"It takes a village to raise a child"

After taking this course, it has become very clear to me that education is not as simple as "teacher educated student." As the saying goes, "it takes a village to raise a child." I firmly believe that it also takes a "village" to educate a child. The most obvious person who children learn from is their teachers at school. Teachers not only teach students academics but also skills about how to function in a society. Student's also learn a lot from their parents like how to deal with other people in life and just general knowledge you need to know to succeed and be happy in life. People in the community can also have a big influence on students. Coaches are can have a large influence on a child's education. I have a cousin who is very rebellious and does not listen to his teachers or parents but one person he will listen to is his coach. I think he does this because he looks up to him and does not want to disappoint him. Other people in the community help students learn too. The program "Big Brother, Big Sister" pairs young children with suitable role models from the community for them to learn from. A friendship usually grows between the student and role model which is a great thing, especially for students who don't have a stable family life. I also think that if students have someone they can talk to and really depend on, like a role model from Big Brother, Big Sister, or a coach, they are less likely to drop our of school or get in trouble.

The final group of people in a "village" that can help students learn are the students themselves. Because many classrooms are so diverse, students can teach each other. Having a "show and tell" like program set up in the class where students can teach others about themselves and their culture would be very beneficial. Doing this would also help prepare students for later in life where they will be dealing with other people who will most likely be from a different culture or lifestyle all together. Because educating children is so important to our society, many people want to be a part of it which is an amazing thing!