introduction about your education

education, community-building and change

What is education? A definition and discussion

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Education is the wise, hopeful and respectful cultivation of learning and change undertaken in the belief that we all should have the chance to share in life.

Mark k smith explores the meaning of education and suggests it is a process of being with others and inviting truth and possibility., contents : introduction • education – cultivating hopeful environments and relationships for learning • education, respect and wisdom • education – acting so all may share in life • conclusion – what is education • further reading and references • acknowledgements • how to cite this piece, introduction.

When talking about education people often confuse it with schooling. Many think of places like schools or colleges when seeing or hearing the word. They might also look to particular jobs like teacher or tutor. The problem with this is that while looking to help people learn, the way a lot of schools and teachers operate is not necessarily something we can properly call education. They have chosen or fallen or been pushed into ‘schooling’ – trying to drill learning into people according to some plan often drawn up by others. Paulo Freire (1973) famously called this banking – making deposits of knowledge. Such ‘schooling’ too easily descends into treating learners like objects, things to be acted upon rather than people to be related to.

Education, as we understand it here, is a process of inviting truth and possibility, of encouraging and giving time to discovery. It is, as John Dewey (1916) put it, a social process – ‘a process of living and not a preparation for future living’. In this view educators look to learning and being with others rather than acting upon them. Their task is to educe (related to the Greek notion of educere ), to bring out or develop potential both in themselves and others. Such education is:

Deliberate and hopeful. It is learning we set out to make happen in the belief that we all can ‘be more’;
Informed, respectful and wise. A process of inviting truth and possibility.
Grounded in a desire that at all may flourish and share in life . It is a cooperative and inclusive activity that looks to help us to live our lives as well as we can.

In what follows we will try to answer the question ‘what is education?’ by exploring these dimensions and the processes involved.

Education – cultivating hopeful environments and relationships for learning

It is often said that we are learning all the time and that we may not be conscious of it happening. Learning is both a process and an outcome. As a process, it is part of being and living in the world, part of the way our bodies work. As an outcome, it is a new understanding or appreciation of something.

In recent years, developments in neuroscience have shown us how learning takes place both in the body and as a social activity. We are social animals. As a result, educators need to focus on creating environments and relationships for learning rather than trying to drill knowledge into themselves and others.

Teachers are losing the education war because our adolescents are distracted by the social world. Naturally, the students don’t see it that way. It wasn’t their choice to get endless instruction on topics that don’t seem relevant to them. They desperately want to learn, but what they want to learn about is their social world—how it works and how they can secure a place in it that will maximize their social rewards and minimize the social pain they feel. Their brains are built to feel these strong social motivations and to use the mentalizing system to help them along. Evolutionarily, the social interest of adolescents is no distraction. Rather, it is the most important thing they can learn well. (Lieberman 2013: 282)

The cultivation of learning is a cognitive and emotional and social activity (Illeris 2002)

Alison Gopnik (2016) has provided a helpful way of understanding this orientation. It is that educators, pedagogues and practitioners need to be gardeners rather than carpenters. A key theme emerging from her research over the last 30 years or so that runs in parallel with Lieberman, is that children learn by actively engaging their social and physical environments – not by passively absorbing information. They learn from other people, not because they are being taught – but because people are doing and talking about interesting things. The emphasis in a lot of the literature about parenting (and teaching) presents the roles much like that of a carpenter.

You should pay some attention to the kind of material you are working with, and it may have some influence on what you try to do. But essentially your job is to shape that material into a final product that will fit the scheme you had in mind to begin with.

Instead, Gopnik argues, the evidence points to being a gardener.

When we garden, on the other hand, we create a protected and nurturing space for plants to flourish. It takes hard labor and the sweat of our brows, with a lot of exhausted digging and wallowing in manure. And as any gardener knows, our specific plans are always thwarted. The poppy comes up neon orange instead of pale pink, the rose that was supposed to climb the fence stubbornly remains a foot from the ground, black spot and rust and aphids can never be defeated.

Education is deliberate. We act with a purpose – to build understanding and judgement and enable action. We may do this for ourselves, for example, learning what different road signs mean so that we can get a license to drive; or watching wildlife programmes on television because we are interested in animal behaviour. This process is sometimes called self-education or teaching yourself. We join with the journey that the writer, presenter or expert is making, think about it and develop our understanding. Hopefully, we bring that process and understanding into play when we need to act. We also seek to encourage learning in others (while being open to learning ourselves). Examples here include parents and carers showing their children how to use a knife and fork or ride a bike; schoolteachers introducing students to a foreign language; and animators and pedagogues helping a group to work together.

Sometimes as educators, we have a clear idea of what we’d like to see achieved; at others, we do not and should not. In the case of the former, we might be working to a curriculum, have a session or lesson plan with clear objectives, and have a high degree of control over the learning environment. This is what we often mean by ‘formal education’. In the latter, for example, when working with a community group, the setting is theirs and, as educators, we are present as guests. This is an example of informal education and here two things are happening.

First, the group may well be clear on what it wants to achieve e.g. putting on an event, but unclear about what they need to learn to do it. They know learning is involved – it is something necessary to achieve what they want – but it is not the main focus. Such ‘incidental learning’ is not accidental. People know they need to learn something but cannot necessarily specify it in advance (Brookfield 1984).

Second, this learning activity works largely through conversation – and conversation takes unpredictable turns. It is a dialogical rather than curricula form of education.

In both forms, educators set out to create environments and relationships where people can explore their, and other’s, experiences of situations, ideas and feelings. This exploration lies, as John Dewey argued, at the heart of the ‘business of education’. Educators set out to emancipate and enlarge experience (1933: 340). How closely the subject matter is defined in advance, and by whom, differs from situation to situation. John Ellis (1990) has developed a useful continuum – arguing that most education involves a mix of the informal and formal, of conversation and curriculum (i.e. between points X and Y).

The informal-formal education continuum - John Ellis

Those that describe themselves as informal educators, social pedagogues or as animators of community learning and development tend to work towards the X; those working as subject teachers or lecturers tend to the Y. Educators when facilitating tutor groups might, overall, work somewhere in the middle.

Acting in hope

Underpinning intention is an attitude or virtue – hopefulness. As educators ‘we believe that learning is possible, that nothing can keep an open mind from seeking after knowledge and finding a way to know’ (hooks 2003: xiv) . In other words, we invite people to learn and act in the belief that change for the good is possible. This openness to possibility isn’t blind or over-optimistic. It looks to evidence and experience, and is born of an appreciation of the world’s limitations (Halpin 2003: 19-20).

We can quickly see how such hope is both a part of the fabric of education – and, for many, an aim of education. Mary Warnock (1986:182) puts it this way:

I think that of all the attributes that I would like to see in my children or in my pupils, the attribute of hope would come high, even top, of the list. To lose hope is to lose the capacity to want or desire anything; to lose, in fact, the wish to live. Hope is akin to energy, to curiosity, to the belief that things are worth doing. An education which leaves a child without hope is an education that has failed.

But hope is not easy to define or describe. It is:

An emotion . Hope, John Macquarrie (1978 11) suggests, ‘consists in an outgoing and trusting mood toward the environment’. We do not know what will happen but take a gamble. ‘It’s to bet on the future, on your desires, on the possibility that an open heart and uncertainty is better than gloom and safety. To hope is dangerous, and yet it is the opposite of fear, for to live is to risk’ (Solnit 2016: 21).

A choice or intention to act . Hope ‘promotes affirmative courses of action’ (Macquarrie 1978: 11). Hope alone will not transform the world. Action ‘undertaken in that kind of naïveté’, wrote Paulo Freire (1994: 8), ‘is an excellent route to hopelessness, pessimism, and fatalism’. Hope and action are linked. Rebecca Solnit (2016: 22) put it this way, ‘Hope calls for action; action is impossible without hope… To hope is to give yourself to the future, and that commitment to the future makes the present inhabitable’.

An intellectual activity . Hope is not just feeling or striving, according to McQuarrie it has a cognitive or intellectual aspect. ‘[I]t carries in itself a definite way of understanding both ourselves – and the environing processes within which human life has its setting’ ( op. cit. ).

This provides us with a language to help make sense of things and to imagine change for the better – a ‘vocabulary of hope’. It helps us to critique the world as it is and our part in it, and not to just imagine change but also to plan it (Moltman 1967, 1971). It also allows us, and others, to ask questions of our hopes, to request evidence for our claims. (See, what is hope? ).

Education – being respectful, informed and wise

Education is wrapped up with who we are as learners and facilitators of learning – and how we are experienced by learners. In order to think about this, it is helpful to look back at a basic distinction made by Erich Fromm (1979), amongst others, between having and being. Fromm approaches these as fundamental modes of existence. He saw them as two different ways of understanding ourselves and the world in which we live.

Having is concerned with owning, possessing and controlling. In it we want to ‘make everybody and everything’, including ourselves, our property (Fromm 1979: 33). It looks to objects and material possessions.

Being is rooted in love according to Fromm. It is concerned with shared experience and productive activity. Rather than seeking to possess and control, in this mode, we engage with the world. We do not impose ourselves on others nor ‘interfere’ in their lives (see Smith and Smith 2008: 16-17).

These different orientations involve contrasting approaches to learning.

Students in the having mode must have but one aim; to hold onto what they have ‘learned’, either by entrusting it firmly to their memories or by carefully guarding their notes. They do not have to produce or create something new…. The process of learning has an entirely different quality for students in the being mode… Instead of being passive receptacles of words and ideas, they listen, they hear , and most important, they receive and they respond in an active, productive way. (Fromm 1979: 37-38)

In many ways, this difference mirrors that between education and schooling. Schooling entails transmitting knowledge in manageable lumps so it can be stored and then used so that students can pass tests and have qualifications. Education involves engaging with others and the world. It entails being with others in a particular way. Here I want to explore three aspects – being respectful, informed and wise.

Being respectful

The process of education flows from a basic orientation of respect – respect for truth, others and themselves, and the world. It is an attitude or feeling which is carried through into concrete action, into the way we treat people, for example. Respect, as R. S. Dillon (2014) has reminded us, is derived from the Latin respicere , meaning ‘to look back at’ or ‘to look again’ at something. In other words, when we respect something we value it enough to make it our focus and to try to see it for what it is, rather than what we might want it to be. It is so important that it calls for our recognition and our regard – and we choose to respond.

We can see this at work in our everyday relationships. When we think highly of someone we may well talk about respecting them – and listen carefully to what they say or value the example they give. Here, though, we are also concerned with a more abstract idea – that of moral worth or value. Rather than looking at why we respect this person or that, the interest is in why we should respect people in general (or truth, or creation, or ourselves).

First, we expect educators to hold truth dearly . We expect that they will look beneath the surface, try to challenge misrepresentation and lies, and be open to alternatives. They should display the ‘two basic virtues of truth’: sincerity and accuracy (Williams 2002: 11). There are strong religious reasons for this. Bearing false witness, within Christian traditions, can be seen as challenging the foundations of God’s covenant. There are also strongly practical reasons for truthfulness. Without it, the development of knowledge would not be possible – we could not evaluate one claim against another. Nor could we conduct much of life. For example, as Paul Seabright (2010) has argued, truthfulness allows us to trust strangers. In the process, we can build complex societies, trade and cooperate.

Educators, as with other respecters of truth, should do their best to acquire ‘true beliefs’ and to ensure what they say actually reveals what they believe (Williams 2002: 11). Their authority, ‘must be rooted in their truthfulness in both these respects: they take care, and they do not lie’ op. cit.).

Second, educators should display fundamental respect for others (and themselves) . There is a straightforward theological argument for this. There is also a fundamental philosophical argument for ‘respect for persons’. Irrespective of what they have done, the people they are or their social position, it is argued, people are deserving of some essential level of regard. The philosopher most closely associated with this idea is Immanuel Kant – and his thinking has become a central pillar of humanism. Kant’s position was that people were deserving of respect because they are people – free, rational beings. They are ends in themselves with an absolute dignity

Alongside respect for others comes respect for self. Without it, it is difficult to see how we can flourish – and whether we can be educators. Self-respect is not to be confused with qualities like self-esteem or self-confidence; rather it is to do with our intrinsic worth as a person and a sense of ourselves as mattering. It involves a ‘secure conviction that [our] conception of the good, [our] plan of life, is worth carrying out’ (Rawls 1972: 440). For some, respect for ourselves is simply the other side of the coin from respect for others. It flows from respect for persons. For others, like John Rawls, it is vital for happiness and must be supported as a matter of justice.

Third, educators should respect the Earth . This is sometimes talked about as respect for nature, or respect for all things or care for creation. Again there is a strong theological argument here – in much religious thinking humans are understood as stewards of the earth. Our task is to cultivate and care for it (see, for example, Genesis 2:15). However, there is also a strong case grounded in human experience. For example, Miller (2000) argues that ‘each person finds identity, meaning, and purpose in life through connections to the community, to the natural world, and to spiritual values such as compassion and peace’. Respect for the world is central to the thinking of those arguing for a more holistic vision of education and to the thinking of educationalists such as Montessori . Her vision of ‘cosmic education’ puts appreciating the wholeness of life at the core.

Since it has been seen to be necessary to give so much to the child, let us give him a vision of the whole universe. The universe is an imposing reality, and an answer to all questions. We shall walk together on this path of life, for all things are part of the universe, and are connected with each other to form one whole unity. This idea helps the mind of the child to become fixed, to stop wandering in an aimless quest for knowledge. He is satisfied, having found the universal centre of himself with all things’. (Montessori 2000)

Last, and certainly not least, there is a basic practical concern. We face an environmental crisis of catastrophic proportions. As Emmett (among many others) has pointed out, it is likely that we are looking at a global average rise of over four degrees Centigrade. This ‘will lead to runaway climate change, capable of tipping the planet into an entirely different state, rapidly. Earth would become a hell hole’ (2013: 143).

Being informed

To facilitate learning we must have some understanding of the subject matter being explored, and the impact study could have on those involved. In other words, facilitation is intelligent.

We expect, quite reasonably, that when people describe themselves as teachers or educators, they know something about the subjects they are talking about. In this respect, our ‘subject area’ as educators is wide. It can involve particular aspects of knowledge and activity such as those associated with maths or history. However, it is also concerned with happiness and relationships, the issues and problems of everyday life in communities, and questions around how people are best to live their lives. In some respects, it is wisdom that is required – not so much in the sense that we know a lot or are learned – but rather we are able to help people make good judgements about problems and situations.

We also assume that teachers and educators know how to help people learn. The forms of education we are exploring here are sophisticated. They can embrace the techniques of classroom management and of teaching to a curriculum that has been the mainstay of schooling. However, they move well beyond this into experiential learning, working with groups, and forms of working with individuals that draw upon insights from counselling and therapy.

In short, we look to teachers and educators as experts, We expect them to apply their expertise to help people learn. However, things don’t stop there. Many look for something more – wisdom.

Wisdom is not something that we can generally claim for ourselves – but a quality recognized by others. Sometimes when people are described as wise what is meant is that they are scholarly or learned. More often, I suspect, when others are described as ‘being wise’ it that people have experienced their questions or judgement helpful and sound when exploring a problem or difficult situation (see Smith and Smith 2008: 57-69). This entails:

appreciating what can make people flourish
being open to truth in its various guises and allowing subjects to speak to us
developing the capacity to reflect
being knowledgeable, especially about ourselves, around ‘what makes people tick’ and the systems of which we are a part
being discerning – able to evaluate and judge situations. ( op. cit. : 68)

This combination of qualities, when put alongside being respectful and informed, comes close to what Martin Buber talked about as the ‘real teacher’. The real teacher, he believed:

… teaches most successfully when he is not consciously trying to teach at all, but when he acts spontaneously out of his own life. Then he can gain the pupil’s confidence; he can convince the adolescent that there is human truth, that existence has a meaning. And when the pupil’s confidence has been won, ‘his resistance against being educated gives way to a singular happening: he accepts the educator as a person. He feels he may trust this man, that this man is taking part in his life, accepting him before desiring to influence him. And so he learns to ask…. (Hodes 1972: 136)

Education – acting so that all may share in life

Thus far in answering the question ‘what is education?’ we have seen how it can be thought of as the wise, hopeful and respectful cultivation of learning. Here we will explore the claim that education should be undertaken in the belief that all should have the chance to share in life. This commitment to the good of all and of each individual is central to the vision of education explored here, but it could be argued that it is possible to be involved in education without this. We could take out concern for others. We could just focus on process – the wise, hopeful and respectful cultivation of learning – and not state to whom this applies and the direction it takes.

Looking beyond process

First, we need to answer the question ‘if we act wisely, hopefully, and respectfully as educators do we need to have a further purpose?’ Our guide here will again be John Dewey. He approached the question a century ago by arguing that ‘the object and reward of learning is continued capacity for growth’ (Dewey 1916: 100). Education, for him, entailed the continuous ‘reconstruction or reorganization of experience which adds to the meaning of experience, and which increases the ability to direct the course of subsequent experience. (Dewey 1916: 76). His next step was to consider the social relationships in which this can take place and the degree of control that learners and educators have over the process. Just as Freire (1972) argued later, relationships for learning need to be mutual, and individual and social change possible.

In our search for aims in education, we are not concerned… with finding an end outside of the educative process to which education is subordinate. Our whole conception forbids. We are rather concerned with the contrast which exists when aims belong within the process in which they operate and when they are set up from without. And the latter state of affairs must obtain when social relationships are not equitably balanced. For in that case, some portions of the whole social group will find their aims determined by an external dictation; their aims will not arise from the free growth of their own experience, and their nominal aims will be means to more ulterior ends of others rather than truly their own. (Dewey 1916: 100-101)

In other words, where there are equitable relationships, control over the learning process, and the possibilities of fundamental change we needn’t look beyond the process. However, we have to work for much of the time in situations and societies where this level of democracy and social justice does not exist. Hence the need to make clear a wider purpose. Dewey (1916: 7) argued, thus, that our ‘chief business’ as educators is to enable people ‘to share in a common life’. I want to widen this and to argue that all should have a chance to share in life.

Having the chance to share in life

We will explore, briefly, three overlapping approaches to making the case – via religious belief, human rights and scientific exploration.

Religious belief. Historically it has been a religious rationale that has underpinned much thinking about this question. If we were to look at Catholic social teaching, for example, we find that at its heart lays a concern for human dignity . This starts from the position that, ‘human beings, created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27), have by their very existence an inherent value, worth, and distinction’ (Groody 2007). Each life is considered sacred and cannot be ignored or excluded. As we saw earlier, Kant argued something similar with regard to ‘respect for persons’. All are worthy of respect and the chance to flourish.

To human dignity a concern for solidarity is often added (especially within contemporary Catholic social teaching). Solidarity:

… is not a feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of so many people, both near and far. On the contrary, it is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good; that is to say, to the good of all and of each individual, because we are all really responsible for all. On Social Concern ( Sollicitudo rei Socialis . . . ), #38

Another element, fundamental to the formation of the groups, networks and associations necessary for the ‘common life’ that Dewey describes, is subsidiarity . This principle, which first found its institutional voice in a papal encyclical in 1881, holds that human affairs are best handled at the ‘lowest’ possible level, closest to those affected (Kaylor 2015). It is a principle that can both strengthen civil society and the possibility of more mutual relationships for learning.

Together, these can provide a powerful and inclusive rationale for looking beyond particular individuals or groups when thinking about educational activity.

Human rights. Beside religious arguments lie others that are born of agreed principle or norm rather than faith. Perhaps the best known of these relate to what have become known as human rights. The first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights puts it this way:

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 26 further states:

(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit. (2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms….

These fundamental and inalienable rights are the entitlement of all human beings regardless of their nation, location, language, religion, ethnic origin or any other status (Article 2).

Scientific exploration. Lastly, I want to look at the results of scientific investigation into our nature as humans. More specifically we need to reflect on what it means when humans are described as social animals.

As we have already seen there is a significant amount of research showing just how dependent we are in everyday life on having trusting relationships in a society. Without them even the most basic exchanges cannot take place. We also know that in those societies where there is stronger concern for others and relatively narrow gaps between rich and poor people are generally happier (see, for example, Halpern 2010). On the basis of this material we could make a case for educators to look to the needs and experiences of all. Political, social and economic institutions depend on mass participation or at least benign consent – and the detail of this has to be learnt. However, with our growing appreciation of how our brains work and with the development of, for example, social cognitive neuroscience, we have a different avenue for exploration. We look to the needs and experience of others because we are hard-wired to do so. As Matthew D. Lieberman (2013) has put it:

Our basic urges include the need to belong, right along with the need for food and water. Our pain and pleasure systems do not merely respond to sensory inputs that can produce physical harm and reward. They are also exquisitely tuned to the sweet and bitter tastes delivered from the social world—a world of connection and threat to connection. (Lieberman 2013: 299)

Our survival as a species is dependent upon on looking to the needs and experiences of others. We dependent upon:

Connecting: We have ‘evolved the capacity to feel social pains and pleasures, forever linking our well-being to our social connectedness. Infants embody this deep need to stay connected, but it is present through our entire lives’ ( op. cit. : 10) Mindreading: Primates have developed an unparalleled ability to understand the actions and thoughts of those around them, enhancing their ability to stay connected and interact strategically… This capacity allows humans to create groups that can implement nearly any idea and to anticipate the needs and wants of those around us, keeping our groups moving smoothly ( op. cit. : 10) Harmonizing: Although the self may appear to be a mechanism for distinguishing us from others and perhaps accentuating our selfishness, the self actually operates as a powerful force for social cohesiveness. Whereas connection is about our desire to be social, harmonizing refers to the neural adaptations that allow group beliefs and values to influence our own. ( op. cit. : 11)

One of the key issues around these processes is the extent to which they can act to become exclusionary i.e. people can become closely attached to one particular group, community or nation and begin to treat others as somehow lesser or alien. In so doing relationships that are necessary to our survival – and that of the planet – become compromised. We need to develop relationships that are both bonding and bridging (see social capital ) – and this involves being and interacting with others who may not share our interests and concerns.

Education is more than fostering understanding and an appreciation of emotions and feelings. It is also concerned with change – ‘with how people can act with understanding and sensitivity to improve their lives and those of others’ (Smith and Smith 2008: 104). As Karl Marx (1977: 157-8) famously put it ‘all social life is practical…. philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways; ‘the point is to change it’. Developing an understanding of an experience or a situation is one thing, working out what is good and wanting to do something about it is quite another. ‘For appropriate action to occur there needs to be commitment’ (Smith and Smith 2008: 105).

This combination of reflection; looking to what might be good and making it our own; and seeking to change ourselves and the world we live in is what Freire (1973) talked about as praxis. It involves us, as educators, working with people to create and sustain environments and relationships where it is possible to:

Go back to experiences . Learning doesn’t take place in a vacuum. We have to look to the past as well as the present and the future. It is necessary to put things in their place by returning to, or recalling, events and happenings that seem relevant.
Attend and connect to feelings . Our ability to think and act is wrapped up with our feelings. Appreciating what might be going on for us (and for others) at a particular moment; thinking about the ways our emotions may be affecting things; and being open to what our instincts or intuitions are telling us are important elements of such reflection. (See Boud et. al. 1985).
Develop understandings . Alongside attending to feelings and experiences, we need to examine the theories and understandings we are using. We also need to build new interpretations where needed. We should be looking to integrating new knowledge into our conceptual framework.
Commit . Education is something ‘higher’ according to John Henry Newman. It is concerned not just with what we know and can do, but also with who we are, what we value, and our capacity to live life as well as we can . We need space to engage with these questions and help to appreciate the things we value. As we learn to frame our beliefs we can better appreciate how they breathe life into our relationships and encounters, become our own, and move us to act.
Act . Education is forward-looking and hopeful. It looks to change for the better. In the end our efforts at facilitating learning have to be judged by the extent to which they further the capacity to flourish and to share in life. For this reason we need also to attend to the concrete, the actual steps that can be taken to improve things.

As such education is a deeply practical activity – something that we can do for ourselves (what we could call self-education), and with others.

Conclusion – so what is education?

It is in this way that we end up with a definition of education as ‘the wise, hopeful and respectful cultivation of learning undertaken in the belief that all should have the chance to share in life’. What does education involve?

We can begin with what Aristotle discusses as hexis – a readiness to sense and know. This is a state – or what Joe Sachs (2001) talks about as an ‘active condition’. It allows us to take a step forward – both in terms of the processes discussed above, and in what we might seek to do when working with learners and participants. Such qualities can be seen as being at the core of the haltung and processes of pedagogues and educators (see below). There is a strong emphasis upon being in touch with feelings, attending to intuitions and seeking evidence to confirm or question what we might be sensing. A further element is also present – a concern not to take things for granted or at their face value (See, also, Pierre Bourdieu on education , Bourdieu 1972|1977: 214 n1).

Beyond that, we can see a guiding eidos or leading idea. This is the belief that all share in life and a picture of what might allow people to be happy and flourish. Alongside is a disposition or haltung (a concern to act respectfully, knowledgeably and wisely) and interaction (joining with others to build relationships and environments for learning). Finally, there is praxis – informed, committed action (Carr and Kemmis 1986; Grundy 1987).

The process of education

At first glance, this way of answering the question ‘what is education?’ – with its roots in the thinking of Aristotle , Rousseau , Pestalozzi and Dewey (to name a few) – is part of the progressive tradition of educational practice. It seems very different from ‘formal tradition’ or ‘traditional education’.

If there is a core theme to the formal position it is that education is about passing on information; for formalists, culture and civilization represent a store of ideas and wisdom which have to be handed on to new generations. Teaching is at the heart of this transmission; and the process of transmission is education…

While progressive educators stress the child’s development from within, formalists put the emphasis, by contrast, on formation from without— formation that comes from immersion in the knowledge, ideas, beliefs, concepts, and visions of society, culture, civilization. There are, one might say, conservative and liberal interpretations of this world view— the conservative putting the emphasis on transmission itself, on telling, and the liberal putting the emphasis more on induction, on initiation by involvement with culture’s established ideas.(Thomas 2013: 25-26).

As both Thomas and Dewey (1938: 17-23) have argued, these distinctions are problematic. A lot of the debate is either really about education being turned, or slipping, into something else, or reflecting a lack of balance between the informal and formal.

In the ‘formal tradition’ problems often occur where people are treated as objects to be worked on or ‘moulded’ rather than as participants and creators i.e. where education slips into ‘schooling’.

In the ‘progressive tradition’ issues frequently arise where the nature of experience is neglected or handled incompetently. Some experiences are damaging and ‘mis-educative’. They can arrest or distort ‘the growth of further experience’ (Dewey 1938: 25). The problem often comes when education drifts or moves into entertainment or containment. Involvement in the immediate activity is the central concern and little attention is given to expanding horizons, nor to reflection, commitment and creating change.

The answer to the question ‘what is education?’ given here can apply to both those ‘informal’ forms that are driven and rooted in conversation – and to more formal approaches involving a curriculum. The choice is not between what is ‘good’ and what is ‘bad’ – but rather what is appropriate for people in this situation or that. There are times to use transmission and direct teaching as methods, and moments for exploration, experience and action. It is all about getting the mix right and framing it within the guiding eidos and disposition of education.

Introduction to Education (BETA)

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Reviewed by Jessica Urbaniak, Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin - Superior on 10/30/23

Nearly all content is included in the textbook. Here were some areas that I thought there could be some improvement: It does not go in-depth on the history of education, which other textbooks do. The textbook has an effective table of contents. read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Nearly all content is included in the textbook. Here were some areas that I thought there could be some improvement: It does not go in-depth on the history of education, which other textbooks do.

The textbook has an effective table of contents.

Content Accuracy rating: 1

Problematic language portrays bias: "Alcohol can cause mental retardation, slower physical development, severe learning, and cognitive disabilities." Sadly, the use of the r-word in a current textbook makes this unacceptable to ask students to read.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 2

In almost all cases except the use of the r-word. There is person-first language in other areas of the book. I'm not sure how this slipped through. This, in my view, makes the test obsolete.

Clarity rating: 3

There are links to videos where it may be more helpful for the reader if they were embedded.

Consistency rating: 5

I did not see any inconsistencies.

Modularity rating: 4

The book is cleanly organized into sections and subsections. Some pages were very long and could have been divided into two chapters (ethics chapter in particular - there could have been a different chapter on laws).

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The topics are presented in a clear, logical fashion.

Interface rating: 5

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammatical errors spotted.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

Some of the language used doesn't portray any nuance to situations which some may find problematic. Here is an example: "Homeless students are battered psychologically and emotionally"

Reviewed by Joanna Koch, Assistant Teaching Professor, North Carolina State University on 8/29/23

Overall, the Introduction to Education textbook provides a solid introduction to the major themes in the field of education. This textbook would serve as a resource for an introductory education course because the topics, terms, and issues are relevant and necessary to discuss with pre-service teachers. One of the strengths of the textbook is having essential questions at the beginning of each chapter. Then, throughout the chapter, the content provides answers to those essential questions. Also, the textbook provides different "scenarios" for students to apply their understanding in situations they may encounter in their future careers. An area for consideration would be providing more information through visual aids, diagrams, or charts throughout the different chapters. For instance, Chapter 2 would benefit from a table noting the differences between elementary, middle, and high school, which would serve as a quick reference and a representation of the differences between those types of schools. Altogether, the textbook provides the reader with an overview of the education field.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

Generally, most of the book’s content is accurate. However, I would agree with previous reviewers' comments concerning inaccuracies. Additionally, Chapter 6 opens with a question of “excellence or equity - is one more important than the other?”. In reflecting on this chapter’s title, I would suggest changing the chapter to “Equality vs. Equity – What is the difference?” because this is a common question discussed in education courses. Furthermore, pre-service teachers will encounter situations of inequity and inequality and need to understand the differences in order to respond effectively.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The arrangement of the text is relevant. In particular, I appreciate how the chapters build upon each other to make the text relevant to teaching experiences both in the past and present. One suggestion is to update the websites to make sure the websites reflect data that is current, such as the teacher pay in chapter one. Understandably, websites can change over time, so it might be necessary to have more inquiry-based questions for students to explore the web. For instance, the chapter text could have the reader explore the web for their state’s curriculum standards and have reflection questions that guide the students in exploring the state education standards. In doing so, the websites in the text would not need to be continuously updated.

Clarity rating: 4

When reviewing the textbook, the text was a straightforward read that included student-friendly vocabulary. I appreciate when an introduction textbook provides students with clearly worded terms that students can understand and apply in appropriate contexts. One suggestion is to make sure all vocabulary terms are bolded in the text for easy reference. Bolding the vocabulary terms can assist students in applying them during assignments and studying them for assessments.

The chapters flowed well together and the text was very consistent in the format. One of the text's strengths was including an essential question at the beginning of the chapter that is answered throughout the chapter. In doing so, the book modeled effective teaching practices. I appreciate how the textbook's format was consistent in its framework and layout.

In reflecting upon the textbook holistically, it would be helpful if the "Philosophy", "History", and "Effective Teachers" chapters were earlier in the textbook. Introduction to Education courses typically teach this content during the early to middle part of the semester in order to set up the foundation of education for their students. Also, these chapters can be referenced back to when discussing more current policies and practices. Additionally, the "Classroom Management" chapter was a detailed chapter, which makes me wonder if some of the earlier, shorter chapters could include more information and content.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The text's organization flows well with the chapters having similar setups. In other words, the text's format was organized with a familiar layout for each chapter, so readers will feel comfortable using and referencing the text. As mentioned previously, some of the philosophical and historical chapters could be discussed earlier and then referenced in the curriculum chapter later in the book.

Interface rating: 4

Overall, there were no major issues with the text regarding navigating to different chapters. Additionally, the text's features would not be confusing for the reader. However, some of the images/charts were distorted or cut-off. It would be helpful to update the text to ensure the images/charts were on one page.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

As mentioned by previous reviewers, the book would benefit from another round of proofreading to ensure there are no words missing from the text.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

When updating the text, it would be beneficial to include a variety of individuals in the images, such as on page 26, “Erikson’s Eight Stages of Psychosocial Development”. It had the same individual in visual. Furthermore, it would be helpful if the textbook was updated with more representation of teachers and students from a variety of cultures.

The Introduction to Education text will provide the reader with an introduction to the field of education by exploring relevant topics, concepts, and issues.

Reviewed by Roberta Freeman, Instructor, Minnesota State Community and Technical College on 3/9/23

Beasley and Haulmark's Introduction to Education: Becoming a Professional covers similar content to other education texts I have examined and/or adopted. While most of the chapters are thorough, I did note a few that could have been expanded upon. For example, adding a brief overview of the history of schools may provide more depth when discussing the purpose of schools in Chapter 2. Further, addressing current education reform may offer a broader perspective about what a new teacher can expect in Chapter 11. Finally, since some Introduction to Education courses require students to complete a certain number of field experience hours in K-12 classrooms and compile a portfolio, brief tips or questions could be added to the "What do you think?" sections at the end of the chapter.

Overall, the content is accurate. I noted a minor error at the end of Chapter 3. The information following "Who are today's students?" (p. 33 of downloaded text) seemed to be related to the first chapter.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The arrangement of the text makes it easy to update information or videos. I appreciated the relevant content the authors included, such as using movement and considering furniture choices to manage the learning environment.

Clarity rating: 5

I found this text to be conversational, engaging, easy to digest, and honest. Without mention of the current teacher shortage, the authors clearly explain the demands of teaching while also reflecting on the rewards of the profession.

Chapters in the text follow a similar organizational structure, making it consistent and predictable. However, the use of a variety of videos, links, and assignments keeps each chapter fresh and interesting.

Modularity rating: 5

The two sections of the text makes it easy to realign topics and chapters. For example, when teaching Introduction to Education, I often discuss educational philosophy before the midterm exam, so I would most likely assign Chapter 9 earlier on the syllabus without being disruptive to students.

The overall organization of the text was clear although some of the content in the shorter chapters could be integrated into another chapter. For example, some information about educational philosophy in Chapter 9, which is a brief chapter, could be incorporated into Chapter 5 about what is taught. The same could be true about Chapter 10 on excellence or equity.

Although some charts were small and difficult to read, the visual images were aptly chosen. Being able to enlarge them could be helpful to students.

The book contains a few minor errors, such as omitting an occasional word. For example, on p. 98 of the downloaded text, the word "be" should appear in this sentence: "...others may ruminating about...(p. 98).

Although the text includes chapters about today's students and social issues, I prefer a stronger focus on and examples of inclusiveness within each chapter, particularly with the increasing diversity and variety of students in our classrooms and a decreasing variety of teachers.

Reviewed by Jessica Fortner, Curriculum & Program Improvement Coordinator, Hutchinson Community College on 3/4/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This book is comprehensive in that it covers many of the most current view of the daily life of a teacher while braiding in the historical background of education in the United States and theories of child development and teaching and learning. The textbook covers what it means to teach and finishes with useful tools on ethics, curriculum and instruction, and classroom environment.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Content is up to date and sources of information are cited throughout each chapter. A comprehensive list of sources is found at the end of the book. At the end of the chapter students have the option to "dig deeper" into the content and learn more from sources or with searchable terms like "Individuals with Disabilities Act, 20 U.S.C. 1400 (200)". I would suggest in the spirit of sharing current terms in education that the authors may want to mention the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act in chapter 4 under the the heading "Homelessness".

The authors cover relevant topics like Special Education law, Maslow's Heirarchy of Need, differentiated instruction, and socio-economic status. Each of these relevant topics are explained in adequate detail along with a connection to its impact on the daily life of a teacher. The presentation of information is broken up so that revisions and updates can be made without impacting the flow of information. Chapter 9 does discuss Danielsen's framework of teaching which is used in some states. Some states, however, measure teacher effectiveness using different measurements. I would say similarities can be found that are transferrable.

The textbook is written with the mindset of a true introduction. Information is shared in a conversational pattern which makes it easy to read. Any technical vocabulary is defined in understandable terms within the text. I do think bolding the key terms would be useful for readers.

Each chapter begins with a question that is answered throughout the chapter. Key terms and objectives are presented prominently following and introductory paragraph. Information progress with headings, videos, charts, images, videos, and links to further information. Each chapter ends by summarizing the answer to the chapter question, key term interactive flashcards, and the "dig deeper" section.

The textbook is broken into logical and appropriate lengths by chapters and headings. The presentation of information can easily broken into parts for instructors to mold and use alongside their own syllabus.

Each chapter follows a predictable pattern. The organizational pattern makes it easy to read and navigate.

Overall the text is easily navigated. I found the charts titled "Erikson's Eight Stages of Psychosocial Development" and Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs in chapter 3 hard to see. It would be nice if they were larger or if you could click on them and they would be magnified so you can read the fine print. White text on colored background can be hard for some readers. It may also be useful to bold the titles and headings.

The textbook was free of grammatical errors from my observation.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The authors have presented information on diversity and culture differences in a unbiased and positive way. Again, they reference the changes that the educational system has undergone through the last several years which includes creating inclusive environments.

In my personal opinion, this textbook is a great introductory text. This approach allows the reader to make connections and reflect on new information in a way that is productive and positive about education. In order to be a teacher today, it is essential for new teachers to have a wholistic view of education that makes sense at an introductory level. This will help them know what is ahead.

Reviewed by Teri Eckhoff, Academic Advisor with part time teaching responsibilities, Hutchinson Community College on 3/1/22

For students considering majoring in education the book is comprehensive, covering a myriad of topics they should consider as they decide, "Do I want to be a teacher?" The book begins by asking "Why Teach?" asking the students to examine their motives for teaching. After the students read through the following chapters they are presented with a final chapter on "What can the new teacher expect?" By the time they cover the content of the book that discusses many of the areas they probably haven't considered they should be able to make an informed decision about pursuing a career in education. In addition, the authors provide additional resources at the end of each chapter to allow students to "dig deeper."

Students are presented with relevant and timely content based on best practices in education including differentiated instruction, classroom management strategies, the importance of the school environment, connecting with families, etc. In addition, background knowledge students should have, but may not possess, is shared such as Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Erikson's Eight States of Psychosocial Development.

The information in the textbook is up-to-date and informs the students not only about foundational topics in education but more recent information such as the ethics of teaching and current practices in teaching that have proven beneficial for student learning. The linked resources are from within the last few years providing timely information. The information is presented in such a manner that when updates are needed they can be done with relative ease.

The content of the textbook is presented in a way that students should understand it. Each chapter title is presented as a question and a very brief overview is given at the beginning of the chapter. In addition, the chapter objectives and key terms are given to the students within a framed window making them very clear to the students. While the key terms are identified within the colored window at the beginning of the chapter, they are not highlighted throughout the text of the chapter. In some cases, when doing a search, the term wasn't found within the text of the chapter. An example of this is in the chapter "How do social issues affect students?" the key terms "at-risk" and "socioeconomic status" were not found within the text of the chapter. However, each key term for the chapter is found in interactive flashcards at the end of the chapter. The text clarifies difficult to understand information by explaining it in terms students can understand.

Each chapter of the book is consistent in presenting the same format for students, so there are no surprises mid-way through the textbook. Students first encounter the ideas of the chapter in a question form with the title presented as a question. Then they read a short introduction followed by the chapter objectives and key terms and another paragraph or two on the topic after which they are asked the question, "What do you think?" After pondering their thoughts they dive into each concept within the chapter. Occasionally there is a link to an outside source or a video for them to watch, and/or an interactive activity for them to engage in. Once they read through the content they may encounter a summary or conclusion followed by the heading "Thoughts" in which they are given an idea to ponder. The end of the chapter also contains the interactive flashcards of the key terms.

Overall, the textbook is divided into two sections which can be seen in the sidebar menu. Each of the main sections has a drop down menu allowing students to see and access the specific chapters within the section. The sequence of the material is logical. The students have access to additional information via links that are provided which access additional articles about the topics being covered. In addition, the textbook chapters are segmented in ways making them accessible and allowing students to easily find sections to read if they are not assigned an entire chapter.

The textbook is divided into two sections: Foundations of Schools and Their Students and Teachers and the Profession. This organization allows the student to learn foundational information about education first and then follow that with more teacher-centric information. In order for students to gain an understanding of the "Teacher and the Profession" information having the foundational knowledge will be beneficial.

When working my way through the textbook, I didn't not experience any problems with the interface. All of the links were working, the images, charts, etc. were not distorted in any way and the interactive components worked effectively. I was able to navigate chapters non-sequentially by using the menu in the side-bar. After navigating my way through the textbook, I would not anticipate that the students would have any problems.

The text contained no grammatical errors and was easy to read and follow.

Students who read this textbook will gain an understanding of the importance of diversity, inclusiveness, and equity in education. The information provided is presented in a manner in which students are able to "digest" the information and it's relevance to education. The book also represents different cultures in the images and videos students will see.

I am confident if I used this OER Introduction to Education textbook the students would gain a valuable understanding of the concepts and be able to apply the relevant information to past educational experiences allowing them to move forward with their studies in education with a solid base of knowledge regarding key points in education.

Reviewed by Connie Phelps, Professor, Emporia State University on 1/5/22

Beasley and Haulmark provide a comprehensive introduction to P-12 education with 11 chapters in 2 parts: Foundations of Schools (Chapters 1-6) and Teachers and the Profession (Chapters 7-11). Each chapter includes objectives and keywords on key topics in the field with links to Wikibooks, videos, and other relevant sources. A concluding reference section includes all sources in a chapter by chapter listing.

The authors present material from credible sources that exemplify inclusiveness, equity, and diversity in chapter narratives and linked material. External sources include primary and secondary materials relevant to today's schools, students, and teachers. The authors include special education law and prepares teachers to work effectively in Arkansas as well as schools nationally. The course highlights knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to begin a teaching career successfully.

By constructing the course in two distinct parts related to schools/students and teachers, the authors can update chapters easily as laws and protocols change. The chapters introduce topics clearly and and engage participants in short activities that provide immediate reinforcement of concepts and terms. Each chapter includes key terminology as flashcards for review and reinforcement. All chapters provide additional reading for a deeper dive, and some chapters include short quizzes or questionnaires to engage learners in relevant topics.

The authors use an appropriate level of terminology and phrasing with illustrations, photos, and documents to reinforce learning. Mini-quizzes with key points and flashcard vocabulary provide short exercises to ensure learners acquire needed knowledge, skills, and dispositions for each topic. Some chapters include case studies written conversationally for more depth on topics.

The authors organize chapters consistently with primary and secondary headings, thought-provoking quotations, and adequate white space between sections. All chapter titles pose relevant questions that orient the learner to its purpose. Common features in chapters include Objectives and Key Terms, What do you think? exercises, Test Your Vocabulary Skills, Dig Deeper, and credits and citations.

Learners easily access the Contents as a sidebar on the left side of the page. The two course sections function with separate dropdown menus for each chapter that show or hide contents, as the learner prefers. Each chapter narrative scrolls down easily with chapter sections clearly indicated by primary and secondary headings. Hot links for supplemental information keep the chapter narrative uncluttered and focused. Each chapter seems manageable individually and clearly distinguished as an integral part of its respective section and context.

The course begins with the broader context of the school/student, then focuses on the teacher/profession. Within these two parts, chapter titles pose a short essential question to orient the learner. The foundations part avoids overlap of content by addressing a rationale for teaching (Ch. 1), purpose of schools (Ch. 2), today's students (Ch. 3), social issues (Ch. 4), education philosophy (Ch. 5), and excellence and equity (Ch. 6). The second part applies foundational understanding to ethics and legal issues (Ch. 7), elementary and secondary curricula (Ch. 8), effective teaching (Ch. 9), classroom environment (Ch. 10), and expectations of new teachers (Ch. 11). The course organizes these topics logically, clearly, and relevantly for persons entering the field of education.

Given 10 or more hot links in each chapter, only one in Chapter 7 (Michigan.gov) failed to open. When I requested access to a Google Document, the author sent the direct link within hours of the request. In Chapter 3, clearer images of the Erikson and Maslow models--or hot links--would reduce distortion. A limitation imposed by the New York Times prevent access to content in Chapter 6. In Chapter 9, I wondered if learners type in responses for their respective definitions of effective teachers. In Chapter 10, the chapter quiz link appeared missing. The Chapter 11 quiz seemed to indicate one response, yet all response selections applied. The references for each chapter help learners further study important topics.

The authors write clearly connecting narrative without grammatical errors. In some cases, current APA style and formatting might update citations and references.

The text narrative seems learner-friendly and engaging for diverse learners, and the authors provide relevant resources that promote diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging for today's schools, classrooms, and teachers. The course provides an excellent orientation to dispositions needed for beginning elementary and secondary teachers to succeed in their chosen profession.

The collaboration of two seasoned educators contributes to the tone, content, and practice provided in the course. Each author contributes their unique perspective and background as a Director of Teacher Education (Beasley) and Director of Teacher Licensure (Haulmark). The blending of their respective roles contributes to a readable and engaging course to prepare teacher candidates for today's diverse primary and secondary schools.

Reviewed by Rachael Hoffert, Professor of Education, Grace College on 11/15/21

This textbook presented a thorough review of the teaching profession to students considering the field of education. Each chapter is organized by guiding questions regarding the purpose of school, student demographics, qualities of an effective teachers, and issues facing educators in today’s society. The textbook provides opportunities for students to reflect on chapter content with interactive multiple-choice questions. Upon completion of the textbook, students will gain a better understanding of the demands and rewards of the teaching profession.

The textbook presented an accurate representation of the role of a teacher in today’s educational field. High leverage practices were incorporated throughout the textbook. These practices included student- centered instruction such as learning centers, choice boards, and explicit instruction. The importance of differentiating instruction to meet the diverse needs of learners was described. The practices and theories explained in this textbook are implemented in schools and classrooms throughout today’s society.

The content in this textbook is up to date and directly relates to today’s teaching profession. However, the content could easily be altered as the teaching profession continues to change to meet the needs of today’s learners. The content presented in this textbook answers big questions about education and the teaching profession. Due to this unique organization, the textbook could easily be updated to change instructional strategies, add technology teaching components or revise information regarding standards or student demographics.

The textbook language was concise and applies directly to the audience of preservice teachers. Each chapter begins with a relevant question and continues with student friendly objectives. Key terms are also presented in the beginning of each chapter allowing readers to preview important concepts. The chapter text is organized in paragraphs and contains bullets and charts for a variety of learners. Presentation of content is not overwhelming. An interactive vocabulary activity is available at the end of each chapter to review learning.

Students will appreciate the simplistic and expected format of each textbook chapter. Each chapter has a guiding question, objectives, terms, explanations and thinking prompts. In addition, each chapter provided students an opportunity to check their understanding of key concepts. Practical examples were also provided throughout the textbook.

This book could easily be divided into syllabus course topics and assigned readings. The textbook provides an overall view of the field of education. However, each topic is thoroughly explained regarding the role of an effective teacher, curriculum development, today's students.

Topics are presented in a logical and clear fashion making content accessible to grasp. The textbook begins with a broad understanding of education and moves to specific roles of teachers along with characteristics of today's students. In addition, the textbook presents ethical issues within the profession and how to develop a personal philosophy of education. Textbook organization moves from basic understanding to application.

I had no interface or navigation issues when reviewing this textbook. I was able to navigate easily through the chapter and all text features displayed properly. The interactive questions and vocabulary reviews were easy to use in order to review textbook content. The interface was not confusing.

The text contained no grammatical errors and was written in a way that was easy to understand and comprehend. There was varied sentence structure and relevant examples to ensure the readers' attention. I have no suggestions for grammatical edits.

I appreciated how the text addressed diversity regarding today's students. Family structure, cultural, language, socioeconomic status were examples of diversity included throughout the textbook in an inclusive and sensitive manner. The importance of equity and inclusiveness in the classroom was a priority.

This textbook provides a strong introduction to the field of education!

Reviewed by Jennifer Richardson, Assistant Professor of Reading, Pittsburg State University on 10/22/21

I think it is quite difficult to present an exhaustive view of teaching. I think the text was quite comprehensive, given it's an introduction. Other books are more narrow in scope. The First Days of School, by Wong and Wong, is generally... read more

I found no evidence of inaccuracy in the text. There were places I didn't agree with whole-heartedly, as I retired from 25 years of public school teaching, all in Title I schools. I have dealt with a lot of the topics they mention regarding poverty. I wouldn't say the authors' information is inaccurate, just different than my view.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

The world of education has changed a great deal in a short period of time. Prospective teachers must also be masters of the Zoom parent-teacher conference, communicate via text message, and open their classrooms to scrutiny, like never before. That said, this text does cover teaching fairly comprehensively. I appreciated the references to Linda Darling-Hammond, to Hirsch, but was surprised that Wiggins and McTighe weren't mentioned. Most new teachers will have some accountability for backwards design, especially if their schools have adopted project-based learning and STEAM. I also missed the mention of Multi-Tiered Support Systems, having evolved from the simpler Response to Intervention model. Most new teachers will also be accountable for MTSS or RTI with the added behavior interventions. It's a new world in education. I believe with a few revisions to reflect the major changes, this text will be an excellent resource for pre-program teaching candidates to decide whether a teaching career is right for them.

The text appears to be written for a pre-program teacher candidate, possibly a high school senior. While there were some specific vocabulary that might be challenging for someone who is not a teacher, there were explanations and additional resources to add to the reader's growing understanding of teaching.

The book was arranged helpfully with initial objectives for reading and follow-up thinking prompts. Each chapter followed a predictable structure.

I prefer a book that can be easily segmented. This text has solid, stand-alone chapters yet supportive of the central message.

For the most part, this text is organized in a clear fashion. Chapter 6: What Makes an Effective Teacher, might be useful if directly following Chapter 1, Why Teach? The two chapters build very well on one another. Because each chapter is a fairly good stand-alone, however, this isn't a huge issue as a reader.

Interface rating: 3

There were some readability issues with graphs and charts. For instance, the t-chart on page 14 was cut off, and on page 74 I could not see the Fixed Mindset portion of the chart.

I found no significant areas for revision of grammar.

The text addresses topics that relate to culture, equity, and inclusion, however there have been significant changes in policy and norms. I'm wondering if these chapters should be moved up towards the beginning and double-checked for content.

1. Why Teach?
2. What is the Purpose of School?
3. Who are Today's Students?
4. How Do Social Issues Affect Students?
5. What is Taught?
6. What Makes an Effective Teacher?
7. What is a Positive Classroom Environment?
8. What are the Ethical and Legal Issues in Schools?
9. What is an Educational Philosophy?
10. Excellence or Equity...Which is More Important?
11. What Can a New Teacher Expect?

Ancillary Material

About the book.

This book was written to provide students with an introduction to the field of education. The book is broken into chapters that focus on questions students may have about education in general. Although some chapters may go into more depth than others, this is created as an introductory text.

About the Contributors

Jennifer Beasley has more than 25 years of experience in education as an elementary school teacher, gifted facilitator, university professor, and education consultant. She is currently the Director of Teacher Education at the University of Arkansas and a professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Beasley specializes in Gifted Education, Differentiated Instruction, Understanding by Design, Teacher Education, Professional Development, and the Integration of Technology in the Classroom.

Myra Haulmark began her 25 plus years in education as a speech pathologist and gifted programs coordinator in K-12 schools. Myra is currently the Director of Teacher Licensure at the University of Arkansas and works with teacher candidates as they prepare for state licensure and provides training and support in the areas of reciprocity and teacher ethics to students during their educator preparation programs.

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A Guide to Writing about Education

Introduction, types of papers, discipline-specific strategies.

Education is a field that bridges anthropology, sociology, psychology, science, and philosophy. When writing about education, you will utilize a myriad of writing styles and formats to address your essay topics.

As an education student, you may be asked to write:

journals/field-notes: think of field-notes as the clay for your future thoughts, observations, and ideas; these are informal
literature reviews: categorize or conceptualize relevant pieces of literature
analysis papers: analyze outside sources to promote your own interpretation of a particular theory or style
evaluative essays: look at a particular approach to teaching or theory of learning and discuss strengths and weaknesses
narratives present collected data through use of informal methods, imaginary letters to parents, recommendations for school, etc.
case studies: present problem, discuss others' thoughts on the issue, describe and analyze data/evidence, and draw conclusions
research and lab papers: identify research questions, contextualize the question in the research literature; identify hypotheses, methods of data collection and reduction and analysis; discuss findings.

Here are some suggestions for approaching any education paper:

Write about something that interests you Choose topics that will inspire you to delve deeper into research, synthesize new ideas, and spend time writing, revising, and editing. If you have trouble thinking of a topic, review your journal to see what ideas you have already come up with that might be applicable.
Read If you're feeling confused about what is expected of you, try reading similar papers. Get together with other students and read each other's papers. Or, ask the professor to suggest some journal articles for you to look at for inspiration.
Talk Talk about your paper, your ideas, and your problems. Talk with your professors, your classmates, and your friends. This will allow you to test out new ideas, find a topic you care about, talk through problems, and see where other people stand on your issue.
Write a really bad paper It will give you a foundation to build a really great paper. Just be daring and try out radical ideas.
Have ideas Make sure that each paper has an argument or an idea that you create. Outside support should be used to support the ideas you develop.
Ground ideas in outside information Your ideas should be firmly based in outside literature, field-notes, research, etc. Every idea should have some fact or observation that supports it.
Expect to revise Revise once, twice, as many times as needed. Be prepared to rip up a thesis or change your argument if necessary. Revision of grammar, content, and organization is key to an excellent paper. Good writing doesn't happen by magic.
Take risks in ideas and in structure If your idea doesn't work out, try something else. Use complex and diverse sentences. Have fun while you're writing!

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Education: A Very Short Introduction (2nd edn)

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Education: A Very Short Introduction examines the ideas that have shaped education over the years, showing how and why today’s schools have grown into their current form. It explores how education has been moulded by politics, philosophy, and social science, and focuses especially on arguments over the competing benefits of formality and freedom in teaching. This new edition examines in greater depth the inequalities perpetuated by current education systems, asking whether education makes for social mobility, as often claimed, or, in reality, actually reinforces existing inequity. Looking forward, it evaluates the impact of controversial legislation on future students, and considers how teaching must evolve to keep pace with an increasingly digital world.

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Introduction: What Is Education for?

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I have never let my schooling interfere with my education. Mark Twain

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Baldwin, R. (1989). You are your child’s first teacher . Berkeley: Celestial Arts.

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Pyne, C. (2014, April 17). Australians to have their say on teacher education. Media Release , Thursday. https://ministers.education.gov.au/pyne/australians-have-their-say-teacher-education . Accessed 23 Mar 2018.

Stehlik, T. (2011). Relationships, participation and support: Necessary components for inclusive learning environments and (re)engaging learners. Chapter 7, In T. Stehlik & J. Patterson (Eds.), Changing the paradigm: Education as the key to a socially inclusive future. Brisbane: Post Pressed.

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Stehlik, T. (2018). Introduction: What Is Education for?. In: Educational Philosophy for 21st Century Teachers. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75969-2_1

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Introduction to us education.

This course introduces students to the central themes, issues, and controversies in American education. What is the purpose of “school”? How did schools begin, in the United States, and how have they evolved across time? How do children learn? How are they different from each other, and why and when should that matter? How should we teach them? and how should we structure schools and classrooms to promote learning?

Liberal Arts Core/CORE Equivalent - satisfies the requirement for Society and Social Sciences

James Fraser

Professor of history and education, department of applied statistics, social science, and humanities.

For syllabus, please email Dominic Brewer at [email protected] .

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Career Planning
Finding a Job
Interview Strategies

Interview Questions About Your Educational Background

What Employers Want to Know

Types of Interview Questions
Questions Asked About Education
Tips for Answering Questions
How to Make the Best Impression

It's important to be prepared to discuss your education with hiring managers during job interviews. A certain level of education may be a job requirement for the position , so the interview will validate whether you have the credentials listed in your resume or application.

For some jobs, education will relate specifically to the qualifications required for the job for which you're applying. For others, especially entry-level positions , it will be an indication of your ability to handle the role.

During a job interview, you will likely get one or two questions about your educational background. You might get a general question such as, "Tell me about your educational background," or a more specific question like, "What coursework have you taken that relates to your career?"

The hiring manager will ask questions about your education to learn how it has prepared you for the job. If you are a recent graduate, you can highlight how your education has prepared you for a career.

If your academic background is not very extensive or does not meet the requirements of the position, you can use your answer to explain how the education you do have connects to the job.

Types of Interview Questions About Education

There are a number of types of interview questions an employer might ask about your education. First, he or she might ask a question about how your major or minor, or your coursework, relates to the job you are applying for.

You also might get questions about why you selected particular courses or majors, or even why you chose the college you went to.

Some employers might ask you to describe a particular class project or assignment that relates to the job.

These kinds of questions are most common if you are a recent graduate, because your memory of your coursework is still fresh.

You might also be asked a question about your grades or your GPA . For example, an employer might ask whether you think that your GPA or grades could reflect your ability to do the job.

Finally, a hiring manager may ask a question about why your educational background does not fit the requirements of the job . For example, if a master's degree is recommended for the job and you do not have one, an employer might ask you to explain why you have not pursued a master's degree, or how your lack of a master's might impact your ability to do the job.

Typical Questions Asked About Education in a Job Interview

1. tell me about your educational background..

What They Want to Know: This is a straightforward question. Interviewers want to confirm what level of education you have, and confirm it matches what you noted on your resume or application. This is also an opportunity for you to connect your education to skills that will be relevant in the job at hand.

My degree in American history helped me develop the research skills necessary for a job in library science. For example, for my senior project, I researched historical newspapers at three different libraries, and also conducted extensive online research. My ability to find and read a variety of sources will allow me to help students that approach me with similar questions.

2. How has your education prepared you for your career?

What They Want to Know: Interviewers are eager to see any connections between your academic knowledge and your career. In some cases, there may be a direct connection — for example, you may have a master's in education, and are applying for a role as a teacher. Other times, the connection may be less clear-cut, and this question can be a way to show you think on your feet and can draw connections.

I know that a bachelor's degree in English literature may feel very far afield from computer science, but one thing I've discovered while working as an engineer is the importance of communication. Those were skills that got really sharp through my undergrad experience. Then, of course, once I was in the workforce and realized programming was a passion, I attended graduate school in computer science at ABC University to strengthen my technological skills.

3. Tell me about how a particular course or course project helped you succeed in a project with an employer.

What They Want to Know: Interviewers are looking for you to connect your academic experience with work, and show that your academic skills are applicable.

In my undergrad history class, we needed to work in groups to present a paper. It involved a lot of collaboration, and our group was chosen randomly, so we didn't have a pre-existing relationship. I quickly realized we needed an organizational leader and assumed that role. I find that often happens in offices too: There are a lot of people with passion and knowledge, but someone needs to direct and organize that energy. Recently, I worked on a project to update the company style guide, and found myself developing the framework for how we would organize the work, solicit feedback, and incorporate ideas.

4. Do your grades reflect your potential?

What They Want to Know : You may get this question if your grades are not high. It's an opportunity for you to explain why they are not higher. If you have a strong GPA, of course, you can answer "yes" and elaborate a bit.

At my college, it was always very clear which classes to take if your goal was a high GPA. Not only did I opt to take the more challenging classes—which meant sometimes getting lower grades than my peers—but I also participated in the track team, which required devoting many hours to practice, and held a part-time job. I'm proud of my experience in college, but as you can see, the grades are just one portion of what I did.

5. Why have you not opted to pursue a master's degree?

What They Want to Know: In some industries, a master's degree can be an indicator of ambition. Or, the interviewer may simply be curious if you plan to return to school. This is also an opportunity to show how you continue to learn and expand your skills, even if you are not getting a graduate degree.

I did not pursue a master's degree because I had developed extensive programming skills while pursuing my undergraduate degree, and for this reason I was ready to begin my career in coding as soon as I graduated. For example, by my senior year, I had become fluent in Java, Python, C#, and PHP. Because of my coding knowledge and professionalism, I successfully moved up in the ranks at the first company I worked for after college. However, I continue to seek educational opportunities; for example, I am currently learning Ruby and Objective-C through an online program.

6. Do you have any regrets about the way you spent your time during college?

What They Want to Know: This question asks you to do some self-reflection, and can show interviewers a lot about your character. While it's likely best to avoid an answer that says flatly, "I don't have any regrets," you'll also want to avoid any response that is too negative or is self-sabotaging.

I had a truly wonderful college experience. In general, I just wish I could have done more: taken more classes, participated in more extracurriculars, and attended even more guest speaker events. I got so much out of the experience, and did my best to balance academics with building relationships.

7. Why did you not complete your college degree?

What They Want to Know: This is an opportunity for you to explain why you haven't completed your degree. Since this can look like you don't have follow-through or commitment, try to point to an explanation for why you didn't finish the degree (a family situation, a better opportunity) that shows you are responsible.

Midway through college, I had a summer internship with a start-up company. During that summer, I got very immersed in the creation of a product that became the focal point for the company's marketing strategy. I was asked to stay on, so deferred going back. I'd imagined it would just be a year, but it wound up turning into a big opportunity, and so I suck with that company, working there for 5 years. It's always on my list to complete the degree, but I've found, so far, that the degree isn't necessary for me to perform in the workplace.

Some other questions you may get about your education include:

What extracurricular activities did you participate in ?
What influenced your choice of college?
What other schools did you consider attending?
Why did you choose your major ?
Who helped you decide which college to attend?
Do you have any long-term education goals?
What skills have you learned in college that apply to your career?
Your major doesn't relate at all to this job. Do you still think your coursework has helped prepare you for this job?

Tips for Answering Questions About Your Education

Connect your education to the job. Whatever the specific question, be sure to connect your educational background and other job qualifications to the position . Before your interview, make a list of the skills and experiences required for the position, and then think about courses you took and projects you completed that helped you develop those skills .

Consider extracurricular activities. You don't only have to include examples from coursework. Think about extracurricular activities at school that helped you develop specific skills or abilities necessary for the job.

Consider transferable skills. If you majored in a topic that is unrelated to the job, try to think of transferable skills you developed in your courses that apply to the job. For example, perhaps you majored in English but are applying for a job in consulting. Talk about how all of your essay assignments helped you develop communication skills , which are required for working with clients.

Go beyond the resume. The hiring manager likely knows what school you went to and what degree you received, since this information will be in the education section of your resume. When answering questions about your education, don't just repeat what is stated on your resume. Mention a unique course or experience that shows how your educational background has prepared you for the job.

Don't be modest. Now is not the time to downplay your academic achievements. Don't be afraid to mention an award you won, or an "A" you received for a project.

Don't lie. If your grades were not good, or you did not complete your degree, don't lie to the employer. He or she will easily be able to find out whether you are lying. However, you can answer a question about your education honestly while still demonstrating why you are a good fit for the job. For example, if you did not complete your degree, you might emphasize the skills you developed through your coursework, and then highlight the work experience you gained when you left school.

How to Make the Best Impression

Be prepared to discuss your education, and draw connections between the skills you gained there and the role at hand.

If you did not complete a program or degree, or did not perform well, this is also an opportunity to explain that. And, if you did perform well, this is your opportunity to mention any acknowledgements or achievements.

Finally, think of questions about your education as being a bit of a conversation-starter.

This is an opportunity for you to share a bit about yourself—your interests, why you chose your major, and so on.

You might find that this question turns the interview from a back-and-forth question-and-answer session into more of a conversation, which is typically a good sign during an interview.

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How to Write an Essay Introduction (with Examples)  

The introduction of an essay plays a critical role in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. It sets the stage for the rest of the essay, establishes the tone and style, and motivates the reader to continue reading.

What is an essay introduction , what to include in an essay introduction, how to create an essay structure , step-by-step process for writing an essay introduction , how to write an introduction paragraph , how to write a hook for your essay , how to include background information , how to write a thesis statement .

Argumentative Essay Introduction Example:
Expository Essay Introduction Example

Literary Analysis Essay Introduction Example

Check and revise – checklist for essay introduction , key takeaways , frequently asked questions .

An introduction is the opening section of an essay, paper, or other written work. It introduces the topic and provides background information, context, and an overview of what the reader can expect from the rest of the work. 1 The key is to be concise and to the point, providing enough information to engage the reader without delving into excessive detail.

The essay introduction is crucial as it sets the tone for the entire piece and provides the reader with a roadmap of what to expect. Here are key elements to include in your essay introduction:

Hook : Start with an attention-grabbing statement or question to engage the reader. This could be a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or a compelling anecdote.
Background information : Provide context and background information to help the reader understand the topic. This can include historical information, definitions of key terms, or an overview of the current state of affairs related to your topic.
Thesis statement : Clearly state your main argument or position on the topic. Your thesis should be concise and specific, providing a clear direction for your essay.

Before we get into how to write an essay introduction, we need to know how it is structured. The structure of an essay is crucial for organizing your thoughts and presenting them clearly and logically. It is divided as follows: 2

Introduction:  The introduction should grab the reader’s attention with a hook, provide context, and include a thesis statement that presents the main argument or purpose of the essay.
Body:  The body should consist of focused paragraphs that support your thesis statement using evidence and analysis. Each paragraph should concentrate on a single central idea or argument and provide evidence, examples, or analysis to back it up.
Conclusion:  The conclusion should summarize the main points and restate the thesis differently. End with a final statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Avoid new information or arguments.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write an essay introduction:

Start with a Hook : Begin your introduction paragraph with an attention-grabbing statement, question, quote, or anecdote related to your topic. The hook should pique the reader’s interest and encourage them to continue reading.
Provide Background Information : This helps the reader understand the relevance and importance of the topic.
State Your Thesis Statement : The last sentence is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be clear, concise, and directly address the topic of your essay.
Preview the Main Points : This gives the reader an idea of what to expect and how you will support your thesis.
Keep it Concise and Clear : Avoid going into too much detail or including information not directly relevant to your topic.
Revise : Revise your introduction after you’ve written the rest of your essay to ensure it aligns with your final argument.

Here’s an example of an essay introduction paragraph about the importance of education:

Education is often viewed as a fundamental human right and a key social and economic development driver. As Nelson Mandela once famously said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” It is the key to unlocking a wide range of opportunities and benefits for individuals, societies, and nations. In today’s constantly evolving world, education has become even more critical. It has expanded beyond traditional classroom learning to include digital and remote learning, making education more accessible and convenient. This essay will delve into the importance of education in empowering individuals to achieve their dreams, improving societies by promoting social justice and equality, and driving economic growth by developing a skilled workforce and promoting innovation.

This introduction paragraph example includes a hook (the quote by Nelson Mandela), provides some background information on education, and states the thesis statement (the importance of education).

This is one of the key steps in how to write an essay introduction. Crafting a compelling hook is vital because it sets the tone for your entire essay and determines whether your readers will stay interested. A good hook draws the reader in and sets the stage for the rest of your essay.

Avoid Dry Fact : Instead of simply stating a bland fact, try to make it engaging and relevant to your topic. For example, if you’re writing about the benefits of exercise, you could start with a startling statistic like, “Did you know that regular exercise can increase your lifespan by up to seven years?”
Avoid Using a Dictionary Definition : While definitions can be informative, they’re not always the most captivating way to start an essay. Instead, try to use a quote, anecdote, or provocative question to pique the reader’s interest. For instance, if you’re writing about freedom, you could begin with a quote from a famous freedom fighter or philosopher.
Do Not Just State a Fact That the Reader Already Knows : This ties back to the first point—your hook should surprise or intrigue the reader. For Here’s an introduction paragraph example, if you’re writing about climate change, you could start with a thought-provoking statement like, “Despite overwhelming evidence, many people still refuse to believe in the reality of climate change.”

Including background information in the introduction section of your essay is important to provide context and establish the relevance of your topic. When writing the background information, you can follow these steps:

Start with a General Statement:  Begin with a general statement about the topic and gradually narrow it down to your specific focus. For example, when discussing the impact of social media, you can begin by making a broad statement about social media and its widespread use in today’s society, as follows: “Social media has become an integral part of modern life, with billions of users worldwide.”
Define Key Terms : Define any key terms or concepts that may be unfamiliar to your readers but are essential for understanding your argument.
Provide Relevant Statistics:  Use statistics or facts to highlight the significance of the issue you’re discussing. For instance, “According to a report by Statista, the number of social media users is expected to reach 4.41 billion by 2025.”
Discuss the Evolution:  Mention previous research or studies that have been conducted on the topic, especially those that are relevant to your argument. Mention key milestones or developments that have shaped its current impact. You can also outline some of the major effects of social media. For example, you can briefly describe how social media has evolved, including positives such as increased connectivity and issues like cyberbullying and privacy concerns.
Transition to Your Thesis:  Use the background information to lead into your thesis statement, which should clearly state the main argument or purpose of your essay. For example, “Given its pervasive influence, it is crucial to examine the impact of social media on mental health.”

A thesis statement is a concise summary of the main point or claim of an essay, research paper, or other type of academic writing. It appears near the end of the introduction. Here’s how to write a thesis statement:

Identify the topic:  Start by identifying the topic of your essay. For example, if your essay is about the importance of exercise for overall health, your topic is “exercise.”
State your position:  Next, state your position or claim about the topic. This is the main argument or point you want to make. For example, if you believe that regular exercise is crucial for maintaining good health, your position could be: “Regular exercise is essential for maintaining good health.”
Support your position:  Provide a brief overview of the reasons or evidence that support your position. These will be the main points of your essay. For example, if you’re writing an essay about the importance of exercise, you could mention the physical health benefits, mental health benefits, and the role of exercise in disease prevention.
Make it specific:  Ensure your thesis statement clearly states what you will discuss in your essay. For example, instead of saying, “Exercise is good for you,” you could say, “Regular exercise, including cardiovascular and strength training, can improve overall health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.”

Examples of essay introduction

Here are examples of essay introductions for different types of essays:

Argumentative Essay Introduction Example:

Topic: Should the voting age be lowered to 16?

“The question of whether the voting age should be lowered to 16 has sparked nationwide debate. While some argue that 16-year-olds lack the requisite maturity and knowledge to make informed decisions, others argue that doing so would imbue young people with agency and give them a voice in shaping their future.”

Expository Essay Introduction Example

Topic: The benefits of regular exercise

“In today’s fast-paced world, the importance of regular exercise cannot be overstated. From improving physical health to boosting mental well-being, the benefits of exercise are numerous and far-reaching. This essay will examine the various advantages of regular exercise and provide tips on incorporating it into your daily routine.”

Text: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee

“Harper Lee’s novel, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ is a timeless classic that explores themes of racism, injustice, and morality in the American South. Through the eyes of young Scout Finch, the reader is taken on a journey that challenges societal norms and forces characters to confront their prejudices. This essay will analyze the novel’s use of symbolism, character development, and narrative structure to uncover its deeper meaning and relevance to contemporary society.”

Engaging and Relevant First Sentence : The opening sentence captures the reader’s attention and relates directly to the topic.
Background Information : Enough background information is introduced to provide context for the thesis statement.
Definition of Important Terms : Key terms or concepts that might be unfamiliar to the audience or are central to the argument are defined.
Clear Thesis Statement : The thesis statement presents the main point or argument of the essay.
Relevance to Main Body : Everything in the introduction directly relates to and sets up the discussion in the main body of the essay.

Writing a strong introduction is crucial for setting the tone and context of your essay. Here are the key takeaways for how to write essay introduction: 3

Hook the Reader : Start with an engaging hook to grab the reader’s attention. This could be a compelling question, a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or an anecdote.
Provide Background : Give a brief overview of the topic, setting the context and stage for the discussion.
Thesis Statement : State your thesis, which is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be concise, clear, and specific.
Preview the Structure : Outline the main points or arguments to help the reader understand the organization of your essay.
Keep it Concise : Avoid including unnecessary details or information not directly related to your thesis.
Revise and Edit : Revise your introduction to ensure clarity, coherence, and relevance. Check for grammar and spelling errors.
Seek Feedback : Get feedback from peers or instructors to improve your introduction further.

The purpose of an essay introduction is to give an overview of the topic, context, and main ideas of the essay. It is meant to engage the reader, establish the tone for the rest of the essay, and introduce the thesis statement or central argument.

An essay introduction typically ranges from 5-10% of the total word count. For example, in a 1,000-word essay, the introduction would be roughly 50-100 words. However, the length can vary depending on the complexity of the topic and the overall length of the essay.

An essay introduction is critical in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. To ensure its effectiveness, consider incorporating these key elements: a compelling hook, background information, a clear thesis statement, an outline of the essay’s scope, a smooth transition to the body, and optional signposting sentences.

The process of writing an essay introduction is not necessarily straightforward, but there are several strategies that can be employed to achieve this end. When experiencing difficulty initiating the process, consider the following techniques: begin with an anecdote, a quotation, an image, a question, or a startling fact to pique the reader’s interest. It may also be helpful to consider the five W’s of journalism: who, what, when, where, why, and how. For instance, an anecdotal opening could be structured as follows: “As I ascended the stage, momentarily blinded by the intense lights, I could sense the weight of a hundred eyes upon me, anticipating my next move. The topic of discussion was climate change, a subject I was passionate about, and it was my first public speaking event. Little did I know , that pivotal moment would not only alter my perspective but also chart my life’s course.”

Crafting a compelling thesis statement for your introduction paragraph is crucial to grab your reader’s attention. To achieve this, avoid using overused phrases such as “In this paper, I will write about” or “I will focus on” as they lack originality. Instead, strive to engage your reader by substantiating your stance or proposition with a “so what” clause. While writing your thesis statement, aim to be precise, succinct, and clear in conveying your main argument.

To create an effective essay introduction, ensure it is clear, engaging, relevant, and contains a concise thesis statement. It should transition smoothly into the essay and be long enough to cover necessary points but not become overwhelming. Seek feedback from peers or instructors to assess its effectiveness.

References

Cui, L. (2022). Unit 6 Essay Introduction.  Building Academic Writing Skills .
West, H., Malcolm, G., Keywood, S., & Hill, J. (2019). Writing a successful essay.  Journal of Geography in Higher Education ,  43 (4), 609-617.
Beavers, M. E., Thoune, D. L., & McBeth, M. (2023). Bibliographic Essay: Reading, Researching, Teaching, and Writing with Hooks: A Queer Literacy Sponsorship. College English, 85(3), 230-242.

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It’s the roadmap to your essay, it’s the forecast for your argument, it’s...your introduction paragraph, and writing one can feel pretty intimidating. The introduction paragraph is a part of just about every kind of academic writing , from persuasive essays to research papers. But that doesn’t mean writing one is easy!

If trying to write an intro paragraph makes you feel like a Muggle trying to do magic, trust us: you aren’t alone. But there are some tips and tricks that can make the process easier—and that’s where we come in.

In this article, we’re going to explain how to write a captivating intro paragraph by covering the following info:

A discussion of what an introduction paragraph is and its purpose in an essay
An overview of the most effective introduction paragraph format, with explanations of the three main parts of an intro paragraph
An analysis of real intro paragraph examples, with a discussion of what works and what doesn’t
A list of four top tips on how to write an introduction paragraph

Are you ready? Let’s begin!

What Is an Introduction Paragraph?

An introduction paragraph is the first paragraph of an essay , paper, or other type of academic writing. Argumentative essays , book reports, research papers, and even personal essays are common types of writing that require an introduction paragraph. Whether you’re writing a research paper for a science course or an argumentative essay for English class , you’re going to have to write an intro paragraph.

So what’s the purpose of an intro paragraph? As a reader’s first impression of your essay, the intro paragraph should introduce the topic of your paper.

Your introduction will also state any claims, questions, or issues that your paper will focus on. This is commonly known as your paper’s thesis . This condenses the overall point of your paper into one or two short sentences that your reader can come back and reference later.

But intro paragraphs need to do a bit more than just introduce your topic. An intro paragraph is also supposed to grab your reader’s attention. The intro paragraph is your chance to provide just enough info and intrigue to make your reader say, “Hey, this topic sounds interesting. I think I’ll keep reading this essay!” That can help your essay stand out from the crowd.

In most cases, an intro paragraph will be relatively short. A good intro will be clear, brief, purposeful, and focused. While there are some exceptions to this rule, it’s common for intro paragraphs to consist of three to five sentences .

Effectively introducing your essay’s topic, purpose, and getting your reader invested in your essay sounds like a lot to ask from one little paragraph, huh? In the next section, we’ll demystify the intro paragraph format by breaking it down into its core parts . When you learn how to approach each part of an intro, writing one won’t seem so scary!

Once you figure out the three parts of an intro paragraph, writing one will be a piece of cake!

The 3 Main Parts of an Intro Paragraph

In general, an intro paragraph is going to have three main parts: a hook, context, and a thesis statement . Each of these pieces of the intro plays a key role in acquainting the reader with the topic and purpose of your essay.

Below, we’ll explain how to start an introduction paragraph by writing an effective hook, providing context, and crafting a thesis statement. When you put these elements together, you’ll have an intro paragraph that does a great job of making a great first impression on your audience!

Intro Paragraph Part 1: The Hook

When it comes to how to start an introduction paragraph, o ne of the most common approaches is to start with something called a hook.

What does hook mean here, though? Think of it this way: it’s like when you start a new Netflix series: you look up a few hours (and a few episodes) later and you say, “Whoa. I guess I must be hooked on this show!”

That’s how the hook is supposed to work in an intro paragrap h: it should get your reader interested enough that they don’t want to press the proverbial “pause” button while they’re reading it . In other words, a hook is designed to grab your reader’s attention and keep them reading your essay!

This means that the hook comes first in the intro paragraph format—it’ll be the opening sentence of your intro.

It’s important to realize that there are many different ways to write a good hook. But generally speaking, hooks must include these two things: what your topic is, and the angle you’re taking on that topic in your essay.

One approach to writing a hook that works is starting with a general, but interesting, statement on your topic. In this type of hook, you’re trying to provide a broad introduction to your topic and your angle on the topic in an engaging way .

For example, if you’re writing an essay about the role of the government in the American healthcare system, your hook might look something like this:

There's a growing movement to require that the federal government provide affordable, effective healthcare for all Americans.

This hook introduces the essay topic in a broad way (government and healthcare) by presenting a general statement on the topic. But the assumption presented in the hook can also be seen as controversial, which gets readers interested in learning more about what the writer—and the essay—has to say.

In other words, the statement above fulfills the goals of a good hook: it’s intriguing and provides a general introduction to the essay topic.

Intro Paragraph Part 2: Context

Once you’ve provided an attention-grabbing hook, you’ll want to give more context about your essay topic. Context refers to additional details that reveal the specific focus of your paper. So, whereas the hook provides a general introduction to your topic, context starts helping readers understand what exactly you’re going to be writing about

You can include anywhere from one to several sentences of context in your intro, depending on your teacher’s expectations, the length of your paper, and complexity of your topic. In these context-providing sentences, you want to begin narrowing the focus of your intro. You can do this by describing a specific issue or question about your topic that you’ll address in your essay. It also helps readers start to understand why the topic you’re writing about matters and why they should read about it.

So, what counts as context for an intro paragraph? Context can be any important details or descriptions that provide background on existing perspectives, common cultural attitudes, or a specific situation or controversy relating to your essay topic. The context you include should acquaint your reader with the issues, questions, or events that motivated you to write an essay on your topic...and that your reader should know in order to understand your thesis.

For instance, if you’re writing an essay analyzing the consequences of sexism in Hollywood, the context you include after your hook might make reference to the #metoo and #timesup movements that have generated public support for victims of sexual harassment.

The key takeaway here is that context establishes why you’re addressing your topic and what makes it important. It also sets you up for success on the final piece of an intro paragraph: the thesis statement.

Elle Woods' statement offers a specific point of view on the topic of murder...which means it could serve as a pretty decent thesis statement!

Intro Paragraph Part 3: The Thesis

The final key part of how to write an intro paragraph is the thesis statement. The thesis statement is the backbone of your introduction: it conveys your argument or point of view on your topic in a clear, concise, and compelling way . The thesis is usually the last sentence of your intro paragraph.

Whether it’s making a claim, outlining key points, or stating a hypothesis, your thesis statement will tell your reader exactly what idea(s) are going to be addressed in your essay. A good thesis statement will be clear, straightforward, and highlight the overall point you’re trying to make.

Some instructors also ask students to include an essay map as part of their thesis. An essay map is a section that outlines the major topics a paper will address. So for instance, say you’re writing a paper that argues for the importance of public transport in rural communities. Your thesis and essay map might look like this:

Having public transport in rural communities helps people improve their economic situation by giving them reliable transportation to their job, reducing the amount of money they spend on gas, and providing new and unionized work .

The underlined section is the essay map because it touches on the three big things the writer will talk about later. It literally maps out the rest of the essay!

So let’s review: Your thesis takes the idea you’ve introduced in your hook and context and wraps it up. Think of it like a television episode: the hook sets the scene by presenting a general statement and/or interesting idea that sucks you in. The context advances the plot by describing the topic in more detail and helping readers understand why the topic is important. And finally, the thesis statement provides the climax by telling the reader what you have to say about the topic.

The thesis statement is the most important part of the intro. Without it, your reader won’t know what the purpose of your essay is! And for a piece of writing to be effective, it needs to have a clear purpose. Your thesis statement conveys that purpose , so it’s important to put careful thought into writing a clear and compelling thesis statement.

How To Write an Introduction Paragraph: Example and Analysis

Now that we’ve provided an intro paragraph outline and have explained the three key parts of an intro paragraph, let’s take a look at an intro paragraph in action.

To show you how an intro paragraph works, we’ve included a sample introduction paragraph below, followed by an analysis of its strengths and weaknesses.

Example of Introduction Paragraph

While college students in the U.S. are struggling with how to pay for college, there is another surprising demographic that’s affected by the pressure to pay for college: families and parents. In the face of tuition price tags that total more than $100,000 (as a low estimate), families must make difficult decisions about how to save for their children’s college education. Charting a feasible path to saving for college is further complicated by the FAFSA’s estimates for an “Expected Family Contribution”—an amount of money that is rarely feasible for most American families. Due to these challenging financial circumstances and cultural pressure to give one’s children the best possible chance of success in adulthood, many families are going into serious debt to pay for their children’s college education. The U.S. government should move toward bearing more of the financial burden of college education.

Example of Introduction Paragraph: Analysis

Before we dive into analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of this example intro paragraph, let’s establish the essay topic. The sample intro indicates that t he essay topic will focus on one specific issue: who should cover the cost of college education in the U.S., and why. Both the hook and the context help us identify the topic, while the thesis in the last sentence tells us why this topic matters to the writer—they think the U.S. Government needs to help finance college education. This is also the writer’s argument, which they’ll cover in the body of their essay.

Now that we’ve identified the essay topic presented in the sample intro, let’s dig into some analysis. To pin down its strengths and weaknesses, we’re going to use the following three questions to guide our example of introduction paragraph analysis:

Does this intro provide an attention-grabbing opening sentence that conveys the essay topic?
Does this intro provide relevant, engaging context about the essay topic?
Does this intro provide a thesis statement that establishes the writer’s point of view on the topic and what specific aspects of the issue the essay will address?

Now, let’s use the questions above to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of this sample intro paragraph.

Does the Intro Have a Good Hook?

First, the intro starts out with an attention-grabbing hook . The writer starts by presenting an assumption (that the U.S. federal government bears most of the financial burden of college education), which makes the topic relatable to a wide audience of readers. Also note that the hook relates to the general topic of the essay, which is the high cost of college education.

The hook then takes a surprising turn by presenting a counterclaim : that American families, rather than students, feel the true burden of paying for college. Some readers will have a strong emotional reaction to this provocative counterclaim, which will make them want to keep reading! As such, this intro provides an effective opening sentence that conveys the essay topic.

Does the Intro Give Context?

T he second, third, and fourth sentences of the intro provide contextual details that reveal the specific focus of the writer’s paper . Remember: the context helps readers start to zoom in on what the paper will focus on, and what aspect of the general topic (college costs) will be discussed later on.

The context in this intro reveals the intent and direction of the paper by explaining why the issue of families financing college is important. In other words, the context helps readers understand why this issue matters , and what aspects of this issue will be addressed in the paper.

To provide effective context, the writer refers to issues (the exorbitant cost of college and high levels of family debt) that have received a lot of recent scholarly and media attention. These sentences of context also elaborate on the interesting perspective included in the hook: that American families are most affected by college costs.

Does the Intro Have a Thesis?

Finally, this intro provides a thesis statement that conveys the writer’s point of view on the issue of financing college education. This writer believes that the U.S. government should do more to pay for students’ college educations.

However, the thesis statement doesn’t give us any details about why the writer has made this claim or why this will help American families . There isn’t an essay map that helps readers understand what points the writer will make in the essay.

To revise this thesis statement so that it establishes the specific aspects of the topic that the essay will address, the writer could add the following to the beginning of the thesis statement:

The U.S. government should take on more of the financial burden of college education because other countries have shown this can improve education rates while reducing levels of familial poverty.

Check out the new section in bold. Not only does it clarify that the writer is talking about the pressure put on families, it touches on the big topics the writer will address in the paper: improving education rates and reduction of poverty. So not only do we have a clearer argumentative statement in this thesis, we also have an essay map!

So, let’s recap our analysis. This sample intro paragraph does an effective job of providing an engaging hook and relatable, interesting context, but the thesis statement needs some work ! As you write your own intro paragraphs, you might consider using the questions above to evaluate and revise your work. Doing this will help ensure you’ve covered all of your bases and written an intro that your readers will find interesting!

4 Tips for How To Write an Introduction Paragraph

Now that we’ve gone over an example of introduction paragraph analysis, let’s talk about how to write an introduction paragraph of your own. Keep reading for four tips for writing a successful intro paragraph for any essay.

Tip 1: Analyze Your Essay Prompt

If you’re having trouble with how to start an introduction paragraph, analyze your essay prompt! Most teachers give you some kind of assignment sheet, formal instructions, or prompt to set the expectations for an essay they’ve assigned, right? Those instructions can help guide you as you write your intro paragraph!

Because they’ll be reading and responding to your essay, you want to make sure you meet your teacher’s expectations for an intro paragraph . For instance, if they’ve provided specific instructions about how long the intro should be or where the thesis statement should be located, be sure to follow them!

The type of paper you’re writing can give you clues as to how to approach your intro as well. If you’re writing a research paper, your professor might expect you to provide a research question or state a hypothesis in your intro. If you’re writing an argumentative essay, you’ll need to make sure your intro overviews the context surrounding your argument and your thesis statement includes a clear, defensible claim.

Using the parameters set out by your instructor and assignment sheet can put some easy-to-follow boundaries in place for things like your intro’s length, structure, and content. Following these guidelines can free you up to focus on other aspects of your intro... like coming up with an exciting hook and conveying your point of view on your topic!

Tip 2: Narrow Your Topic

You can’t write an intro paragraph without first identifying your topic. To make your intro as effective as possible, you need to define the parameters of your topic clearly—and you need to be specific.

For example, let’s say you want to write about college football. “NCAA football” is too broad of a topic for a paper. There is a lot to talk about in terms of college football! It would be tough to write an intro paragraph that’s focused, purposeful, and engaging on this topic. In fact, if you did try to address this whole topic, you’d probably end up writing a book!

Instead, you should narrow broad topics to identify a specific question, claim, or issue pertaining to some aspect of NCAA football for your intro to be effective. So, for instance, you could frame your topic as, “How can college professors better support NCAA football players in academics?” This focused topic pertaining to NCAA football would give you a more manageable angle to discuss in your paper.

So before you think about writing your intro, ask yourself: Is my essay topic specific, focused, and logical? Does it convey an issue or question that I can explore over the course of several pages? Once you’ve established a good topic, you’ll have the foundation you need to write an effective intro paragraph .

Once you've figured out your topic, it's time to hit the books!

Tip 3: Do Your Research

This tip is tightly intertwined with the one above, and it’s crucial to writing a good intro: do your research! And, guess what? This tip applies to all papers—even ones that aren’t technically research papers.

Here’s why you need to do some research: getting the lay of the land on what others have said about your topic—whether that’s scholars and researchers or the mass media— will help you narrow your topic, write an engaging hook, and provide relatable context.

You don't want to sit down to write your intro without a solid understanding of the different perspectives on your topic. Whether those are the perspectives of experts or the general public, these points of view will help you write your intro in a way that is intriguing and compelling for your audience of readers.

Tip 4: Write Multiple Drafts

Some say to write your intro first; others say write it last. The truth is, there isn’t a right or wrong time to write your intro—but you do need to have enough time to write multiple drafts .

Oftentimes, your professor will ask you to write multiple drafts of your paper, which gives you a built-in way to make sure you revise your intro. Another approach you could take is to write out a rough draft of your intro before you begin writing your essay, then revise it multiple times as you draft out your paper.

Here’s why this approach can work: as you write your paper, you’ll probably come up with new insights on your topic that you didn’t have right from the start. You can use these “light bulb” moments to reevaluate your intro and make revisions that keep it in line with your developing essay draft.

Once you’ve written your entire essay, consider going back and revising your intro again . You can ask yourself these questions as you evaluate your intro:

Is my hook still relevant to the way I’ve approached the topic in my essay?
Do I provide enough appropriate context to introduce my essay?
Now that my essay is written, does my thesis statement still accurately reflect the point of view that I present in my essay?

Using these questions as a guide and putting your intro through multiple revisions will help ensure that you’ve written the best intro for the final draft of your essay. Also, revising your writing is always a good thing to do—and this applies to your intro, too!

What's Next?

Your college essays also need great intro paragraphs. Here’s a guide that focuses on how to write the perfect intro for your admissions essays.

Of course, the intro is just one part of your college essay . This article will teach you how to write a college essay that makes admissions counselors sit up and take notice.

Are you trying to write an analytical essay? Our step-by-step guide can help you knock it out of the park.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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Dissertation

How to Write a Thesis or Dissertation Introduction

Published on September 7, 2022 by Tegan George and Shona McCombes. Revised on November 21, 2023.

The introduction is the first section of your thesis or dissertation , appearing right after the table of contents . Your introduction draws your reader in, setting the stage for your research with a clear focus, purpose, and direction on a relevant topic .

Your introduction should include:

Your topic, in context: what does your reader need to know to understand your thesis dissertation?
Your focus and scope: what specific aspect of the topic will you address?
The relevance of your research: how does your work fit into existing studies on your topic?
Your questions and objectives: what does your research aim to find out, and how?
An overview of your structure: what does each section contribute to the overall aim?

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How to start your introduction, topic and context, focus and scope, relevance and importance, questions and objectives, overview of the structure, thesis introduction example, introduction checklist, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about introductions.

Although your introduction kicks off your dissertation, it doesn’t have to be the first thing you write — in fact, it’s often one of the very last parts to be completed (just before your abstract ).

It’s a good idea to write a rough draft of your introduction as you begin your research, to help guide you. If you wrote a research proposal , consider using this as a template, as it contains many of the same elements. However, be sure to revise your introduction throughout the writing process, making sure it matches the content of your ensuing sections.

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Begin by introducing your dissertation topic and giving any necessary background information. It’s important to contextualize your research and generate interest. Aim to show why your topic is timely or important. You may want to mention a relevant news item, academic debate, or practical problem.

After a brief introduction to your general area of interest, narrow your focus and define the scope of your research.

You can narrow this down in many ways, such as by:

Geographical area
Time period
Demographics or communities
Themes or aspects of the topic

It’s essential to share your motivation for doing this research, as well as how it relates to existing work on your topic. Further, you should also mention what new insights you expect it will contribute.

Start by giving a brief overview of the current state of research. You should definitely cite the most relevant literature, but remember that you will conduct a more in-depth survey of relevant sources in the literature review section, so there’s no need to go too in-depth in the introduction.

Depending on your field, the importance of your research might focus on its practical application (e.g., in policy or management) or on advancing scholarly understanding of the topic (e.g., by developing theories or adding new empirical data). In many cases, it will do both.

Ultimately, your introduction should explain how your thesis or dissertation:

Helps solve a practical or theoretical problem
Addresses a gap in the literature
Builds on existing research
Proposes a new understanding of your topic

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Perhaps the most important part of your introduction is your questions and objectives, as it sets up the expectations for the rest of your thesis or dissertation. How you formulate your research questions and research objectives will depend on your discipline, topic, and focus, but you should always clearly state the central aim of your research.

If your research aims to test hypotheses , you can formulate them here. Your introduction is also a good place for a conceptual framework that suggests relationships between variables .

Conduct surveys to collect data on students’ levels of knowledge, understanding, and positive/negative perceptions of government policy.
Determine whether attitudes to climate policy are associated with variables such as age, gender, region, and social class.
Conduct interviews to gain qualitative insights into students’ perspectives and actions in relation to climate policy.

To help guide your reader, end your introduction with an outline of the structure of the thesis or dissertation to follow. Share a brief summary of each chapter, clearly showing how each contributes to your central aims. However, be careful to keep this overview concise: 1-2 sentences should be enough.

I. Introduction

Human language consists of a set of vowels and consonants which are combined to form words. During the speech production process, thoughts are converted into spoken utterances to convey a message. The appropriate words and their meanings are selected in the mental lexicon (Dell & Burger, 1997). This pre-verbal message is then grammatically coded, during which a syntactic representation of the utterance is built.

Speech, language, and voice disorders affect the vocal cords, nerves, muscles, and brain structures, which result in a distorted language reception or speech production (Sataloff & Hawkshaw, 2014). The symptoms vary from adding superfluous words and taking pauses to hoarseness of the voice, depending on the type of disorder (Dodd, 2005). However, distortions of the speech may also occur as a result of a disease that seems unrelated to speech, such as multiple sclerosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

This study aims to determine which acoustic parameters are suitable for the automatic detection of exacerbations in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by investigating which aspects of speech differ between COPD patients and healthy speakers and which aspects differ between COPD patients in exacerbation and stable COPD patients.

Checklist: Introduction

I have introduced my research topic in an engaging way.

I have provided necessary context to help the reader understand my topic.

I have clearly specified the focus of my research.

I have shown the relevance and importance of the dissertation topic .

I have clearly stated the problem or question that my research addresses.

I have outlined the specific objectives of the research .

I have provided an overview of the dissertation’s structure .

You've written a strong introduction for your thesis or dissertation. Use the other checklists to continue improving your dissertation.

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or research bias, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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The introduction of a research paper includes several key elements:

A hook to catch the reader’s interest
Relevant background on the topic
Details of your research problem

and your problem statement

A thesis statement or research question
Sometimes an overview of the paper

Don’t feel that you have to write the introduction first. The introduction is often one of the last parts of the research paper you’ll write, along with the conclusion.

This is because it can be easier to introduce your paper once you’ve already written the body ; you may not have the clearest idea of your arguments until you’ve written them, and things can change during the writing process .

Research objectives describe what you intend your research project to accomplish.

They summarize the approach and purpose of the project and help to focus your research.

Your objectives should appear in the introduction of your research paper , at the end of your problem statement .

Scope of research is determined at the beginning of your research process , prior to the data collection stage. Sometimes called “scope of study,” your scope delineates what will and will not be covered in your project. It helps you focus your work and your time, ensuring that you’ll be able to achieve your goals and outcomes.

Defining a scope can be very useful in any research project, from a research proposal to a thesis or dissertation . A scope is needed for all types of research: quantitative , qualitative , and mixed methods .

To define your scope of research, consider the following:

Budget constraints or any specifics of grant funding
Your proposed timeline and duration
Specifics about your population of study, your proposed sample size , and the research methodology you’ll pursue
Any inclusion and exclusion criteria
Any anticipated control , extraneous , or confounding variables that could bias your research if not accounted for properly.

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What is education? A definition and discussion

Education is the wise, hopeful and respectful cultivation of learning and change undertaken in the belief that we all should have the chance to share in life.

Education – cultivating hopeful environments and relationships for learning

Acting in hope

Education – being respectful, informed and wise

Being respectful

Being informed

Education – acting so that all may share in life

Looking beyond process

Having the chance to share in life

Conclusion – so what is education?

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Interview Questions About Your Educational Background

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Typical Questions Asked About Education in a Job Interview

2. How has your education prepared you for your career?

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4. Do your grades reflect your potential?

5. Why have you not opted to pursue a master's degree?

6. Do you have any regrets about the way you spent your time during college?

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