Sarah Liez, Senior Staff Columnist
August 26, 2022

Most college students believe that professors cancel the class — The sudden happiness of not having to sit through another boring lecture, interact with fellow students, or leave the comfort of your bed.

But it’s really ironic to celebrate the cancellation of a program that you’ve spent so much time and money on. praise the

Those who are lucky enough to attend college often think of schoolwork as: Chore not as a privilege — especially existing place of privilegeYoung adults no longer seem to care much about education itself, or the knowledge expansion and personal growth that comes from active participation in higher education. Instead, we’ve been socialized to focus less on journeys and more on the end goal: the degree of gloss that serves as an expensive key to the pursuit of a better future.

First, it’s important to recognize that not all college students find themselves in this predicament.many people face barriers to education Especially at a highly accredited and competitive college like Pitt, you have to work hard to secure acceptance and then earn your degree. Because of all the obstacles low-income, first-generation, and other disadvantaged students must overcome to attend college, these students appreciate their educationcompared to their peers, are more satisfied, more effective at learning, and more capable of overcoming setbacks.

This is probably because these individuals appreciate their education after making personal efforts to obtain it. They know better than anyone what a college degree is. worth it.

Most of us today value higher education rather than the experience itself. for the degree Acts as a symbol of success. What a degree brings Increased access to employment opportunities, increased marketability, increased earning potential, increased job security, improved ability to weather adversity. A degree is a highly valued title in a capitalist society. A degree is insurance for a happy life.

Personally, my hometown school district— Lower Merion School District — is one of best public school system in the country. As a low-income student raised among high-income peers, I understood that I was privileged to be able to attend these schools. I heard the complete disregard for the privileges of , and understood from my father, who attended inner-city school and worked full-time for his college education, that few people have access to similar services. means.

our schoolwork was tough — Most students saw school as a painful, cumbersome, but necessary step towards future success. Most people worked hard just to get good grades, not for intellectual growth. As I got older, I realized that it was all thanks to the less fortunate, those who suffered below. education apartheid Them endanger their lives For an education that my peers were so unappreciative of—to acknowledge how lucky I was and to take advantage of my resources.

Recognizing the privilege of a college education increases your appreciation for coursework. You study for the sake of education itself, not for the purpose of obtaining ordinal papers that show that you have met a set of predetermined requirements. We tend to focus on the imperative of learning and overlook what we are actually spending money on: the ability to learn in a sophisticated environment that is organized and focused on our areas of interest.

The classroom can be an area of ​​influential self-growth, if you allow it. enthusiastic pedagogy Words made by the author Bell hook This requires integrating real-life and classroom lessons to create interpersonal growth between students and teachers. Engaged pedagogy is a philosophy of both teaching and learning that encourages individuals to develop honest relationships with each other and with the learning materials. According to Hooke, full participation in course materials and discussions creates mutual understanding between individuals, expands the mind and the intellect into irreplaceable experiences, and teaches how to become better learners in and out of the classroom. I will give it to you.

Enthusiastic teaching methods — and similar methods that value personal development over formal titles — ensure that students acquire knowledge, strengthen our common interestsThat education is of greater value than getting good grades, that learning creates mutual understanding and can solve important problems, and that learning is a privilege not given to everyone. Learn. As the school year begins, we must recognize the value of academic discourse and strive for a passionate pedagogy that allows for genuine interpersonal growth.

We can foster greater satisfaction, growth and emotional depth when we value schoolwork properly instead of viewing it as a separate job. Engagement benefits students in many ways. Enable true learning deep and profound way It is of little value to businesses, but of great value to ourselves and the people around us. It helps us become better citizens, learn the difference between good and evil, understand the importance of hard work, and guide our hearts and minds on the best path. It is good for us and for our own well-being.

Whether from privileged or disadvantaged backgrounds, all of us in the pit step back and recognize our privilege, reshaping the value of educationFor those of us who have been fortunate enough to have an education, we must make the most of it. That’s why we should go to school. Millions of underprivileged adults crave experiences that we deem to be tiresome chores.

Sarah Liez writes primarily about gender issues and social phenomena.write a letter to her [email protected].