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Haylz
Joined: Feb 6, 2003
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True Education!
June 29, 2005 - 02:43 AM
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In Class the other day, we were told by one of the religion teachers, that if we don't believe in God "We belong to Satan" Not going into whether this is right or wrong, is there a line to what should and should not be told to youth in class? This guy was rather blunt, which is what caused a reaction from the majority of the class.
Then, the major issue in my State, is Old Growth Logging, this has gone on since the 1970's... So it is a part of our curriculum. I, being fairly politicially aware, know the situation, however when the teachers present it to the class, it is politically minded, and rather bias...
Is it hard to teach the facts other opinions? Is it the way the world has became, too opinionated????
Be interested too hear others thoughts, and opinions!
*/haylz
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devu2005
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True Education!
June 29, 2005 - 03:21 AM
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Yes friend,
Children of man need to be taught truth and not propaganda.
I’ll give an example:
During all my studies, which only ended at my 23 years of age I was taught that Kashmir is an integral part of India. The maps that we had to refer or draw showed the whole area of Kashmir to be attached to Indian Territory. I grew up with that belief only to know that some 1/4th of it is under the control of Pakistan and a lesser area is also under the control of China. You can imagine how shocking it must have been to me. If my government did tell me the truth, I would have grown with the truth. But they don’t want us to grow like that, because then their nations, their religions, would not survive.
Just imagine if it was not taught to the children in Europe that the Earth is flat, somebody else would have arrived at the fact long before Galileo and Copernicus. In that case your continent would have been discovered much earlier. Isn’t it?
I feel it is high time that some world body takes over the curriculum formation of children. That would be a good step towards a better world.
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Feyikemi
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Re: True Education!
June 29, 2005 - 03:50 AM
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We can't rely on some "body" to take over educating the youth. The truth is, even the person with the best intentions have biases and prejudices that are in the way of judgment and choice.
So I think that education is up to the students themselves. They should go out in the real world, listen to real stories, listen to other people's opinions, then draw their own conclusions from there. The point is, there is no definite truth especially in issues like war, poverty, etc. because people claim different angles of a story.
The most important thing is, when students educate themselves, they should be as open as possible to hundreds of possibilities, be obejective as much as they can, be aware of the causes, and be sensitive about culture, religion, etc. of other people.
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devu2005
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Re: True Education!
June 29, 2005 - 04:38 AM
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My dear friend Zhac,
Even as grown up people we are often confused about what is right and what is wrong. So as children it is really difficult to form an opinion on one’s own. You can imagine the religious fanaticism of the terrorists that caused 9/11. They were not taught moderate thinking. You can’t expect everybody to form an opinion in such tender ages by their own. You know what was fed in the minds of these people? That US is the only evil nation. Nobody should have any reason to believe like that. But it is fanaticism that is propagated by some people. So then you have no escape from that. How will a child think otherwise unless he is exposed to the other facts? But at later age, when he is exposed to such facts he should have the courage to challenge whatever he was taught and accept the truth. But generally normal men do not have the courage to do that. That is how the world continues to be ignorant and such ignorance continues to be propagated. That is where the real purpose of education fails.
So my idea was that there are some good organizations like UNESCO that should come into the picture. See, it is about understanding the things better and not about understanding what is beneficial to only a certain people. It is high time that in this field at least we think like global people.
But care should be taken that all people are represented. And before that United Nations has to become a more trustworthy and legitimate body.
See as far as the truth about the matters is concerned, either present to me everything of the issue or if it is otherwise, don’t tell me anything till I can gain an insight into it.
Another point also needs to be understood that education is not something that happens only in the school. Suppose if it is about God, your family will tell you more than what your school tells you. The school may also choose not to opine about those issues.
On the other hand I would like to tell you, in India, some centuries B.C. we had a system called Gurukul (The place of Guru or Teacher). In that system children were sent to the Ashram (A remotely located place where the teachers stayed – A kind of a university of today) where they had to stay from their tender ages till the completion of their education away from the influences of the outside world learning all the collected Knowledge. This is the system where our legendary figures like Ram and Krishna had studied. They both have a great contribution to humanity.
I would like to hear more on the idea of International guidance and implementation of educational policies.
Keep smiling.
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devu2005
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Re: True Education!
June 30, 2005 - 05:02 AM
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My dear friend,
I am really amazed at the level at which both of us agree. Although initially I thought you disagreed with me.
*Zhac: "And our education system doesn't focus on isolation, we are encouraged to form our own opinions as early as possible."*
Just for your information I would say, that even our education system is very liberal. My thoughts would be a proof of that. I was only trying to point your attention to a centuries old system.
Anyway 99.99 % we agree on these matters, atleast as of now.
*Zhac: "We are both from developing countries and we know that there are more children on the streets than there are in schools in both our countries."*
I agree with you. This is a problem that has to be seriously addressed. A thorough ground work is needed for that.
*Zhac: "Academic institutions all over the world should come together and work for a universal approach to education that will not disregard religion and culture."*
Absolutely.
*Zhac: "One good example is the concept of "tolerance" among different cultures and religions that is being promoted in schools. It should be "acceptance". The term "tolerance" suggests that the differences are very disturbing, but should be grudgingly dealt with because we want to avoid conflicts. Whereas, "acceptance" would show that despite the differences, respect and understanding should be able to disregard them."*
This is something with which I not simply agree with but also practice in my life. As much of Mahatma Gandhi I have read and understood, has given me the same message. While 'Tolerance' has a negative shade to it, 'Acceptance' is absolutely positive in itself. In fact I am not intolerant, I am not tolerant but I have accepted everything as a part of life. I was born a Hindu, I was taught to be Hindu but I had the courage to challenge that and become a man first. I learn to respect all religions including my own religion. Now I am a free man. I can go to a Church and sit down on the bench seeking peace. I can go to a Masjid or a Gurudwara and bow my head (not before the God or whoever is there inside but before that idea, that concept, that tradition of those people). And also like a Hindu I can bow down to a river thinking of her as a Mother. This acceptance has made my life really beatiful. And atleast in this regard I can say I am one of the highly educated men.
I feel this has to spread everywhere. Don't you see the end to all the problems of the world with the idea of 'acceptance'? And if this could be brought about by an international agency, I would be really grateful to them.
Regards,
Keep Smiling.
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Feyikemi
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Re: True Education!
June 30, 2005 - 12:04 PM
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Hello Devu!
Originally posted by devu2005
Even as grown up people we are often confused about what is right and what is wrong. So as children it is really difficult to form an opinion on one’s own. You can imagine the religious fanaticism of the terrorists that caused 9/11. They were not taught moderate thinking. You can’t expect everybody to form an opinion in such tender ages by their own. You know what was fed in the minds of these people? That US is the only evil nation.
Precisely my point, Devu. Given the fact that children are quite impressionable at a very young age, they should be exposed to more than one side of the issues and be encouraged to think for themselves. With the rapid development of IT and with children as young as 7 being capable of using the Internet, you'd be surprised how many of them are quite opinionated at a very young age.
The 9/11 terrorists were brainwashed into believing something that is evil. And brainwashing is by no means, educating.
Originally posted by devu2005
But at later age, when he is exposed to such facts he should have the courage to challenge whatever he was taught and accept the truth.
Again, my sentiments exactly.
Originally posted by devu2005
So my idea was that there are some good organizations like UNESCO that should come into the picture.
I never disagreed with this, my point was, the youth can't rely solely on a world body because the UNESCO, for example, can only do so much. It's primarily focused on children in school because they are more accessible and easier to monitor. We are both from developing countries and we know that there are more children on the streets than there are in schools in both our countries.
Let me also tell you that in the Philippines, not as far back as the era B.C., our education system bred the likes of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos who topped the bar exam, was an excellent debater and public speaker, defended himself and got himself acquitted of a criminal charge, and later became one of America's greatest fears because he was just too brilliant a man. And our education system doesn't focus on isolation, we are encouraged to form our own opinions as early as possible.
Academic institutions all over the world should come together and work for a universal approach to education that will not disregard religion and culture. One good example is the concept of "tolerance" among different cultures and religions that is being promoted in schools. It should be "acceptance". The term "tolerance" suggests that the differences are very disturbing, but should be grudgingly dealt with because we want to avoid conflicts. Whereas, "acceptance" would show that despite the differences, respect and understanding should be able to disregard them.
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Ben Hudini
Joined: Aug 3, 2005
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Re: True Education!
August 9, 2005 - 08:11 AM
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The problem these days is that teachers are teaching children about the fish they CAN catch rather than how to catch them
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Maitreeye
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Re: True Education!
August 9, 2005 - 10:21 AM
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Berowe! I agree with you!!
I don't think kids anywhere need to be told what to believe, what not to believe, what to do and what not to do! I guess the biggest gift that the education system can give them is the freedom to be critical, to analyze and to voice their opinion.
And zhac I very very much agree with your idea of promoting tolerance amidst the kids at primary level in school. I guess along with the freedom of being critical, being different,it is very important that little children learn to accept ideas, culture that contradict their own and realize that those ideas and cultures have exactly the equal right to exist as their own. I guess this shall help a lot in promoting peace in the future world.
And, I guess it is not just the education system that can and should bring about the change. Children esp. small ones learn a lot by observing their elders. So, I guess even teachers need to be tolerant and understand and accept the ideas of the kid and give the kid opportunity to do so.
would love to discuss more on this...
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Katharine
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Re: True Education!
August 11, 2005 - 03:24 AM
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Public education was created to do nothing else except to socialize the youth, so how is it supposed to encourage "free thinking." Public education is supposed to help students fit into a mold that society casts for them and that is why it takes initiative on both the students and the parents' part to teach students otherwise.
I think it's difficult for people to alter or "improve" public education because it achieves its purpose... even if it isn't the right one.
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Svetlana Chugaeva
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Read to remember!
August 29, 2005 - 11:38 AM
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Once I've heard a very good cite and I'd like to share it with you:
Not a school, but the WILL(ingness) will educate you!
In Russian: Выучит не школа, а охота!
CARPE DIEM!
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Svetlana Chugaeva
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Re: True Education!
August 29, 2005 - 11:44 AM
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Originally posted by maitreeye
Berowe! I agree with you!!
I don't think kids anywhere need to be told what to believe, what not to believe, what to do and what not to do! I guess the biggest gift that the education system can give them is the freedom to be critical, to analyze and to voice their opinion.
I'd like to make one correction: without telling a child what's good and what's bad, what's correct and what's not, a child might think that bad things are good and good things are bad. Why do some children bahave agressively? Because nobody said them it's not correct!
You see there's a certain age that every child has when he really should be told what's good and what's bad, otherwise he will not be able to criticise and analyse the things adiquately in the future! Think about it!
CARPE DIEM!
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Cherrie
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Re: True Education!
October 3, 2005 - 08:25 AM
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I think the best way a child can determine what is good or bad is to see good deeds in action, i.e. learn through example. If everybody that affects the child (school, community, family, etc) behaved in a way that clearly distinguished between good and bad (and their consequences), then the child will have no trouble growing up to be a good person.
Afterall, what is good for one community might be bad for another, so we need to be able to critically assess this and act accordingly.
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patrick
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Can s'one listren and help...?
October 25, 2005 - 08:47 AM
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Am in Nairobi, Kenya. There’s this family (a mum and two twin kids) I’ve been seeing here on this busy street I pass on way home daily. They’re beggars. The kids are too young to borrow, the mum begs for money to feed the kids. It was such a pity for me to pass there one day and how touching, I found the kids crying holding onto the mum! Maybe they were hungry. I went bought potato chips with my few coins and gave them to the mum. She appreciated much. These kids are beautiful, from that day I’d rather walk home since am a student and spend the money allocated by my parent for their food. Soon I’ll make sure they go to school, and be the great ladies they ware meant to be! I have a dream, and these little innocent strangers are my inspiration. Am not rich or able, but am touched. Please someone help me.
Am a good hearted Kenyan guy. Get me on eservicebay@yahoo.com Anytime please.
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