Why Educators Need to Teach Both Theory and Practice

A constant ongoing battle in the education system is whether or not we should teach practical information or we should teach theory? Should we teach student how to perform certain tasks or should we teach them why we perform certain tasks.

Is it the job of the educator to provide members of society that can perform 'hands on' tasks or do we provide future academicians? The answer is that we, the educators do not produce this at all. It is the job of the student to decide his path through education. It is the job of the parent and educator to provide a learning environment for which the student to grow, but it is the job of the student to follow a certain learning path.

Locke was correct in stating that all children are a black slate for which we are to write on. However, even more importantly, a mind is a blank slate for which the student is to write on. If we teach the Socratic Method to students at an early age, the student will question his everyday observations. The student will learn to look at the sky, question why the sky is blue, how clouds form, why the sun is bright and what the atmosphere is made of.

In this day and age, the information for research is at every ones hands. If we teach the Socratic meathod at an early age, then the path to self education is paved. An educator can provide students all the material needed to succeed, but if a student researchers and educates himself then his education will not end with his schooling. Socrates taught us the importance of self education in his questioning attitude. Every person is an encyclopedia of knowledge, it is our duty to tap in this encyclopedia and learn as much as we can.

It is the responsibility of the student to decide if he is more interested in learning theory or practical knowledge, not that of the educator. Every person is different and every student has different strengths. Some students are more able of retaining hands on knowledge while others are more able of retaining book knowledge.