Coming Back to the Basics in Education
Today we have been suffering the enormous lack of values and true character traits in each individual of our modern societies. Nevertheless, this terrible situation is the regrettable reap of a careless harvest, because our preceding generations forget to instill worthy principles to their offspring. Then, as a result the subsequent generations grew with fainting values that made that all the fundamental institutions of our societies: family, church, school, etc. became deeply deteriorated, because the dissolved transmission of the fundamental principles of life. This weakening affected the integral development of each person in a particular way, maybe spiritually, morally, physically or intellectually. But nowadays we are trying to come back to the basic standards, which ought to be taught at home; also we have to lead hand of school education as a tool to reinforce and encourage those values previously instructed in, so upright individuals can be raised, personal and academic success reached and good societies built up.
Instructing character traits is fundamental in the rearing of individuals. Nevertheless, all the fundamental ethics of life should be instructed at home from the parents. Being a parent is the highest privilege and calling that an individual could have. Consequently the most precious possession a parent has is his child which is entrusted to him by God, as is quoted is the Bible (2001) “Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward (Psalm 127:3)” (p.528). So being a parent is a wonderful responsibility and its chore is to teach his children not only good manners, but all these worthy traits that constitute a true, complete person: attentiveness, creativity, concern, confidence, consideration, consistency, cooperation, determination, diligence, efficiency, equity, fairness, faithfulness, flexibility, forgiveness, friendliness, gentleness, honesty, humility, joyfulness, kindness, loyalty, love, meekness, mercy, obedience, patient, perseverance, persuasiveness, prudence, respect, self control, sincerity, submission, and the character and courage to stand firm against the pressure to do wicked deeds.
Unfortunately, nowadays, we can see that really few people posses all these important characteristics in a genuine manner, because the family and specifically the parents have failed in their duty, because most of the times both parents focus only in the economic situation and forget that what their children need is their time, their attention, their love and a good example and not all the toys that appear in TV or other type of superficial commodities. Hence as established in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 in which the law recognizes parents as the first and principal teachers of their children, so they have to be actively involved through all the academic process of the children to reach their children’s academic success.
Unquestionably, the school system has to be understood as a tool that helps with the instruction of children and not as the institution that must educate youths, because that is parent’s responsibility. Nonetheless, school’s duty is to instill their alumni veridical and high-quality scientific knowledge plus the reinforcement and encouragement of good character, as is stated by Esther F. Schaeffer (1999), executive director of the Character Education Partnership (CEP) Washington, D.C. “The goal is to surround students in an environment that exhibits, teaches and encourage practice in the values society needs. As a result, children will not only be informed of these values, but also will internalize them and make decisions and act in accordance with them. This requires a focus on values throughout the school curriculum and culture” (p.1). Notwithstanding, the task of instituting character education appears to be a hard one, because much of the values of the actual school system are mistaken and have to be replaced for correct, high-moral ones.
For example, schools have to teach a lifestyle that is pure, holy and morally right in the sight of God instead of promoting ways for students to be impure and immoral “safely.” Educational institutions have to instill that physical relationships are sacred and reserved only for marriage in place of teaching how to have such relationships calling it “health class.” Then, how do we expect that people be diligent, perseverant and responsible, if teachers prefer to gossip and say double sensed jokes instead of preparing and transmit high-quality classes? How do we hope that teens have high standards and goals in life if school incites them to be impure and only focus in the moment? Doubtless the teachers are the most important factor in the advance of reaching a high-level education for all. So if we really wish that the coming generations don’t suffer the lack of moral values, we have to do a great deal of effort in restructuring our education systems as declared by Esther F. Schaeffer (1999)” It takes time, effort and often staff development to integrate character education into schools, but the investment is proving to be worth the effort” (p.1).
On the whole, it will be very hard to institute in the core or our society those worthy values, but we have to have in mind that not matter all the time, limitations and effort it could convey, if we really wish upright individuals, personal and academic success, better communities and societies, less violence and harmony reining, these basic fundamentals have to return to be taught to children, because most of the responsibility of the next generation’s future is in the way in which the actual families, schools and churches instruct them, because children require years of perseverant training, clear guidance and wise instruction to become truly fruitful persons.
References
Schaeffer, Esther F. (1999). Implementing Character Education. National Association of Secondary School Principals Bulletin. Retrieved February 24, 2006 from www.usinfo.state.gov/jounals/itsv/0600/classroom.htm
Howard, Esther (2005). Pressing Toward the Mark of the High Calling. The Lighthouse Beacon (2)3, 2-3.
Aulgur, Glen (2004). The Importance of Christian Education. The Lighthouse Beacon (1)4, 3.
U.S. Department of Education (2003). My Child’s Academic Success. Retrieved February 24, 2006 from www.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/tools-for-success/index.html
The Holy Bible (2001).Belgium: Thomas Nelson Bibles INC.
