What do we want?

"But the people themselves begin to understand and to clamor for an education which shall qualify their children for life rather than for earning a living.  As a matter of fact, it is the man who has read and thought on many subjects who is, with the necessary training, the most capable whether in handling tools, drawing plans, or keeping books.  The more of a person we succeed in making a child, the better will he both fulfill his own life and serve society."  -- Charlotte Mason, A Philosophy of Education

Sometimes I wonder, "Is this really what we want?"  Do we really want an education that will allow our children to fulfill their potential as people.  Or are we content to have them be well equipped to earn a paycheck?

We hear a lot about education reform, especially at this time in our four-year cycle.  But every time I hear it spoken of, it is still in the context of getting kids ready to have a job, or worse, to prepare them to compete with kids from other nations.  The funny thing is that if we would stop being so fixated on preparing them for a career and actually prepare them to be good people, then we'd essentially take care of both!  But in our attempt to pursue what is secondary rather than what is primary, we end up obtaining neither.