In a book I randomly selected this weekend from a shelf at my parent’s house, I stumbled across a 30-year-old assignment completed by my mom when she decided to go back to college in her fifties to finish her English degree and become a teacher. The document was entitled, “I BELIEVE – A letter of philosophy.” These weren’t just words written on a sheet of paper, but truly how she lived her life and taught. Much of what she wrote (and her innate wisdom) still very much applies today. The following points can easily be translated into a more general life and/or business context:
- All learning is developmental and should be viewed as such
- Learning is a constant continuum
- Children need an atmosphere lacking prejudice
- Good teaching out of necessity is a bit eclectic
- Children should like learning
- Teachers should have firm love of man and education
- Everyone needs a hobby
- TV viewing should be monitored
- Teaching is a valuable and respectable profession
- An ideal teacher subtly demands that you learn to the best of your ability
- A classroom should be a truly democratic place where all learn from each other
- A democracy must have a good and respected educational system
- Nursery school should be an option for all children
- Children learn so very much when they are young, and this should be respected and cultivated whenever possible
- It is important to use one’s talents and capabilities to help others
I hope you and yours had a happy Mother’s Day. A mother is a special person not just in a family, but in the school system and society at large. A good mom can make all the difference in life. I hope the above referenced points resonate with you and even stimulate some self-reflection. Simple everyday wisdom always stands the test of time. A mother’s beliefs can be quite a foundation of knowledge, if you are watching and listening.
Related articles
- What I Learned From my Mom (capacity-building.com)
- St. Patrick, My Mom, The Pandemic and You (capacity-building.com)
- Mother’s Day Posts from my Daughter (lynnesampilo.wordpress.com)
- Stars Tell Us: When I Knew I Was Becoming My Mom (omg.yahoo.com)
- Montessori’s Words Like A Poem (bilingualmontessori.wordpress.com)