Draft 1

 

Ronald Barnett and Martha Nussbaum both wrote about their personal thoughts about education in The Idea of Higher Education and Education for Profit, and Education for Democracy, respectively. Learning should be a challenging and difficult experience, as too much comfort and lack of differing opinions and viewpoints serve no purpose to better a student or prepare them for

the real world. Barnett and Nussbaum both bring up the importance of challenges within the

education system in their respective articles.

Ronald Barnett claims that education should not be comfortable, rather it should teach the student to thrive in a world of uncertainty, one of reality. He claims that “It is not meant to be a cozy experience”, showing that he believes that education should not cater to the student’s wishes, rather the experience should force the student out of his or her comfort zone, causing them to grow both intellectually and in character. Barnett believes in removing any sense of entitlement a student may have, in order to prepare them for life ahead.

Martha Nussbaum describes the purpose of America’s liberal arts model for higher education. She explains the purpose of liberal arts schooling is for “The preparation of informed, independent, and sympathetic democratic citizens.” Nussbaum’s analysis is that our education system is meant to instill students with knowledge in a wide array of topics, rather than focusing exclusively on one subject. According to Nussbaum, the education system should encourage the students to challenge themselves to inquire and question about things in their day to day learning experience. Nussbaum wants the student to be challenged, supporting Barnett’s ideology that

students should be exposed to knowledge, community, and learning, while also being exposed to

more challenging things, such as opposing viewpoints, difficult tasks, uncomfortable situations, and things that will prepare them better for life and a career in the world.

In my own personal experience, teachers who do not challenge their students do not help them to successfully learn. I had two English teachers over the course of high school, one of which was strict with deadlines and requirements, and the other which allowed students to do what they wanted and accepted papers up to a month late. Though I greatly enjoyed both teachers, I, as well as most classmates, agreed that the harder teacher who challenged us had taught us much more and gave us greater understanding and preparation for the future than the teacher who did not actively challenge us. For this reason, I see Bamett’s understanding of how education should work to be nearly identical to my own. To say that education should be rigid

and unwilling to cater to students is not without exception. Resources should be available, such as extra help and or tutoring, however it is in the student’s hands whether or not to utilize what is

available to them.

Nussbaum’s viewpoint is a good supporting ideology. She argues that a student should

not passively assimilate knowledge, but should undertake handson experience in things like community service and more humanity based education, alongside practical knowledge such as mathematics, writing, sciences, etc… Nussbaum believes that the liberal arts model is crucial to America’s success in producing well adjusted, intelligent, politically active citizens. Learning works best when it is presented to a student as a challenge that is meant to be conquered. The student learns to challenge themselves, and they learn an array of useful information that is critical to life, rather than learning only one specific topic. No matter what

W’s opinions may be, it is fair to say that challenges are important in developing helpful, well

learned citizens.
Draft 2
Ronald Barnett and Martha Nussbaum both wrote about their personal thoughts about education in The Idea of Higher Education and Education for Profit, Education for Democracy, respectively. Learning should be a challenging and difficult experience, as too much comfort and lack of differing opinions and viewpoints serve no purpose to better a student or prepare them for the real world. Barnett and Nussbaum both bring up the importance of challenges within the education system in their respective articles.

Ronald Barnett claims that education should not be comfortable, rather it should teach the student to thrive in a world of uncertainty, one of reality. He claims that “It is not meant to be a cozy experience”, showing that he believes that education should not cater to the student’s wishes, rather the experience should force the student out of his or her comfort zone, causing them to grow both intellectually and in character. Barnett believes in removing any sense of entitlement a student may have, in order to prepare them for life ahead.

Martha Nussbaum describes the purpose of America’s liberal arts model for higher education. She explains the purpose of liberal arts schooling is for “The preparation of informed, independent, and sympathetic democratic citizens.” Nussbaum’s analysis is that our education system is meant to instill students with knowledge in a wide array of topics, rather than focusing exclusively on one subject. According to Nussbaum, the education system should encourage the students to challenge themselves to inquire and question about things in their day to day learning experience. Nussbaum wants the student to be challenged, supporting Barnett’s ideology that students should be exposed to knowledge, community, and learning, while also being exposed to more challenging things, such as opposing viewpoints, difficult tasks, uncomfortable situations, and things that will prepare them better for life and a career in the world. 
 
In my own personal experience, teachers who do not challenge their students do not help them to successfully learn. I had two English teachers over the course of high school, one of which was strict with deadlines and requirements, and the other which allowed students to do what they wanted and accepted papers up to a month late. Though I greatly enjoyed both teachers, I, as well as most classmates, agreed that the harder teacher who challenged us had taught us much more and gave us greater understanding and preparation for the future than the teacher who did not actively challenge us. For this reason, I see Barnett’s understanding of how education should work to be nearly identical to my own. However, to say that education should be rigid and unwilling to cater to students is not without exception. Resources should be available, such as extra help and or tutoring, however it is in the student’s hands whether or not to utilize what is available to them.

Nussbaum’s viewpoint is a good supporting ideology. She argues that a student should not passively assimilate knowledge, but should undertake hands-on experience in things like community service and more humanity based education, alongside practical knowledge such as mathematics, writing, sciences, etc… Nussbaum believes that the liberal arts model is crucial to America’s success in producing well adjusted, intelligent, politically active citizens. Learning works best when it is presented to a student as a challenge that is meant to be conquered. The student learns to challenge themselves, and they learn an array of useful information that is critical to life, rather than learning only one specific topic. No matter what one’s opinions may be, it is fair to say that challenges are important in developing helpful, well learned citizens.