I feel blessed. After immersion in the Sea of Youth for five decades, the zest to meet new student-friends remains undiminished. Saturation in the realm of Childhood (capital intended) educates even the simplest personality. What lessons have I learned? Like four points of the compass, four principal thoughts give direction to the art of education.
North — Venerate Childhood. Treat each child as an infinitely delicate, yet infinitely enduring gift of God.
South— Never give up on a child — ever. Always search for new ways to inspire a student to learn. Get elbow-to-elbow and heart-to-heart. Long after a student passes from your presence, lessons you have taught, examples you have set, will inexplicably reach fruition.
East—Recognize that children will, if treated in a developmentally appropriate manner, slowly evolve through an orderly organic process with the richness of their unique personality intact. When developmentally appropriate education occurs, children are more likely to become adults capable of imparting meaning and beauty to the fabric of life.
West—Look at the education of each child as a mystery to be solved. Each day, ask the questions that need asked. Degree by degree, answers will be forthcoming.
