[i习作temp]蜂巢小组 I51 by <fiona_lly>

fiona_llyUID: 2953096

因为没有获得加附件资格，所以今天这次先贴在这儿了

People tell the stories: Bill Gates quitted the university and became the richest man in the world; Steven Jobs only took classes in his interested calligraphy and created the Mac interface. In these grandeur pictures of individual pursuit for success, personal need and interest seem to become the first principle. People even call for an education that can serve this individualism. However, I think general education, rather an exclusive one for each student, is most effective.

As an established educational idea, general education can build well-rounded persons. The idea dates back to before Christ time when Plato built the Academy. Students then were required to study a wide range of disciplines: semantics, astronomy, geometry, mathematics, physical education and so forth. It did not aim at turning every one into a jack-of-all-trades, but to teach them how to live a fulfilling life and appreciate the beauty in every aspects of life. This early practice set the foundation for modern education. Students spend most of their years in primary school, high schools and university studying compulsory courses that cover the areas of knowledge needed in their life. Even after they choose their majors, science students can be a huge fan of music and paintings; art students can also be good at accounting. If students are limited to study only what they need and take interest in, what will become of them? It is not hard to imagine that a science student has nothing to enjoy the beauty of life after their scientific work, or that an art student always can’t work out the how much change they will get from the cashier. The life of individuals will appear to be walking disasters.

However, with the specification of professions in modern society, to acquire expertise asks for specially designed education to cater for each student. Confucius says that education must fit individual character. That’s because different people have different learning habits, interested areas, professional goals, whatsoever. To save the time for their chosen study will help them learn more effective. Some people may argue that what is the use of studying literature for a future physician, knowing that contributing more to their need and interest will better prepare them for what they really want to do in the future.

But there are drawbacks in the advocate of specified education. First, students will not know what their interest is if they are not introduced to a variety of disciplines by general education. In some cases, it takes years to figure out what a student wants to do with his life. What if a specialized area finally turns out to be one that the person does not like at all? Then all of the efforts are virtually in vain. Second, the feasibility of specified education is highly doubtful. If everyone pursues to study what they desire, then is the public school capable of fulfilling the demand? Probably most of student will resort to home schooling or something of the kind, and lose the precious chance of communication and interaction with their peers.

Luckily, our present educational systems seem to balance the two kinds of ideas----the general and the specified. They provide fundamental liberal education compulsory for every student, such as in primary and high schools, and then focus theirstudies on the interested and needed areas in colleges, universities, and vocational schools. I’m a benefitee from the system. When I have prepared for GRE, I prided myself in excelling in math section owing to my high school math class, and found myself at ease with the verbal section thanks to my current English major. But the benefit is more than that. The combination of the two kinds guarantees me a colorful life and a devoted job.


Time: 80 minutes
Date: 11.20.2010
Writer: fiona_lly

shamanqzUID: 2851843

完毕

shamanqzUID: 2851843

一路走来发不上来，我来替他发