There are essentially three types of education, the public school system, professional education, and leadership in education. Leadership in education is also known as Thomas Jefferson Education.
The public school system was instituted as a way to help educate students whose family couldn’t afford to give them any other kind of education. The system was started to produce young people who could receive a diploma and enter the work force.
In today’s society, the majority of American students receive this form of education. Educators who are familiar with Thomas Jefferson’s form of education refer to the public school system as “conveyor-belt education.” Basically, this analogy compares students to factory products.
In the public school system, children are given all the same materials at the same age and are tested indistinguishably. There is no concentration on each individual’s talents or interests.
Most students from this kind of education are great workers, at least. They were pretty much taught what to think.
The second system is professional education, which is very similar to its public counterpart. These schools provide training in specialized areas, such as business, law, medicine, and other trades.
These are usually better known as trade schools. On this level, it is more difficult for students to get into a school like this, and only the best students are those who are competitive. The finished product of this form of education is a highly trained specialist who essentially knows when to think.
The third form of education is leadership in education, or leadership education. Through history, these are the students who become the true leaders in government. These students also become entrepreneurs, great speakers, and people with noble causes.
Thomas Jefferson had a vision to create leaders who would prevent tyranny. Sadly, in just a few short years after his educational plan was instituted, the public education system started involving the government.
Jefferson and other leaders like him throughout history were mostly schooled at home. Once they received the foundation skills, they went to quality schools to learn the classics.
Mentors and teachers inspire their students to learn through guidance in their studies. Putting students at the feet of great minds from the classics allows students to learn how to think.