Assignment:

Does the present system of education encourage us to admit our lack of knowledge, or is there too much pressure to demonstrate the acquisition of knowledge? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.


Brainstorm:

Does this country’s educational system (elementary->middle->high school->colleges) encourage kids to embrace their lack of understanding, or, rather, to show off how much they know? What are situations/examples showing that the educational system encourages kids to embrace their lack of knowledge? What are examples/situations showing that the education system pressures kids to demonstrate their knowledge?

Consider the following examples/ideas:

-Most academic subjects (especially scientific ones) encourage students to embrace curiosity and their lack of understanding
-Schools heavily rely on tests and exams as a demonstrations of knowledge
-Nobody knows all academics; we need to accept our ignorance in order to learn things around us
-Oftentimes, prizes and awards are given to kids with the highest scores in school



1. Implicitly Define Terms

Decide (for yourself) how you want to frame the question. This means you must decide how to define the important terms used in the essay prompt.

Example:

Present System of Education = Public/Private Educational Structure (Elementary->Middle->High School->College)

OR

Present System of Education = Rewarding kids for good grades
Present System of Education = Using textbooks in school

(For the example essay below, present system of education is implicitly defined as public/private educational structure
[“Present System of Education” = “Public/Private Educational Structure”)