Composition on Education, inspired by a reading of the non-fiction text Gifted Hands, by Ben Carson (neurosurgeon)

I am writing a composition about an issue that I feel very strongly about, which is education, and how so many adolescence can neglect it. I myself, have sometimes also neglected education. But as I mature I learn that the power of learning is an invaluable gift from God which should never be neglected or rejected but used to its full potential. So many people in this world don’t have the gift of being able to learn due to mental disabilities. Yet so many young people abuse this gift and regret it during their academic life. Education is the key to our future, it unlocks-locks all doors.

Here, in Australia, we have a great educational system. Many young students come from around the world to be able to graduate in our educational system. For example, if you finished medical school in Australia you would receive a higher "distinction" then you would if you had done your studies elsewhere like in China. This is partially why students from around the world want to come to Australia for their studies. Yet so many young Australian students abuse the privilege of living in a country like this and usually quit school after year ten.

I will now give examples of how important education is from the text I am currently studying called "Gifted Hands." This autobiography by Ben Carson MD (Medical Doctor) shows how the educationally poorest student in the class, can gradually work his way up to the top of the class, and then finally on to being a very successful neurosurgeon. The book begins by describing Ben’s life and how in many cases he suffered mentally. His father left his family when Ben was only eight. Never-the-less Ben’s mother always encouraged Ben to do his best in all he could. She always said to him that "Whatever somebody else can do, you can always do better." These weren’t empty words or promises , for you can always do better if you apply yourself. Ben was failing everything in his class no matter how much he wanted to succeed. This was because not only do you have to want to succeed, but you must also apply yourself to in fact succeed.

For Ben to succeed in school, action had to be enforced. This action was enforced by his mother who set down some solid rules for Ben and Curtis (Ben’s brother) to obey. These rules were that Ben, was only to watch two television programs a week, and in his spare time he was to read two novels per week and submit reports on them to his mother. We can certainly learn from such discipline and aquire it for are own lives. We must also note that Ben preserved with this method and after a while he started reading books out of his free will due to his interests in many topics. He continued through to University where he studied medicine. After a few years, he became an extremely successful neurosurgeon, preforming complex surgeries such as hemispherectomies. He also devised a special technique for helping to locating the foramen ovale. I personally think Ben Carson's life is a very motivating one which we should all try to adhere to.

In conclusion to my composition on the importance of education I would like to stress that education is bliss. If not for education, knowledge would vanish, which in turn would cease technology as we know it today. So, basically, my words of encouragement are, be prudent when considering your future and procure a good education whenever possible.