The Purpose of Schooling

This week, I came across an article that attempts to define the purpose of schooling.  The article outlines 3 broad purposes of schooling: Personal, Economic, and Civic.


Personal
Schools have helped students discover and cultivate individual interests, talents, and tastes; form good habits, and develop an understanding of what it means to lead a good life.


Economic
Schools have prepared students to contribute productively to the economy by preparing them to pursue a vacation or further study leading toward some profession.


Civic
Schools have achieved civic goals by equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary to be good citizens.


While I agree that, historically, schools have the capacity to achieve the above purposes, I question how successfully, modern schools, have been able to achieve these objectives.  More importantly, do schools and teachers see the above as their aims?


Looking back at the students that I have taught, I can say that schools have certainty achieved goal number 2 : Economic.  Students know for a fact that if they do not do well in their studies, their chances of being economically successful, will be very slim.  


What about goal number 1 and 3?  


During one of my teaching experiences, I wanted my students to choose an object so that they could research and share information about that object with their friends.  These are 10-12 year old students.  This assignment became one of the most difficult assignments.  It was supposed to be a 5-minute thing, but we ended taking 45 minutes.  It could have been longer if not for the ultimatum.  Along the way, I received questions like "Which one is the correct answer?", "Why don't you tell me which one to choose?", "I don't know which one I like".  I am disappointed as an educator because I feel that the school system has failed our students.  If schooling is meant to help our young discover and cultivate individuality, then my example has shown that we have not achieved our goal.


Everyone defers in their view of what it means to be a "good citizen".  Not breaking the law, not littering and paying taxes can all be seen as the acts of being a good citizen.  However, is that it?  I am not attempting to define what a good citizen should be; but I believe that if a person has good values and morale bearing, then these values can be seen through his actions.  I once asked a group of gifted teenagers if they would consider volunteering their time.  Their respond, "If only we are paid or if it adds to my portfolio".  I am not surprised by their thinking, but I am worried of what this will entail for our country in the future.  


I know my above experiences are very limiting and may not be an accurate reflection of the big picture.    I certainty hope that my examples are the outliers and not the norm.  The pursuit of the 3 purposes outlined in the article should be the goal of any good educator and education system.  Children may not be able to decide for themselves what kind of schooling they can have, but parents, teachers, principals and policy makers have the ability to provide our children with an education that they truly deserves.  


For those who are interested in the article:
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar11/vol68/num06/The-Humanities@-Why-Such-a-Hard-Sell%C2%A2.aspx