Lonely thoughts on the meaning of education

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to offer some personal thoughts into the meaning of education in Romania. Design/methodology/approach – This paper explores a model of four stages of student teacher interactions and the rigidity of teacher behavior in past times. The model is presented: students as dependent, interested, involved and/or self‐directed related to teachers as experts, motivators, facilitators and/or delegators. The paper then expresses the frustrations of modern teaching and the appropriate interactions according to the model. Findings – Although there are some good professors and good students, who understand what education is, what they can offer and can get, as partners in the educational process, their number is too small, and the pace of adapting to the system of the others (new students or young assistants) is too fast. Originality/value – The paper stresses the necessary movement away from excessive and oppressive upper level decision‐making behavior in education.