Education

     Emerson in his essay discusses many great and strong points to prove his point that would greatly make American education better for the masses of children learning.  Back years from now education was all about actually teaching the child to make the child have a better life, but now teachers find alternative ways to teach rather than the standard way. 

     In paragraph 12, Emerson asserts that "Our modes of Education aim to expedite, to save labor; to do for masses what cannot be done for masses, what must be done reverently, one by one: say rather, the whole world is needed for the tuition of each pupil."  In this statement, I understand that Emerson is saying that our modes of education now strive to speed up learning, lessen teachers work, and to teach a large group of people what cannot be done for that group, but instead being taught one on one.  Also, he is saying that the world is needing the instruction of each pupil, which means that each student must be well disciplined and educated so that they can go far in life. 

     Emerson's description of education shows that teachers speed up the learning process and that they don't teach students as a class anymore, but teach each child seperately.  In today society, public education is still being taught like Emerson's description in some places.  At my high-school, as well as several others, teachers are creating alternative learning programs such as, mastery learning, to let those who are ahead of the rest of the class go on and not get held back.  This way of learning lets kids lose that learning experience as a class and gain the feeling that they can accomplish all the schooling they need without a teacher's help, and if they need it they can get that one on one time alone with the teacher.  On the other hand, teacher's do sometimes keep that class or mass teaching to keep the whole class on the same page, and not let one of two people feel left out or not as important because they're not as far ahead as everyone else.

     Therefore, that is my opinion on what I believe that Emerson means in his quote from his well known essay Education.  Teachers to me are doing a terrific job of teaching kids the things they need to know later on in life, but I believe that what we do learn is lost in that long break we have and then the learning experience is somewhat forgotten.  The modes of teaching Emerson described, in my opinion, are being taught throughout the United States in many Junior High and Senior High schools.