Military vs. K-20

Although there are many differences between instruction in the military and instruction in K-20 education, I think there is much to be learned from the unified nature of the military. The military's success in training is a direct result of the values that are instilled in its members. Thus, when they are instructed and they train, they are constantly thinking about how this instruction will benefit their team and lead to the success of their group. One of the reasons why instruction is often difficult, especially in K-12, is because we have failed to instill the values of education in our society. So many students struggle to make sense of why the are learning what they are learning and teachers often struggle to provide answers that make sense. Are we material because the district put it in the curriculum? Are we learning this content because it is going to appear on a standardized test? What kind of values should we be instilling in our youth? Why is education REALLY important? If students could see that through education they can improve themselves, their community, and their country they may be more motivated to learn content and seek new learning endeavors beyond the classroom.