Oct 28, 2023 By Nick Jacobs 4 min read

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

-Albert Einstein

Even with more than 20 years of taking classes at various levels for degrees, certifications, and fellowships, I still don’t consider myself to be an expert. Having said that, however, it is my opinion that the primary element needed to benefit from any type of education is curiosity. Why are things the way they are?

Curiosity is a very complicated trait that is unique and multifaceted. It’s influenced by education, the environment, and personal experiences. It is the inspiration that leads to learning, intellectual growth, and discovery.

The problem is that curiosity is something that needs to be nurtured, cultivated, and developed by not only our parents, but also our teachers, and other individuals who influence young people. Think of what it’s like interacting with a toddler who asks why about everything. Then try to have that same experience with a teenager who has not been positively influenced because they’ve been treated like that fish that couldn’t climb the tree.

Committing to helping students acquire all the skills they need to survive and thrive on both an intellectual and an emotional level is where the real work begins. That work can be enhanced by outstanding teachers who live each day to ignite that curiosity and to challenge their students intellectually, because they know what they teach may have a lifelong impact.

Education, when delivered by the right teachers for the right reasons, can not only be a magnificent gift, but it can also be an enlightening, mind-expanding, horizon-building journey that otherwise one might never know. These teachers, however, face problems regarding methods and agendas that have become part of a system that, like most systems created by man, is extremely flawed.

We have come a long way regarding access to education, diversity and inclusion, technological integration, and specialized programs. At the same time, standardized testing and overemphasis on grades have often overshadowed the process of learning. It can also lead to an ongoing culture of competition, rather than collaboration and understanding.

Life skills in financial literacy, effective communication, and even problem-solving are often overlooked completely due to teach-to-the-test requirements. Add to that the disparities and inequality of educational resources which result in unequal access to quality education. This becomes even more complicated by additional socioeconomic factors, such as rigid curriculum standards imposed unequally in different states and even local districts.

Having taught for 10 years, I believe one of the greatest problems in education today is teacher burnout. The exodus of master teachers is a national problem – they lose their fire and are mentally beaten down because of the demands made by individuals who have no understanding of their work and the commitment it takes.

Add to that the fact that, as a teacher, I never had to fight off armed students or terrorists (OK, the male teachers did have to search for bombs when we had bomb threats, but we volunteered). Teachers are burned out due to heavy workloads, administrative pressures, inadequate support, and salaries that don’t even begin to cover the cost of the education required, let alone the hours it takes each day to be a good teacher. This is causing teacher shortages across the country.

We constantly say we would do anything for our kids, but when it comes to our teachers, we draw the line. Where are our priorities? Why do we value so many other foolish things in life so much more than our teachers and our children’s education? Education is the key to endless possibilities. Investing in education empowers individuals and helps to transform societies, and good teachers are the key. They are the creators of our futures.

Nick Jacobs is a Windber resident.