Purpose of Schools?

When I was in university many, many years ago I took a course called the "philosophy of education". It was mostly lost on me but I do remember the prof. asking us to read a series of articles on the purpose of education. I remember one author's hypothesis was that the purpose of education was to socialize students so that they would know how to behave properly in an ordered world. Learning was not one of the primary goals according to this author.

Do you write down your goals for your classroom? What are they? Do your goals mention your philosophy on how your students will learn? What do your goals for your classroom and your school have to do with the world as it exists today?

Check out the Seth Godin video on the purpose of schools. Show it to your students. See what they think. I'll use it as a critical thinking exercise and a jumping off point for us to determine what our goals for our classroom are.