Education is the process of facilitating learning or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. Educational methods include teaching, training, storytelling, discussion and directed research. Education frequently takes place under the guidance of educators. Education can take place in formal or informal settings and any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts may be considered educational. Formal education is commonly divided into stages as preschool or kindergarten, primary school, secondary school, college, university, or apprenticeship.
A school must stimulate curiosity in the young, impressionable minds and equip them with tools to be better human beings. Education must facilitate the cultivation of a healthy thought process and groom our cognitive abilities. In the present competitive world, education is a basic necessity for human beings after food, clothes and shelter.
School education focuses on the mental, social and physical aspect of a child which contributes immensely to the development of the young mind as they step into adulthood.
THE IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOL EDUCATION IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT
- MENTAL DEVELOPMENT
School is the foremost source of knowledge children are exposed to. It gives them a chance to acquire knowledge on various fields of education such as people, literature, history, mathematics, politics, and other relevant subjects. This contributes greatly to their thought process. Earlier, schools were considered as places to learn events in history chapter, solve mathematical problems, recite poems and sonnets. In the current educational scenario, a child learns to go beyond the traditional way of learning. They are taught to develop a mind of their own and through the flexible curriculum, curiosity is promoted. The child is freed from the shackles of mental blocks. School education contributes immensely to the mental growth of a child.
- SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
School is the first avenue of socializing for a child. Up till then, parents and immediate family members are the only people the child has human interactions with and familiarity is a platform for stagnancy. With schools, children are exposed not only to new ideas but also to social platforms. This instills sociable practices such as empathy, friendship, participation, assistance which turn out to be important in their adulthood. The school plays an important role in helping children learn to interact positively with their peers and teachers. They learn about healthy relationship skills and develop them further through interactions, both in the classroom and on the playground.
When educators ignore children’s emotional and social development, this can often lead to adults who are very academically gifted but who struggle in their daily lives due to lack of self-esteem or social skills.” Children spend a large portion of their day at school, and it’s vital that a school’s curriculum is designed to help its students form solid social relationships or to “connect with other children and adults in a caring and empathetic manner.”
- PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
A child, after conception, goes through various physical development. While home provides a restricted outlet, in school, a child can channel his energy into more sociable avenues. Studies have pointed out that while in familiar environment, the child is equipped to deal with sudden bursts of energy, the child learns to be at his/her best behaviour only when exposed to his age mates. Also, the presence of activities such as sports help children direct their boundless energy into something productive and this helps in their physical development.
All of these experiences help to develop a child’s interests, build self-esteem and shape the child’s academic and professional life.
Lifted from here
