Reason for Formal Education (Part Two) -By Edwin Alivionote

The formal learning starts from the kindergarten with socialization, which leads to the development of sounds from the small kids. The need for communication in any social group brings about interactions in varied forms, that is perceptible to our senses. Communication is mostly via oral conversation but sometimes can be done through other body signs. The Pre-Nursery and Nursery classes open up the kids to the first subject of learning, English Language. The introduction of the English Alphabets, bit by bit, is absorbed into their minds as the introduction to vocabulary. A rise from alphabets to sounds (vowels and consonants) leads to the assemblage of words in TWOs, THREEs and so on, building the spelling profiles of the pupils and adding gradually to their list of diction.

English language is the first subject of interest in formal learning, since it forms the medium of communicating the knowledge embedded in other subject areas. The ability to make a good foundation at the elementary level in the subject of communication (English Language), will help the child groom a better ground for learning other subjects with ease. Mathematics is the next subject that forms the foundational block of learning. Mathematics is known as the subject of figures, it introduces the pupils to the elementary of numbers and its manipulations.

With subsequent graduation into primary school and climbing up the class grades, one will begin to experience the introduction of more subjects that expose the kids to other core areas of knowledge. These subjects are designed in form of schemes and modules to gradually bring about awareness in other unique areas of knowledge. The time-tables in school is prepared to gradually present the subjects from basics to details, in a manner that build the information from simple using logic to arrive at the understanding of details/compound. The teachers who are professionals in these unique disciplines help the child move from knowing the simple and basic into appreciating and understanding the broad and compound knowledge.

The school is a knowledge booster, aside the knowledge we get from our parents at home, who may not be disposed to give us a detailed breakdown of things we wish to know. The school classroom has been designed to assist the child with detail explanation of known and unknown ideas. The classroom gives the child the opportunity to ask questions and clarify on obscure topics. The sharing of knowledge among the classmates is also a good way to improve on the personal ideas derived directly from the tutor. Some subjects are hard to rasp while some are simple to absorb dependent on the individual child. It is normal to love subjects that are within your scope of understanding and hate the ones that prove difficult. But, the best attitude is the attitude of learning all subjects with the, I-will- know-it- attitude.

Primary school education also referred to as elementary education, prepares us for the secondary school work. The secondary school, which is more of the educational ground to advance your basic knowledge in preparation for a foundation in a career line, is the middle cadre of formal education. Thus, subjects are not islands on their own, they complement each other to build up a sound knowledge base with which tasks can be accomplished and problems resolved. Thus, it is easier for a child to feel that schooling is a necessary burden that parents saddle on their shoulders. That is simply a misconception arising surely from ignorance. A child starts the formal education and is groomed to appreciate all round knowledge. This knowledge will help him/her understand how to harness the latent potential domiciled within. Unless one grows up with a good knowledge about self, the person might not be positioned to live the best life he or she is capable of attaining.