This is a free essay sample available for all students. If you are looking where to buy pre written essays on the topic “What Does It Mean to be Educated”, browse our private essay samples.
Introduction
When we say someone is a well-educated individual, we normally mean that he or she went to a top-tier university, graduated with high honors, and snagged a highly-coveted job in a Fortune 500 company.
But are academic accolades and elite jobs really the only criteria for this? What does it truly mean to be an educated person today? These are the questions the author of this sample essay reflects on.
Got your own essay to write? Maybe we can help. With our affordable essay writing services, you can get matched to an expert writer who specializes in your topic.
What Does it Mean to Be ‘Well-Educated’?
When people tell us we sound like well-educated individuals, we always take it as a compliment. To us, it means that we are intelligent and successful people. It also means that they recognize that you went to a prestigious school for your university degree. However, while education is important, there is more to being a valuable and successful individual than what and where you studied.
In this reflection paper, I want to talk about what it means to be educated. I think that it’s high time that we go past the labels and take a closer look at the characteristics of this kind of individual. I would like to take off the brilliant thoughts of author Alfie Kohn, who talks about four different definitions of being learned.
An educated person has high intellectual curiosity and skills.
According to Kohn, the most obvious character of educated people is intelligence. They are not necessarily literal geniuses, but they have really made the most out of their education to gain all the crucial knowledge needed for their future careers. Because of their thirst for and interest in learning, they are curious about anything and everything. As such, they have developed analytic capabilities and critical thinking skills that they will be able to utilize well in the workforce.
To be well-educated is to be competent, caring, and lovable people.
This definition is surely not on the top of anyone’s list when thinking about what it means to be educated. But come to think of it, we should start seeing it in this manner. The best fruit of excellent schooling in higher education is someone who is not just skillful, but also someone who has a heart. Whatever he or she decides to do after graduation will come from a place of love for others. He or she will want to contribute to society because he or she genuinely cares for the community and the country. Learned people will enter a certain field not just for prestige, but for how they can be a valuable asset to the industry. A good education will produce competent future workers who demonstrate compassion and empathy for others. They will dedicate their lives to enriching a certain part of society.
Educated people help create and sustain a democratic society.
People who have gone through the education system have the understanding that preserving the spirit of democracy in every sphere of society is extremely crucial in ensuring that it will continue to thrive and flourish. They know that when people are free to speak their minds, advocate for the causes that are close to their hearts, practice their religion, and make appeals for something they believe in, unity becomes possible in the midst of diversity. As such, they encourage others to share and express their ideas, leverage their skill sets, and listen carefully to others so that all of society can enjoy life and be a good model to the rest of the world.
The education system produces people who commit to producing future workers for the workforce and ultimately aim for corporate profits.
Kohn believes that a well-educated individual is a visionary. His or her ultimate goal is to help build and sustain wealth but will approach it in a way that is people-centric. Using their competencies and love for others, learned individuals will invest in the lives of other educated men and women. They will champion their journeys as a coach and will dedicate themselves to shaping these people into valuable assets for future employers. They will mentor them on a regular basis and help them achieve their targets.
Conclusion: What education means to me
I ultimately agree with Kohn’s four definitions of well-educated individuals. I appreciate that he took this commonly confused term and gave it new life by suggesting new ideas of what it actually means.
So, in a nutshell, what does it mean to be educated today? For me, it means using quality education to learn all the general knowledge you can so that you can one day become a successful individual who got to where he or she needed to be because of love and compassion.
What Does Education Mean To Me (Short Essay Sample)
Education means different things to different people. In this essay, I want to give my own short answer on the question, “What does it mean to be an educated person?”
Being a successful and honorable individual who invests in the lives of others for the good of his locality and all of society – this is what having a good education means to me. Most of the time, I know that people primarily refer to academic accomplishments when they call someone “very learned.” However, I truly believe that the term refers to far more than acing all the standardized tests or boasting a dozen years’ worth of certifications and degrees.
Ultimately, I would say that someone who is a good testament to the education system possesses three things: character, competence, and conviction. I believe that these three form the essence of someone who will one day become an excellent contributor to his or her workplace and to the country. He or she has to desire to make an impact on the world and dedicate his heart, mind, and hands to making that happen. If you are a student, that process starts today.
FAQs on What Does It Mean to be Educated Essay
❓ Who Is Called An Educated Person?
If we are basing this term on the definition of Alfie Kohn, he talks about four different criteria of someone who is well-educated. First, to be well-educated means to develop the intellect, honing and mastering linguistic, mathematical, and even analytical strengths. Second, such an individual develops genuine care, love, and compassion for others. Third, he or she contributes towards upholding the spirit of democracy in society. Finally, someone who is a good product of the education system invests in the future generation. He or she spends time coaching and developing future members of the workforce who will not only contribute in terms of their strengths but also their ability to help generate profit for the organization.
❓ What Are The Qualities Of An Educated Person?
Someone who was educated very well does not only have awards and honors under his or her belt. More than the competencies, this is someone who is known for the character. They emulate a lifelong love for learning and have the humility to learn from others who are different from them. They recognize that learning other perspectives sharpens their own view and refines their convictions on a certain subject. It is also fairly typical for an intelligent individual to be enthusiastic about research, as this helps him or her glean fresh insights about a topic of interest. Finally, someone who has received good education channels all knowledge attained into the heart, which then overflows as love and compassion for others.