It’s no secret that most kids tend towards ‘living for the moment’ rather than engaging in careful planning over their futures. Living in the now has its benefits; instant gratification, less anxiety and a sense of freedom. Worrying about what happens tomorrow ruins the present. But maybe a little worry over the future is a good thing and makes people carefully consider their options in the moment to make sure the right choices are made and long-term happiness is secured.
We often think of success in life as being tied up with the external rewards we get like money, fame or power. Life is viewed as a race to achieve these rewards. But maybe we are running the wrong race, maybe we should pursue more internal rewards like being a good person and doing the right thing. Aligning our life to the pursuit of moral values may not give us riches and fame, but it brings great value to the world.
From a young age we are taught the value of learning from our mistakes. The logic goes something like this– when we make mistakes we see opportunities for improvement and learning. Failure makes us wise. Yet, we also learn just as much through our successes for it is through them that we discover what we did right and what we should continue to do next time. Failure and success are both important teachers in our lives.
Freedom is an often-used yet really complex concept. Many consider freedom something that is granted to them which they don’t have to work for. Others see freedom as something denied, and something that must be fought for. These different conceptions of freedom spring from different life experiences which are in turn shaped by a person’s gender, race and ethnicity.
When many kids talk about strategies for living a happy life, they often talk about goals, like getting a great job or becoming famous. If they reach that goal, then that’s clear evidence of success and deep satisfaction for having pursued something to completion. But what about the relationships we build? They also shape our happiness in a meaningful way but don’t always have end goals. Sorting what makes a person truly happy is very challenging work.
Most teachers agree that skills and content are important components for a quality education. Debate erupts over which is more important. Some argue that teaching a person how to think should be the primary focus. Others argue that teaching content knowledge is more worthwhile. In the middle of this debate are the students who have very passionate ideas of what the purpose of school should be.
The feeling of being afraid is something with which all students can identify. Fear paralyzes and diminishes one’s ability to think, learn and form positive human relationships. Fear is something to be avoided at all costs, and that the proper attitude is to be open and be willing to take risks without fear of failure. Yet, sometimes fear can lead people to make smart, safe decisions and provide security in the midst of an unstable situation.
The power of self-awareness isn’t obvious to us. So often we feel ourselves to be at the mercy of life. Life just happens to us. When things don’t go our way, we often throw our energies into changing other people and events to make things right. But maybe our efforts to change the world are futile. Maybe the only thing we really have control over is our attitude towards what happens. If we realize this, then we can find the strength, peace and acceptance we’re looking for.
While it is true that education is valuable to all of us at any age, it is also true that our energies and resources are limited and must be used wisely if we want to change the world into something better. Some say that children should be the focus because their minds are more easily shaped and influenced; others suggest that adults– who are actually in positions of power and influence– should take a front-and-center importance to our efforts to change minds and improve the world.
While it is true that education is valuable to all of us at any age, it is also true that our energies and resources are limited and must be used wisely if we want to change the world into something better. Some say that children should be the focus because their minds are more easily shaped and influenced; others suggest that adults– who are actually in positions of power and influence– should take a front-and-center importance to our efforts to change minds and improve the world.
Critical thinking is hard work and students know it. To be a good critical thinker a student must examine life closely, ask lots of questions and be tolerant of uncertainty. Often, critical thinking leads to unpleasant truths about people and the world. For many, it’s so much easier to just accept the way the world is and not question it. Students must decide for themselves whether living an examined life is the right path towards fulfillment and happiness.
Many students don’t like rules, and that’s because rules often make students turn against their consciences and deny what they think is right. Yet obedience to rules is necessary for stability. Schools, families and governments can’t function without adherence to the rules. The tension between our impulse to obey authority and our duty to follow our conscience never goes away.