Tucker Burtch

EN 101

Definition Essay

5 November 2020

What Does Being Educated​ Really​ Mean

Someone once said “Never stop learning, because life never stops teaching”. But, how do

students learn best in a school setting? How students learn best is what James S. Miller explores

in “Scenes and Un-Scenes: Looking at Learning,” a photo essay in ​Acting out Culture: Readings

for Critical Inquiry.​ In his essay, he shows many pictures and captions of various kinds of

learning and how these different types affect kids; additionally, he questions what it truly means

to be educated (338-332). After an interview with Lance Martin, Chillicothe FFA advisor and

agriculture instructor, he shared what he believes is the best way to teach and keep students

learning. Learning occurs when students use hands-on activities, stay engaged, and have an

environment conducive to working.

Students learn best when they have classroom experience and participate in hands-on

activities. This can be shown in vocational or technical classes, as most of the classes consist

of students using their hands to weld, build cabinets, or help in hospitals. However, students

learning these trades start in a classroom setting as learning the basics in the classroom is crucial

to learning and knowing what they are going to do when they perform the task they are learning

about. These experiences ultimately lead to students who learn some in the classroom and then

master the skill with their hands after repetition and improvement with each try. Although there

can be more distractions with these activities than in the classroom, the experience will help the
student learn at a faster pace if they actually do the activity compared to just seeing it or hearing

about it. When asked what helped Mr. Martin’s students learn best, he replied with, “[H]ands-on

activities and learning by doing.” This shows from a teacher's perspective what has worked best

for his students in his many years of teaching. This does not just extend to one teacher; after

talking to a few other teachers who have the time and place to accommodate hands-on activitie,s

they choose them whenever possible because of the positive effects they bring.

When doing hands-on activities, teachers will have students who finish faster than others

and keeping them engaged and continuously learning is vital in the learning process. Although it

can be very challenging at times, there are a few ways to keep those students busy and working.

When Mr. Martin was asked how he keeps his students engaged, he answered ,“keep them busy

with a variety of activities and other side jobs.” Being in his class personally, these side jobs are

what kept his class interesting and kept me engaged while learning, even if I was ahead of the

other students or had already experienced or done the particular activity. For instance, when

clipping teeth on piglets one day, in class he asked me to judge a litter of piglets while the other

students clipped teeth, docked tails, and gave shots. Doing this helped me learn more as he came

out and reasoned with me on why he thought I placed a pig wrong in a particular pen. This later

helped in FFA as I was on the judging team. It also helped me outside of school by showing me

that when choosing pigs for show season, I need to be very picky. It showed me that doing things

outside of what I have already done can help me become not only a better-rounded person but a

better worker. Mr. Martin was able to give me different tasks and keep me learning even though

I was ahead of the class.

 Most teachers make their rooms or teaching areas fit their ideal environment as well as an

environment best suited for their students. Most teachers change their rooms with decorations or

have a different form of seating available so students can all be factors of the environment they

are creating. With these different variables, teachers are able to create a better learning

environment for students and make learning a little easier. However, when people ask a lot of

teachers, they would like to change things such as room size and the form of seating they use.

Due to some of these reasons, teachers are not able to make their room the best for learning. A

lot of teachers are cramped on space, which forces them to use tables or put the desks together to

make groups of kids. This can eventually make it hard for some students to see the focal point of

the room, such as the whiteboard or projector screen. However, being in groups can make it

easier for students to help each other through an assignment or fill in students who may not be

able to see as well or who lose focus during the lecture. But groups of kids come with

distractions from peers who are talking or doing other things rather than listening or completing

the assignment given. With all of this information, there is still no perfect learning environment

that will fit all students’ needs. Miller shows a picture in regards to an old school classroom with

an individual desk and a teacher at the front of the room calling on students. He later tells us

“though school environments like the one pictured here are less and less the norm (with the

advent of pods and grouping), nonetheless, this stereotype of the school remains relevant”

(328-329). This shows that teachers and educators are finding that the table groups mentioned

earlier are actually replacing the old-school-learning type as students can interact and learn from

each other just as much as the teacher even though it has a few downfalls.
 All in all, no one will ever know the true answer to education. Students will vary from

year to year, making establishing one educational system difficult. Students learn in several

different ways, including hands-on activities, staying interested and engaged, and having a

conductive environment that suits their learning best. Lastly, there are different things that can

happen in a year, such as a pandemic, natural disaster, or a special event that can affect the

classroom environment. Furthermore, having a temporary school that lacks the important parts of

learning such as space and an ideal seating arrangement adds on to the situation. The true answer

to education will always be an unsolved puzzle.

 Works Cited

Martin, Lance. Personal interview. 21 Oct. 2020.

Miller, James. "Scenes and Un-scenes: Looking at Learning." ​Acting Out Culture: Readings for

Critical Inquiry​, by James S. Miller, 4. ed., Bedford/St. Martin's, 2018, pp. 135-138.