Understanding Education: How the Environment Affects the Learning Process From technological advances and economic prosperity to political unrest and terrorist attacks, education is key in its role both to determine the present and to develop the future. To positively shape the future, it is essential to understand the nature of education and how the environment influences it positively or negatively. Among the main components that influence a student's learning progress are the family, economic and social situation and the school environment. In particular, a child's family life has a great influence on his or her educational progress. Jain (2011) indicates that both birth order and child-rearing practices such as punishments, rewards, and freedoms influence how children interact with their peers and how carefully they pursue excellence in learning ( par. 8). Regarding sibling rivalry and birth order, McCormack (2000) shows that the roots of sibling rivalries stem from a natural inability of parents to treat their children equally. This is understandable due to the countless factors that make children different from each other. The different responses that parents are forced to adopt to address their different children make these children feel as if they are being treated unfairly (p. 60). This view of unfair treatment is reflected in education and is based on similar rivalries among peers for the approval of their teachers. He highlights the negative effects of sibling rivalry by stating that children often express their feelings of jealousy with aggressive or regressive behavior. Aggressive behavior toward the parent or "intruder" manifests as anger or hostility. This is an att...... half of the article ......CALICAL ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENT SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS AFFECTING EDUCATION OF NW.FP (PAKISTAN). Journal of Applied Quantitative Methods, 4(1), 88-94. Retrieved from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy2.apus.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=3bb1d15b-a094-4b09-88cf-0b8080790fa1%40sessionmgr4001&vid=5&hid=4112Swearer, S.M., & Espelage, D.L. (2011). Bullying in North American schools. New York: Routledge. Retrieved from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy1.apus.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzM0MzAxMF9fQU41?sid=6a1f8505-855b-4db0-8320-95307f57f576@sessionmgr4002&vid=1&format=EB&rid =1 TANVI JAIN (2011 ). How environmental factors influence our learning process. Retrieved from http://www.preservearticles.com/2011082912251/how-environmental-factors-affects-our-learning-process.htmlBloom, A. (2011). First among equals. Times Educational Supplement, (4928), 26-29.