What I Learned About the Goals of Education

I was reminded this week of the importance of self-realization in education. Self-realization is the act of finding out who you are. Students in high school take a variety of classes to determine which subjects they enjoy, show an aptitude in and want to pursue post-high school. As a science teacher, I frequently feel discouraged when students don’t seem to enjoy my class. I take it personally that I am doing a poor job of teaching or not engaging their interests enough. It is a good reminder that some of my students may not enjoy science and that is not a bad thing. In some ways, helping a student realize they do not enjoy science is just as important as showing a student they can excel in the subject. I still attempt to relate science to other areas students show interest in but that can be a difficult task. Being reminded about the self-realization goal of education takes the burden off of me to make every student enjoy my class. The truth is, science may not be for them and I have to not take that personally.