Getting the balance right

Schools and curricula aim at giving students what today's youth needs. A lot of academic energy goes into determining what is needed, and rightly so. The top-down approach offers ideas and strategies to the educators. Yet, is this always in sync with the reality of the classroom and our students' needs in the real world?

During one of my recent visits to a school, I discussed effective communication and its relationship with conflict resolutions with a class of 15-year-old students. At the end of the session, one of the girls expressed her apprehension that although the students learn a lot at school, they are not being imparted with the knowledge they need to get along in everyday life. This view might be shared by other students.

Schools and curricula should focus more on the development of mature, independent and confident thinkers who are trained to cooperate with and contribute to society. I am aware that this is already being done in some schools - but are we getting the balance right?

Students enjoying a high level of self-esteem are more likely to be responsible and accountable citizens who manage to achieve their goals in life. Since self-esteem starts developing in children as early as the age of two, kindergartens and early primary schools play an important role. Very young children can only learn through play, so focusing on formal schooling in kindergarten can damage a child's self-esteem. If early childhood inferiority feelings start developing due to the smallness and weakness of the child, these feelings can turn into an inferiority complex and lead to learned helplessness. However, early childhood inferiority feelings can also be overcome and turned into learning and personal development. Nurture also plays a very important role, as do the child's perceptions of oneself, others and the environment.

A feel-good factor, building a positive self-image, believing in oneself and enhancing resilience is the road to success. Overzealous adults who put too much pressure on their children to learn how to read and write at a very early stage, without first helping them to develop intrapersonal skills, risk putting children off school because of a damaged self-esteem.

With regard to late childhood and youth, Rudolf Dreikurs said we need to stop teaching subjects and start teaching students. Students need to master ICT skills, but also learn how to learn. Computers deprive the user of direct human contact and interaction, so the exclusive computer-based learning might foster personal isolation, and present a different reality.

When our students leave schools, they have to face what Alfred Adler referred to as the major tasks of life in the real world, as opposed to the virtual world, that is, the challenges of work, social and intimate relationships and spirituality. Beyond the shelter, order and dependency found in schools and computer rooms, these tasks take on a different perspective.

Being able to cooperate and manage conflicts at the place of work requires the acquisition of interpersonal skills. Emotional intelligence gives one the ability to turn negative emotions into positive energy. Helping students work upon and develop these intrapersonal and interpersonal skills will also help them learn how to solve social and intimate conflicts.

Educators have diverse roles to play, which require different perspectives. An imbalance is created when training places more emphasis on the traditional subject certification approach rather than the psychological development of the student. A system that still points out failures instead of strengths might create deficient development. Believing in one's self is crucial to motivation and the visions that drives one forward.

Educators need to be aware of the child's thinking and feelings in order to be able to redirect faulty conclusions. Skills that help the educator understand behaviour and redirect negative thinking are essential tools. Influencing faulty thinking, rather than focusing on behaviour and trying to change it with punishments or conditional rewards, is the essential role of the educator. Only intrinsic change in thoughts can result in a real change in behaviour. This again requires particular training.

The sound psychological development of a human being rests on three important cornerstones. A student needs to think and feel he/she is accepted, respected and significant in a group. Such a student feels encouraged and ready to collaborate with and contribute towards the goals of the group. The reverse is possible when these positive thoughts and feelings are absent. Teachers' empowerment based on these lines enable the educators to understand better and offer effective guidance to their students.

Another point I believe is relevant is the schools' support and education offered to parents, that is, offering parents programmes in parenting skills that are in line with the teachers understanding the child. Parenting could be the most difficult job in the world, but does such a commitment receive the professional training it deserves? Should parents be encouraged and provided with more possibilities, such as effective parenting programmes until the child reaches a certain age?

There are many changes that might help schools move towards the holistic development of each student. Having a system that points out and builds on strengths; having wider assessment systems that cater for both academic achievements and skills; varying teaching methods that include different learning styles in democratic schools. One may argue that this is already on paper in various policies. Yet, is this put into practice?

Competition in education defeats its aims. Why do our students still need to face national tough competition that determines their future when they can hardly understand all this? Competition is illogical since each student is unique in his/her stages and rate of development.

Students need to be encouraged to see learning as a gift they owe themselves. They should also be involved more in decision-making and school policy formation, especially in matters that concern them. Age-appropriate participation should be encouraged and respected. This is the age when children should be both seen and heard. School councils can be effective in this area.

All this has to start from the early stages of formal schooling. The importance of the formation years of early primary cannot be overstressed. Early childhood formation helps answers the questions "Who am I?", "Who are you?" and "What is the world made of?" Very often we carry what we have learnt in our childhood throughout our lives.

Some of these suggestions may be already common to some schools or can be easily implemented. Others need long-term planning and implementation. My experiences of enhanced teacher-student relationship based on mutual respect and encouragement are positive and long-lasting.

As Pestolazzi wrote more than 200 years ago, "Learning is not worth a penny if courage and joy are lost on the way."