Education and the Need for Heroes

One of the key features of effective learning is emulation. It is not enough to encourage learners to memorize information or develop motor skills. We cannot simply “download” such abilities. Instead, they need to see what such knowledge and abilities look like in real-world practice and to have an opportunity to develop and practice them under the supervision of a dedicated teacher. Yet many teachers have little theoretical understanding of emulation. To help provide a practical standpoint from which to understand it, we need to explore the phenomenon of heroism, and in particular the important role of heroes as ideals toward which learners can strive. This article focuses on a particular 20th-century hero of the United States Marine Corps.