Should education stretch a person?

To stretch a person i think this refers to pushing someone to their limits. Curtis Mayfield said in 'Move on up', that we should "take nothing less than second best." How true and wise. Prensky's suggests that this should be done through technology, which is all well and good, but is not the only way. I never had a computer in the house growing up, and so had to always hand write school work etc. Although this seemed like a lot of effort at the time, it has proven in comparison to friends who did have a computer, that my literacy skills are superior.

Education has to stretch people. By doing coursework, presentations, exams, even blog work, we are all increasing specific skills which test us on different levels. Without these, going into the world of work would be far harder. Children need to be stretched in all areas of their education and not just rely on technology.

'Stretch' means to elongate, broaden, strengthen, widen and extend. Education certainly needs to do this, not only to increase knowledge, but to help people survive with life scenarios. Certain areas seem unuseful or irrelvant (who has used photosynthesis and osmosis since GCSE's!!), but all that we learn may prove invaluable at any given stage. Jobs, having a family, a mortgage, a car, timekeeping, communication skills etc, are all things we learn and adopt through education.

It can be argued that this works both ways, in the sense that education needs to stretch people, and people need to stretch themselves, through education.

The way I see it is that the economy, the government, and effectively the country, would be unable to function without those who push themselves, without people being educated, and without culture developing and necessarily 'stretching' people.