Educare and Educere: Is a Balance Possible in the Educational System?

Craft (1984) noted that there are two different Latin roots of the English word "education." They are "educare," which means to train or to mold, and "educere," meaning to lead out. While the two meanings are quite different, they are both represented in the word "education." Thus, there is an etymological basis for many of the vociferous debates about education today. The opposing sides often use the same word to denote two very different concepts. One side uses education to mean the preservation and passing down of knowledge and the shaping of youths in the image of their parents. The other side sees education as preparing a new generation for the changes that are to come--readying them to create solutions to problems yet unknown. One calls for rote memorization and becoming good workers. The other requires questioning, thinking, and creating. To further complicate matters, some groups expect schooling to fulfill both functions, but allow only those activities promoting educare to be used. Balance in educational aims is a valid focus for educators. This author contends that, in order to achieve balance, educators must start by changing the organizational structure or the ways in which decisions are made. Utilizing stakeholder perceptions in determining aims, establishing a shared vision of education, and facilitating a change in educators' roles are initial steps. To accomplish a change in thinking, educators must examine their own personal mastery and mental models of education.