What is it?I used to think that education was about the acquisition and development of memories and behaviors, including skills, knowledge, understanding, values, and wisdom. This is in fact the definition of learning, not education. I've recently learned that
education actually means 'to draw out', facilitating realization of self-potential and latent talents of an individual.
To me, education is the catalyst for progress, and progress is driven by the impact we make. To educate is to draw out the impact we want to make on the world. People make the biggest impact when we're passionate about somthing. That passion comes from the inside and it takes education to draw it out.
Education takes many forms; ironically, I think we find it least in our schools. When I was in school, espeically pre-college, the cirriculum was designed around teaching me the things I should know. Really, I only learned the things that interested me. And the few times I was passionate about somthing, that topic had an impact on me and coincidentally I made an impact on the world. At those times I recieved an education, every other time I got a
lesson. So, if impact is the product of education and passion is the root of impact, then its all about finding what we're passionate about. I think education is the process of identifying and drawing out of our passions.
Maybe we have too many 'teachers' and not enough 'educators'.
When do I do it?I’m an educator whenever I’m inspired by something. When I see, hear, learn or come to understand something new that has an impact on me, positive or negative, I want to share that experience others.
When others are coachable, willing and open to new experiences or growth I want to be someone who facilitates that. When I see people that have a burning desire to grow or to express themselves, I want to help.
When there are no instructions, or when I or others don’t want to follow the provided instructions but rather create our own from the inside, I want to be a part of it. When there may be another way of doing something, as wild and unproven, I’m eager to follow the trail.
I educate when I see opportunity; when I see that the opportunity for progress in myself, another person, or the world around me I cannot extinguish a growing passion to do something.
How do I do it?As I start to understand what it means to be an educator, I realize that it has been a subtle passion. In the rare cases where students have asked for education I have given and been visibly inspired by the process. However I regularly make an impact on others in more subtle ways. In fact, people often wonder what it is I have or why people want what I’ve got to give.
I think education happens when I do the things move me. I’m passionate when I share experiences. I tell stories. I create outlines. I write procedures. I come up with business ideas. I design products. I invent. I build. I organize things. I daydream. I align my thoughts. I improve what’s already alright. I think outside of the box. I lead the way. I trust myself. And I take risks. When I do those things I think I might be educating.
Why do I do it?It makes me feel good when people experience or make an impact. It makes me feel great when I’m the catalyst impact. And because I believe impact leads to progress I get inspired by the process. I love when I hear stories about people who have caused change or inspired progress. I want to be in their shoes. So when I think about education on the individual level, such as a teacher/student relationship, perhaps what really inspires me is the larger impact we will have when there is growth on the individual level. In other words, it seems the biggest global impact comes from more frequent victories within ourselves. I guess I think it’s true when people say one person can make a difference. If everyone actually thought that way, then one person would equal many. That’s how we affect change.
I educate because I love progress. Progress is evolution and I believe evolution is not limited to our biology; it is the inescapable force that it inspires our continuous movement toward improvement.