to Business Program, we find the acronym for WORK—Worthwhile Opportunity Requiring Knowledge—is important to remember.
People
The time you invest in meeting, talking with and listening to people is a great way to become educated. If you have an interest in something and want to learn about it, find someone who has the knowledge and experience in that area and talk with them. Ask them for advice and don’t be afraid to ask them for their help. It’s a good idea to talk with people with different opinions about topics that interest you. When you talk with people, work on developing your listening skills. Remember, you listen with your eyes, ears, body language and emotions.
When someone shares their time and information with you, remember to thank them and send a handwritten thank you note the next day. Keep in touch with them periodically.
This HOPE acronym for PEOPLE says it all: Present Exciting Opportunities Plus Learning Experience. The more people you know, the more opportunities you have to learn from them.
Technology
Today’s students have tremendous information available to them through technology. If information alone were the best way to become educated, technology would probably rank number one in education. However, we know that technology is one of many educational tools available. As a matter of fact, parents and seniors are being educated by their kids on how to use technology to learn new things.
Observation
Watching how people interact with each other is a great way to learn and become educated. Observe how someone acts around people and how people react to them, whether positively or negatively. Observe behavior, paying particular attention to body language, speaking and the effect these things have on others.
Combination of the Above
So you see, there are many ways to become educated. Combining them all adds to your education. The HOPE acronym for LEARN: Life’s Experiences And Responsibility Necessary tells you that education continues all through life. For many people, being out in the real world is where education meets application, along with opportunities to grow by doing something you enjoy every day. The process of life-long education makes you an educated person. What do you think about education? Let me know your thoughts—write to me at bobwolf@hopeskills.com.
Bob Wolf is the founder and driving force behind HOPE The Students’ Bridge To Business. For more information, visit www.hopeskills.com.
