YOU ASKED?
What are the important essentials for parenting and the education of a child?
How best to parent and educate a child, needs to be listed as the number priority in the World. Although I am afraid this is asking too much of the leaders of the World in their present political "state of mind"; since most countries spend far more on Defense, than on Education. In America, more is spent on Dog food than on Education, would you believe it? Or how about the MILLIONS lossed to corruption. It is apparent that all systems, methodologies, ways and means both in parenting and in the education of a child should be continuously evaluated and updated, as the World shrinks around us.. Knowledge is expanding and technology is racing towards the stars. We see an acceleration of growth and evolution in every sector of Human endeavor across the wide spectrum in all the Disciplines and in the Citadels of 'Higher Learning". Since this is verifiable, no country has the right to deny any child the best it can give in the nurturing of each childs' potentialities.
The education of the child should rank alongside the number one priority that is taking the lives of 40,000 children each and every month, not counting the adults.. The eradication of hunger, disease and starvation in the world is paramout.
Can you fathom the reasons "why' this is so? Does this make any sense to you?
This is sheer insanity in our advanced age of Knowledge and Technology..
How can this be?
The feeding of the body, the feeding of the mind, and the feeding of the spirit is where civilization needs to stand and be counted, in providing the most conducive conditions for these three entities.. If there is any task more worthy, any endeavor more sacred, any challenge more noble, than the feeding and the nourishing of the body, mind and spirit? Will it please step forward and be recognized.
Allow at this point a side note.
How many times have we thought or said and even heard others voice the same sentiments; how is it that we educate and train ourselves and others, to be knowledgeable, skilled and competent in all "manner of things". Yet, we are like children playing with our toys, when it comes to the Art of Marriage and the needed wisdom and skills for parenting? Are we not strange animals, indeed? We spend our time and energies becoming competent in our various professions and trades. So we might earn more money, gain status or power. Believing in doing so, this will make us happy, contented, whole and complete. Or whatever it is that we are looking for. But in many cases our knowledge and competence fails us when it comes to our relationships with our loved ones The most glaring example, although there are hundreds of others, is the trained Psychiatrist. Whose marriage is on the Rocks and his/her children are the terror of the neighborhood.. And yes, I am aware of the saying; that "one is not a prophet in his own country".
The cure of our problem is to devise and implement a more excellent system or systems that will benefit both child and family for todays' World and all the future Worlds of the young and the families yet to come. Surely, the answer is in the problem itself. How often have we used the words; ignorance, fragmented and simplistic thinking in the context of the woes of education The probable cure for the ills of education are rooted in the above triad. So how do we destroy ignorance,fragmentation and simplistic thinkiing? With knowledge and understanding. And how do we acquire a better knowledge and understanding of ourselves, others, the world and the things, Of the world?
By becoming and being a disciple, i.e.. {Learner}. How? The environment and the conditions must be conducive so the more excellent educational systems can be put in place throughout the planet. Surely out of six billion plus people, we can find not only the best human resources, the monies, but the will, to answer this challenge.
After 13 1/2 years, 50 plus countries and speaking to thousands of students, teachers and parents. I have observed in the majority of the developing countries, an inordinate passion for the memorization and the regurgitation of facts. With less concern and emphasis placed on the How? and Whys of a much larger overview about the connective ness of all and everything. The art of rational thinking is put on the back burner, along with the teaching of self-reliance, confidence and self-worth. Rote learning at its best, is not good. The parroting of a bunch of words without knowing the genesis or understanding the essence, is of little value.
This should be underlined until our pencils wear out.
If we think we are in a knowledge and technological revolution now. We haven't seen anything compared to what is ahead within the first half of this century. Let alone, the wonders of wonders in the second half. For, we will see advancements that will stagger the imagination and out "Star Trek even Star Trek", making the last thirty-years look as if we had been standing still. Which raises the question; Will we and our children and their children be ready to cope and adjust to all the coming changes and innovations?
(Wuzhou, China 07/2001)
