Education Reflection

I wasn't sure what the topic would be for my essay on my educational experience until we did a little bit of reflective writing in class on Thursday. I ended up focusing on the difference in education between myself and my cousins because I realized we really did have quite different experiences from one another (particularly because they live, literally, on the other side of the world!). It wasn't until I really began writing, though, that I understood (or at least, acknowledged) the extent of our differences. In the essay I focuses on their social education as compared to my more book-centric experience. I'm still unsure which of us found more use in what we learned. Certainly, I think there's a definite downside to my more lacking social education – as stated in the essay – but I do wonder which will be better for our futures.

In the Wendy Luttrell piece we're reading now, Luttrell makes note of many women who said their "common sense" knowledge was invaluable. At the same time, all seemed to acknowledge the value of formal education simply by the choice they made to return to school. Because my situation is somewhat different in that all of my cousins have received (or are receiving) a higher education, my focus is more about their ability to communicate familiarly with people – something that isn't taught in schools because colloquial conversations differ so much from more academic ones. I definitely think my education and it's difference from my cousins' is part of what's made it more difficult for me to speak with them. I don't know how this could be solved, or if it can be. Perhaps individuals, like myself, just need to shift their focus to include social learning.