In Keys to Success: How to Achieve your Goals, by Carter, Bishop and Kravits, the authors write:
Education is more than the process of going to school and earning a degree or certificate. It is a choice to improve your mind and your skills. Education is what you make of it. If you make the most of your mind, your time, and your educational opportunities, you will realize your potential.
Education gives you tools for lifelong learning.
1. You not only learn facts while studying, but also how to think -- an ability that will always be useful. Education improves your quality of life.
2. The Digest of Education Statistics 1996 reports that income levels rise as educational levels rise. Education expands your self-concept.
3. As your abilities grow, so do opportunities to learn. As you rise to the challenges of education, you will discover that your capacity for knowledge and personal growth is greater than you imagined.
Education enlarges your possibilities.
4. First, through different courses of study, it introduces you to more choices of career and life goals. Second, through the training you receive, it gives you more power to achieve the goals you choose.
Education improves your employability and earning potential.
5. Many studies have shown that education increases not only a person's employability and earning potential but also their self-esteem. Education makes you a well-rounded person.
6. As it widens your understanding about what is possible in the world, education increases your awareness and appreciation of areas that affect and enrich human lives. Education affects both community involvement and personal health.
7. Education helps to
1) prepare individuals for community activism by helping them understand political, economic and social conditions, and
2) increase knowledge about health behaviors and preventive care.
Studies have shown that seniors who spend time on educational activities have better cognitive function and retain their memories longer than seniors who do not. Additionally, attending educational programs give seniors the opportunity to interact with others of their age group and with younger people as well. This helps alleviate the isolation and depression that many seniors develop.
Seniors living in retirement communities will find no lack of educational opportunities. These communities offer courses on everything from foreign languages to ballroom dancing. There are myriad clubs and organizations available to residents. Outside lecturers and performers are often brought in for extra entertainment. But how can seniors living on their own, outside a retirement community, find appropriate educational programs?
The first place to look for such programs is at the local level. Most communities have a governmental department dedicated to serving seniors in the community. They often publish a list of activities available to area seniors and frequently are able to provide transportation to and from activities. In addition to meal programs and social gatherings, these departments often offer educational courses in many different subjects.
Local public schools are also a good source of interesting courses and opportunities. Many school systems publish a continuing education guide that lists the content, times and prices of classes that are held in the evening or on weekends at public schools. These courses range from academic enrichment like English as a Second Language, to arts and crafts and exercise classes. These courses are open to the community and typically consist of a wide range of people of all ages.
Community colleges also offer a wide range of continuing education experiences. Continuing education courses are taught on a non-credit basis and cost far less than for-credit courses. However, if a senior has the time and inclination community colleges are more than happy to enroll seniors in their degree programs. Seniors may be eligible for a tuition discount, depending on their age. Although some seniors may be intimidated by attending classes with much younger students, the experience can be extremely gratifying. Younger students often appreciate having seniors share their courses and instructors enjoy teaching seniors who are often more disciplined and interested than their younger counterparts.
Finally, the community library often offers activities specifically tailored to seniors like book clubs, discussion groups and the like. Libraries also offer computer literacy courses and courses on how to use the Internet, sometimes tailored specifically to seniors.
Both Kenneth Kee Wee & Jonathon Hardcastle are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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