Quality Education is the basic right of everybody. Butz quality Education cannot be all about textbooks, and exams. It becomes a life time experience of education, acquiring knowledge. It also makes you a good citizen, responsible and caring.
UNESCO created another model that remains to propel education today in 1996 which they call the Four Pillars of Education. The pillars are not about book-intelligent learning, but about making of the whole person.
So what are these pillars and what is their importance and how have they maintained their role in the manner in which we learn even to today?
1. Learning to Know – Forming the Essence of Knowing
The first pillar is Learning to Know and concerns the acquisition of thinking, reasoning, sensible making of this world. It is education of knowledge not fact memorization. Rather it is learning how a person learns.
This is the reason of curiosity, exploration and the capability to innovate due to new challenges. In an information age, the true skill is how to sort it, explore it and explicate it.
As a case in point, a child can learn formulas of science or historical dates in school. What counts, though, is the acquirement of the capability of doubting that things happen the way they are. This intense learning is the basis of any other development academic or personal.
Learning to know in the normal life assists individuals to cope with changes, address issues and continue with learning even after completing formal education in their life. It makes them so sure to fight new barriers, or even change their careers, or communicate with other cultures.
2. Learning to Do- Learning to Apply Knowledge
It is not sufficient to know. Learning to Do is concerned about doing what we know. It is the learning through actions that enables one to be able to act, contribute positively in the society and cooperation with others.
It implies technical and vocational training, communication and problem-solving skills. Needless to say, regardless of whether we are collaborating on a group project or training on a job at the workplace, this column helps theory meet practice.
As another example, knowing how to code is awesome, as to be able to create a working app or site would imply that you truly grasped something. Above all, knowing about sustainability is one thing, whereas being part of a clean-up in your neighborhood, or raising a garden is where you learn.
The “learning to do” helps one to be ready in joining the work force and society. It enables people to become capable, imaginative and competent participants in the surrounding world.
3. Being taught to Be- shaping the Whole Person
The majority of schools are focused on grading and academic achievements. However, the third pillar, Learning to Be, is not to be forgotten and as educators we are supposed to be educated to become human beings. This pillar deals with knowing more about oneself and enhances critical thinking since it adds to emotional intelligence.
It is the matter of forming your character. Education is all about making you to understand who you are, and you learn how you can express yourself. It is also about working on resilience, and finding your sense of purpose in life.
This pillar is to make it clear that education is a matter of heart and soul as well. It makes the students inquire as to who they are. What is my business? How would I like to be?”
Students become conscious about various aspects of their life. They are oriented towards such activities as art, music, and meditation. This makes them assertive and caring persons.
Learning to be is something which makes individuals live the fullness of their life, communicate with the purpose and remain rooted even in case of the bumpy path.
4. Learning to Live Together- Promoting Peace and Understanding
The fourth pillar is called Learning to Live Together but is also the most pressing one today. The pillar promotes peace, toleration and cooperation amidst different people of various philosophies and backgrounds.
In a more global and dysfunctional world, this pillar can make us learn to respect one another, handle our disagreements amicably and embrace diversity.
At school, it can be group projects, ethics course or world problems. In life however, it is listening to things without being influenced. Life is all about acceptance of differences and working towards a similar goal as one.
Teaching to live together is the answer to peaceful societies. It qualifies us to be good neighbors, and citizens of the world. It tells us that we are different but we are all human beings.
Reasons As To Why the Four Pillars are Relevant Today
The society has evolved since the establishment of the pillars but their importance has increased. We are in a fast-paced technological time, global issues, and social evolution. We require something more than academic achievement. To have the students with whom we need, they must be curious, competent, empathetic and strong.
The four pillars make us realize that education should not only occur in an educational institution or certificates. It must make people ready in life.
They also mention teachers, parents, and policy makers as those to take into the account of all-around development. A wonderful education system is not all about the results. It is the business of making thinkers, doers, dreamers and peace makers.
Final Thoughts
So what are four pillars of education?
- Learning to Know Definition – to think and understand
- To Do – acting, making
- Being a Learner- to develop and think
- To Learn to Live Together – to be connect and care
The combination of these pillars, taken all together, makes a complete, individual and rich education. Not only do they teach us in school, but how we live, work and evolve day by day.
Education is knowing what you know, education is not knowing what, it is being what you are. And with these four pillars not only do we forge smarter minds, but stronger hearts and better futures.