Lacking Identity Life in public school curriculums has produced many of us into becoming conformed to a mold, much like a fine tuned productive machine! There are six hours, if not seven and perhaps 8 including homework for children conforming to a proposed idea of the “educated human being”. Much of a child’s early years are influenced by the designated “ mold” and can lead to not knowing or even seeing who they are as a person. Having a specific plan towards the development of a child’s identity in educational systems is lacking within most of our schools today. Our chosen priorities within most public educational systems usually includes: emphasis upon production, efficiency and high achievements academically. These systems expect children to learn at the designated time frame allotted constricting their emotions, causing them to ignore them as well. It is absolutely detrimental for young children to be influenced and trained in these perhaps constricting statutes. A child can grow up in rebellion altogether to the conforming legislature administrated, having the natural desire to learn snuffed out; oppressing the hope of any self-expression or identity; inviting unruly habits, detrimental to their own needs within education. Society today has given us a clue, hasn’t it? We have such a high rate of divorce in our land and I say it is partially related to early education priorities, which desperately need to change. The lack of emphasizing teaching children about their own faculties in learning is another issue related, for the mind and its own “muscle” is not emphasized. Not encouraging self- expression is completely inhumane. Encouraging and influencing the development of a child’s identity is a predominant need and should be protocol in early levels of Education. It is evident with the divorce rates in the United States that as a “Nation under God” we are missing the mark. Statistics have shown the divorce rates are increasing and the 2nd and 3rd divorce rates are even worse. So we have an issue that seems to amplify itself. The increasing rate of the divorces after the second and third divorcing is a very accumulative rate getting to depressing levels if you will. Why, I say why? No possible way of learning about the last episode it appears!! Perhaps in these relationships we could conclude the influence to perform and accomplish was reigning and not the exploration of “why” concerning subjects in marriage. The rate of divorces enables a clear insight of the lack of introspection as individual people coming out of the so highly esteemed “American education”. Many children have been affected in our form of education, not being steered to understand their feelings in relation to teachers, parents and peers. Which upon growing up, still needing introspection; divorce issues thrive. The facts concerning divorce in America should alert the authorities concerning educational values and the lack of Psychology therein. Changes need to be made. Is there anyone out there doing the math? I’m suggesting to ad inner-growth to our educational priorities, specifically the involvement of introspection. The early age of the fourth grade where students could begin identifying feelings and writing about them. Feelings, being noticed as being different than a memorized alphabet or math procedure, would bring in associations necessary to their clarity and quality of attention. A child’s emotions can directly be snuffed out by our compelling and rigid system of education. Not allowing emotions to be mentioned or spoke of at school. Did any ever hear the teacher say “let’s talk about how we are feeling today and write about it”. This could happen, yet most likely where? The alternative educational programs mostly; not our public schools. I’m suggesting the steering of the recognition of emotions as part of educational values. The therapy of such is not what is being discussed here: the need for an education which involves seeing and recognizing emotions within, as part of school and life itself; is mandatory in this day. The message to be learned is that emotions are part of education and its productivity; having clarity which actually, can enable further academic scholar. With the lack of “education for emotional stability”: it is evident- educational values impeded upon children has produced performance without self-confidence. The emotional stability or instability directly relates to a child’s development of “who they are”. Steering children to see that feelings are different than academics gives an association and connection of both; causing place in their minds for “total learning”. The realization here can aid with keeping learning in motion. To identify emotions as part of what is to be achieved, clarifying a FOCUS which includes: introspection, as well as what is read and heard in class. This new, observant focus, defines learning, now having many aspects, “total learning” involving sight and motion inwardly. Teaching a child that he or she has the power and capabilities to learn can bring an identity of their own senses such as the mind, ears and eyes. They can begin to have confidence just in this awareness in kindergarten and first grade. Providing avenues of self-expressions is of course developing their personal identity and should always be incorporated in an educational environment. If children are directed to see their identity in such a way as being a “learner” then there can be an independence bringing its own confidence, confidence also as a human being which knows they have a power now to learn! Children saying to themselves’, “I’m a learner”: this is imperative for a child to have this realization within associating and allowing the “mind muscle” to be birthed. The issue of not implementing our mind muscle to also deal with emotions as part of what is called “EDUCATION” is the biggest fallacy within our public educational system. To convey to students they have a tool of their own should bring an insight of their own mind’s capabilities seeing memories and reading, performing math etc. The “mind muscle” was coined by my teaching music to children and came about to describe their focus abilities. We do have somewhat of a physical sensation when we are focused fully in concentration mode. Seeing with discernment can soon begin; later deductions and analysis begins as they progress into High School. It is not difficult to allow the environment for steering children, enabling their thoughts and feelings to have validity in their precious lives. There could be a class once a week called “notes” or “Journal” but this is not part of protocol at school. The emphasis is just not there! Learning could become fluid, concerning facts, emotions along with figures and formulas if they were all treated as part of the whole. Having again, “Total learning” is what we could say our children would be birthed with, occurring naturally, if steered to give emotions in life some precedence. . School must teach us to deal with life, people and family not just academics, production and efficiency. The pressure which can come at the elementary level due to performance and homework requirements can be a weight unbalanced for many children. We have the pressure that dominates much of elementary schooling, the deadlines, with the learning pace of the system itself. Peer issues are of course there, as well as the obvious issues from home. Many children may have family issues, perhaps the lack of family altogether. At the ages of 5 through 11, there should not be the burden of too much pressure in completing assignments. These are very sensitive years and timeliness and deadlines could easily be learned thereafter. Children and their “competition and comparison” of each other is kindled by our strict scheduled deadlines at such a young age. Having programs set in stone for children is extremely constricting and detrimental to their progress individually. Perhaps some students need (on a given day) to be in a group with others also learning a little slower due to emotional and or behavioral troubles. A teacher’s helper could be available giving care for such ones. The designated learning pace is so emphasized that there could be many left behind and therefore cause an obvious oppression upon the slower ones. An identity which is formed within environments is a main vein with sociologists, concerning children. They look at outward circumstances which are important yet not the heart of the matter. Searching for truths and issues of relevance in an influential [outer] social environment is the directive for many of them. If in particular they could see children strengthened inwardly by new priorities in early education, much of their research would go to the schools and how they operate! Schools have produced disciplinary power towards efficiency, production, knowledge and conformity, but not for an understanding of life and the complexities therein! In our society we have the emphasis for certain aspects of education more than others. We are creating a productive society through our educational system which has left out the inward makings of individual beings. Achievement reigns over introspection resulting in a very dim mindset for understanding perhaps ourselves and others. The development of a child’s identity is the essential beginning for their education. When seeing for themselves; that they are able to learn, a confidence begins to abide. Social science researchers having delved into identity issues relating anything at all to educational foundations, usually seek transformations outwardly, due to them mostly being outside the “identity- educational” field. How many years now with public education and they are finally looking at “research”. They are studying “identity” and “self”, but are they going into educational foundations as part of the issues and problems? Our society is not concerned largely (at the public educational level) about adding developmental curriculums for children’s identity in psychological realms. The idea of “identity production” in children should be again, protocol, not allowing the stench of “academic haughtiness” to be evident. Educational researchers who seek to increase a child’s inner growth with their identity, as well as achievement and production is what we need! Children need to know themselves! Clearly this is a foundational issue in priorities as human beings. We as a whole seem to need to learn something about relating with others wouldn’t you say?! Where else to begin such learning but from our youth, right? The development of the family nucleus for a child can be lacking in love, understanding and communication. At the educational environment we call “school” the “oppressed” children have difficulty in learning especially due to the structured and scheduled performance therein. These children need help in inner-strength skills, giving entitlement to having their own feelings! The “education towards total learning” pertaining to self-preservation and emotional learning can allow insight to their family situations. Teaching them to see their feelings and write about them is an avenue for growth. The avenue could also be named “change” and be a walkway towards a new class! We all know the demands of school achievement but perhaps with the addition of a very simple psychological tool the weight might diminish. A writer might use this tool in his or her life to write books but it is simple enough even for children who have just learned to write sentences—the Journal! The journaling would aid in bringing about changes within for children. Weekly meetings, with parents involved, discussing written issues, feelings etc. would be mandatory. A designated room would be in order for this class with parent weekly meetings. These meetings would bring about a stronger foundation for the downtrodden children! Steering a child’s emotional health is directly related to his or her identity development. WE as PARENTS and TEACHERS need to first nurture: providing opportunity for the enabling of insight towards identity growth. Further enabling children to see that life is for learning, knowing their identity now, as “learners”, is a prevalent joy, bringing the confidence to participate in the continuity of education. Someday; coming upon their passions; the flowering of their OWN souls. ..
Posted on: Mon, 15 Jul 2013 02:47:00 +0000
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