Teaching Students the Value of Education

What is the value of education?
If you're like most people, you'll answer with a long list of statistics that show that college graduates earn more money than high school grads, that high school drop outs often spend a significant part of their lives on welfare, etc.

But this has little to do with the value of education. This has to do with the value of money. To value money is fine, and education is certainly a way to get more of it, but valuing education entails much more, and it offers a log more than just a big wad of cash.

Education (when properly learned) makes you a better person--happier, healthier, more successful, better able to cope with life, etc. But since most people (teachers and students) don't handle it very effectively, what most people actually get from the process is stress, ulcers, and a love for recess and vacation.

How can I teach the value of education?
Good question. There's no teacher's reference to make it perfectly easy for you, but here are a handful of answers to help you along the way.

• First, you should understand this yourself. Do you love to learn? Is it exciting? If you have this attitude, your students will naturally catch on. Be patient.
• How do you develop a love for learning? Just do it! Read something just for fun. Go somewhere new. Talk to someone you didn't know well before. Try a new activity. Maybe try to relieve a little stress from your life, too--get some exercise! Eat and sleep right. Watch less tv so you can get those things done you've been meaning to for weeks. Discipline yourself a little--you'll never regret it.
• Show students how your subject matter relates to other areas of study or life. It's easier to appreciate facts when they have some clear impact, some relavance to something the students already value.
• Make your lessons interesting. Bring visuals, use activities, get the students interacting and working together. Try anything different--seating arrangements, etc. Keep them wondering what could happen next.
• Prepare well. The more familiar you are with your own material, the easier it will be to pay attention to specific students, their needs, interests, questions, etc. You'll enjoy your job more, and this will pay off big as students enjoy your class more.

• Discipline when needed. Do what it takes to keep order in your classroom. You probably know all about this one. If not, get help from other teachers and materials.
• Make your students write pages. This can solve all kinds of personal and classroom problems.

Where can I learn more about these ideas?

• The Art and Craft of Teaching, Margaret Morganroh Gullette, Editor, Harvard University Press has a lot of great ideas about teaching.
• Groundhog Day (the movie with Bill Murray) shows a classic example of someone who learns to use his time and life well and profits big time because of it. That's what it should be all about.
• Do you know of other great resources? Send them to us.