What is Education?

Last week in class during PG & S Dr. Weston asked us this question: "What is education"? It's a pretty straightforward and simple question.

I was fairly quiet and just listened to what my TEAMmates said.
What they said bothered me . . . then it dawned on me, their answer wasn't what bothered me, it was my answer that bothered me . . . Education = Data.

I work in a school where data is force fed. Every time we turn around they're giving us more data. They're constantly handing us forms to fill out and scores to analyze. We're now required to fill out a Student at a Glance form for each child that we teach. These forms have a category for each of the citywide tests they take, in each subject. We also have to fill out an IIP for each child. An Individual Improvement Plan is our Assistant Principal's way of identifying each child's strengths and weaknesses.

Do I think data is great? Of course!
Do I think that I'm lucky to teach now, at a time when we have access to this data? Of course!
Do I think that data = education? NO!

I do not want to see anymore data!