From Classrooms to Character

How School Shapes Us

When we talk of school, the picture that comes to mind, we have teachers teaching students math, science and literature. But school is much more than knowing information and investigating in classrooms and passing the exams. It is a time when we become more than we were before; during this time, we find ourselves and make the groundwork for all that follows afterwards.

Of course, getting good grades is good. However, what remains with us is knowledge that is acquired out of class. Time management is learned at school; persistence at school is experienced when it comes to handling work; and priorities are mastered as students try to balance between school and other activities. These, by the means, are the skills that are useful in academic after graduation and in daily life.

Describe a problem that was learned in school. Maybe it was a hard material, and perhaps a hard time in a person’s life or even a difficult time to deal with people. Do you recall how it was like is pushing through that? The mobile life results in beautiful moments that build character, create valor and teaches the value of life stamina. They assist to help us regain momentum when facing challenges and build up our resilience to face any eventuality in life.

School is also where we learn how to relate with our fellow human beings. These include a job done in groups, a team game, bulky projects, or even friendship and teaches us the manners and ways of emulating or sharing an understanding of other people. These are the relationships and skills that define our lives both personal and professional.

Besides the academics, at school, one learns the basic details of the behavior that is right and wrong. From listening to a caring teacher or from experiencing a lesson learnt the hard way, we develop our ethical standards. They influence our beliefs about the nature of reality: the importance of truth, people’s equality, and personal commitment as the permanent reference points which define our actions.

Building discipline and critical thinking

Consider the time when you were still a student—an alarm ringing, trying to wake up in time for school, and reaching for the school bus or walking to class. Even though at times it looks like just getting by with the help of this structure we can learn a lot of things in our lives. School teaches human beings to wake up in the morning, to complete homework or work on different tasks , all of which make use disciplined. As those little repetitive activities which make up each day accumulate we establish the patterns for our subsequent adult life. Habit to finish work on time? They began with that school schedule.

Do you recall the time when you had to look at a problem from a math class or try to figure out an essay? The importance was never in answering the right question; The value was in understanding how to solve a problem. At school, difficulties for the unification of things are solved through hacking it and looking at things systematically and, in the process, looking at all the possibilities of coming up with unique solutions. Amalgamating into personal success, these skills remain with us to assist in simpler general issues in life such as dealing with a project at work or making major life decisions. In school, we learn how to direct ourselves in day-to-day life having rational mind.

Education is a process, one of the most powerful lessons we learn in school is that learning is lifelong. They get from school the attitude of thinking that we can always progress and can always change. It might be when joining a new sport team, getting a new job and being interested in the subject, or just in general having curiosity, learning starts in school. It prepares us for whatever of the future awaits and makes us ready and willing to learn in any circumstances.

Learning to navigate relationships

This is exactly how you feel when you worked on a group assignment in school for instance. You did not always have it on a silver platter, did you? In some cases you realize how to split the work, handle various attitudes and ensure that all members of the group have the same perception. That means the most valuable skills, which people get through such us organization of science projects, sports team or school event – is learning how to cooperate with others. The very first scenario that we are introduced to in school is that teamwork and cooperation are not simply ways to get tasks done, but are processes by which we understand other individuals, their needs, preferences, and ideas. All these lessons remain with us to enable one to cope with teamwork in all aspects of our lives.

This is perhaps the first social encounter we sometimes have with people from other cultures or from other parts of the region or the country in school. This can be when having a group discussion or group activity or even when sitting for lunch in another group with new people. Such interactions let us develop compassion and perception as to that fact that life is different and much more extensive than one’s own. Intolerance is eradicated and acceptance of people of different color, religion and ideas is sowed at school so that in future we can become good society.

Friendship which is developed at school can influence person significantly. These relationships involve friendships we develop in elementary school through to the relations that we develop in high school and these help shape relations between individuals and the world. From these relationships we acquire lessons in courtesy-norms of communication, conflict resolution as well as mutual support. Schooling also teach us something about peer pressure, the good and the bad. Being in it gives meaning to our existence, understand who we are and what we are capable of regarding decision-making that we would wish to assume as we continue to grow.

 

Values ​​ and Ethics

Consider the things you’ll learn that will help you long after you’re done with school. Impossible knowledge could be more than mathematics formulas or dates in history: it could be about meaning of being good person. School is where many of us are taught right from wrong, not just from the people that teach us but from the everyday occurrences in school. Abid Miah, a student at Haringey and Enfield School, says ‘School helps shape people - they learn good values such as if one finds a lost item, return it or if one hears something bad about someone, stand up for that person or if telling the truth might not be fun, tell it is the right thing to do.’ This is where we first learn about telling the truth; playing fairly; and making the right choice, even in situations where no one would know if we cheated. These values ​​stick with us way beyond the classroom settings.

Have you ever been asked to lead your class or your team at school for the first time? Experienced such activities in a leadership capacity, as being in charge of a group project or election of student government or being an athlete of team… It, therefore, signifies that these experiences were not mere activities but rather developmental engagements. I think one meets responsibilities as a leader not only for one’s self, but also for the team. It makes you feel good and demonstrates to us that we are able to make choices for ourselves and tackle problems. They enable us create a perspective of who we are as leaders in the societies, workplaces and families.

School may be tough sometimes you get a subject that you find difficult to understand or solve, you may get pressured by your peers or encounter challenges. But these challenges teach us something incredibly valuable: resilience. This is because we build persistence every time we get back on track after failure or when a challenge arises. This year school is where many of use learned that if you fall it is okay, and the most important thing is to get back up. This is an ability that stays with us into our lifetime; it means that after experiencing some challenges, you will not give up but will continue practicing until you improve.

Outside the classroom

Do remember the things that you enjoyed most doing in school, whether it was being in a soccer team, being in the school band, synthetic speaking in the drama club. They were not mere diversions; They were your opportunity to find out what you enjoy doing and what you’re suited to. That is why extra curriculum activities enable us get out of the normal classroom learning and enhance our confidence as well as self achievement. The feeling which accompanies a goal scoring, a performance or creating a piece of art, or even kick-starting a journey – they increase self-esteem and an individual’s feeling of belonging.

Other than finding what they love and success in following it, students are trained on activities that are not seeds of knowledge but are fundamental. In a team, you get to understand how a team functions, how information is disseminated and how it feels to be a team member. When handling schoolwork in relation to other responsibilities, one also gets to learn on time management. We also need to mention that now all people remember the importance of work in frames of community service to get the experience which will help to understand other’s needs and learn the value of volunteers’ work. These are not just pastimes; They are survival skills in disguise teaching us what life in the real world is all about.

 

Role of teachers and counselors

Ever remembered the teachers who inspired you? Those who believed in your ability when you didn’t believe in your own self. Teachers are not only those who give directions on what is to be done as well as the means of doing it; Teachers are those who steer students through some of the most important stages of our developmental process. In so many ways teachers are also our confidantes or friends listening to our stories, or providing us with counsel, or affirming us during our times of doubts. They do not only define our academic choices but also personality and goals. A teacher acts as a guide and a dear friend in our lives; a ‘Thank You’ note or a warm handshake or words that make us feel we can dream and achieve could go a long way.

Think through a situation in which a teacher positively encouraged you and said to you, “Well done!” These few words can really turn things around, especially when you’re feeling low and not very confident within yourself. Thus, influence in the positive manner teachers are capable of constructing our confidence and self-worth. Suggestions that are made come with a positive intent in helping us improve as not only scholars but as individuals. Whenever a teacher responds to us positively as showing us that we are capable of producing something great, we are encouraged to continue.

 

Challenges in character development

It seems like that is all school is, is just a bunch of things happening at the same time. On the one hand, there is the concern to perform in another traditional way; get good marks, pass tests, and prepare for the next stage in life. On the other hand, in order to become a more capable subject it is necessary to possess values ​​such as: kindness, honesty, and compassion. A balance between the two is a daunting task in most schools. Learners understand that, at times, academic achievements and particularly the scores hinge on character rather than learning. However,education cannot be reduced to an accumulation of knowledge; It is about the production of good citizens. Schools are confronted with the task of not only educating a child and ensuring he/she does well on his/her exams but also that the child becomes a good conscientious member of society. It is very sensitive and needs a lot of attention and care while formulating and indeed implementing.

School is not always a perfect place to be. We all have heard or encountered something in school such as bullying, peer pressure or negative attitudes which can make up the school environment. They cause personal significant changes in the student personality and personal worth. These issues can be effectively managed by schools, but the process is sometime difficult. Teachers and administrators need to ensure that students do not experience any friendly or hostile aggression or any aggressive behavior, in general. This is done by actively addressing issue of bullying, promoting appropriate student conduct and assisting learners to deal with pressure from their colleagues. It’s about cultivating environment which can afford character to grow despite of conflicts in nature which are inevitable.

 

Personal Anecdotes

It exists consequently, the universal tradition, every man or woman has a story of school or learning experience that determines his or her life today. Perhaps it was a teacher who encouraged you, or the time that you decided that you were right and the odds were against you. When I first joined school, I was that student who was seen with a poised mind as if I knew everything that was worth knowing. Right from the start I was one of the top three students in my class. Each and every report card brought smiles & appreciation and I really enjoyed what I was learning. Thus, by the time I got to class 4 that is what I considered normal. Then at least for a while it felt good to be acknowledged, to be sure that one is doing the right thing.

It was a special Friday that you always wished never came. I was outside to run around, cheerful with the results achieved on the first two tests of the annual exams. One day, I was walking and literally tripped forward and fell down fracturing my right arm. I raged in sorrow—not in pain but because I know I would no longer be able to do my remaining papers. With my lecturers I was informed that my overall grade would be obtained from my 1st term and mid-term examinations, the two examinations which I had completed. Panic set in. You see, I used to perform poorly on those earlier tests. In my case, I usually relied on those tests in end of the year to boost the cumulative performance. Overnight the whole world seemed to have been turned upside down.

This is as expected because my performance in class 5 has sharply declined as compared to class 4. I had a plan to run contrary to the doctor’s advice, but due to the incident and the overall problem in the school, it was a good thing that it never happened. Somewhere a culture had been established that you could not pass well in your examinations unless you attended additional classes with the school teachers. I had never needed that before—I was naturally a good student. However, once the extra lessons stopped these teachers began identifying me on the basis of roll number. It has been seen that the lower the roll number the better the marks the higher the roll number the poor are the marks. As my roll number went on increasing, my marks went on decreasing to the lowest level. You can call it frustrating and plain injustice. Gradually, I started having little or no interest in studying. That translated to my grades and my board exams in class 5 and 8 were probably the worst I’ve ever experienced.

But then came class 10. Not the ‘recreation, but the final board examinations through which I could showcase my capabilities. Hence by that time, I was almost ready to quit. But my mother wasn’t. She understood my plight and instead of watching me choke in the pit of despair she offered her hand and guided me through the process. With her encouragement I trained and competed as hard as I have never done before. I seized this time knowing that this was an opportunity for me to change my life around.

It was the day to get the results. That is how I still recall very vividly as I waited for the scores to be declared. And then, there it was: A+. I couldn’t believe it. For all the fight, all the question marks, I had done it. The best part? The looks of accomplishment in my mother’s face. At that point, I had not only frustrated the teachers for demoralizing me but also showed myself that however hard it is there is always a way to overcome the situation.

 

A wrap up

So let’s return to the things that have isigned Let’s look over what has been discovered School is not only limited to grades and exams; it’s where people become who they are and develop not only in academic way but also in personal aspect. Overall, from the values which we get from friend, schools have the greatest influence in molding the character of a person and in his or her life. And thus, it is imperative that one satiates her or himself with knowledge to the understanding that education is a process of developing the total person.

Now imagine yourself during the school years. What do you remember? Do you know a teacher who influenced your life in some manner, a challenge that you faced or an activity that enitienced you? How do you think those experiences made or shaped you to be who you are today? Thinking about one’s own life course letting us notice, how great influence on it school had. Yet, it will serve as a prompt that education encompasses the process in and out of the classroom, and also learning as an individual or a person.

It would be really interesting to hear your opinions. In what ways do you believe that schools could work harder at finding a middle ground between teaching academic experiences and character education? What strategies you would suggest on how students could be prepared with good knowledge, sound values ​​and proper skills? Tell me yours, tell me ideas, tell me difficulties—let me hear what people are thinking and dreaming of in order to make distinctive spaces in schools.

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