During
the ages of six to twelve years, humans are in a developmental period of robust
health between childhood illnesses and puberty. This healthiness supports the intellectual development of
the person. During these years, we
are most receptive to learning. Later,
learning will require more effort and concentration.
During
the child's years of great intellectual development, we, as adults, have a
serious obligation. Not to teach
academic subjects, but instead to put the child into contact with life and his
or her responsibility to live and be of service to humankind.
If
we lose this opportunity, it doesn't matter how much knowledge the child
gains. A depth of understanding of
the role of each human being is what is most important to the child. This adage says it: "They don't care how much you know,
until they know how much you care."
We do not want to feed the mind and neglect the nourishment of the
heart.
To
help the six to twelve year-old child make this contact with life, we must
become "storytellers of the truth".
We have a human being to enthuse and excite about the greatest adventure
in the universe-life.
We
tell stories not full of facts but full of drama. We tell stories of the universe coming into being, the earth
being formed, life coming to earth, and the two special gifts of human
beings-intelligence and love. We
dramatize the story of human communication through language and mathematics.
As
adults, we connect the child through stories of life, and his or her unique
part in the story. When we can
enthuse and excite the child with stories, a wonderful transformation occurs in
the mind of the child.
History
becomes the adventure of people, the child included on the leading edge. Geography becomes the story of the
creation of the earth and its continued change. Social studies become the stories of how people meet their
fundamental needs of food, protection and love. Biology is the story of life. Math becomes the language of invention, exploration and
order. Physics is the story of the
movement of objects throughout the universe. The arts show us how to express our stories without words,
using form, music and movement.
We
have this responsibility to connect the child to the mystery, the excitement
and the drama-the drama of possibilities of the human being.
Deep
in our hearts, each of us knows this truth: We don't care how much you know, until we now how much you
care.
Show
our children how to delight in this amazing adventure called life. The mind will follow the heart.
Next
week: The Truth of the Tattle
Tale
From
last week:
A
riddle: Using Roman numerals,
answer this question.
"What
should every good boy and girl be?"
CIVIL