BY THE END OF THIS BLOG AND VIDEO: You will appreciate that while William Shakespeare’s mother no doubt got tired of him writing all the time, you – like Shakespeare’s mother – had and have a lot to learn. Much of what you should learn is contained in this video:
http://www.ted.com/playlists/24/re_imagining_school
This was one of the BEST presentations I have ever seen on the Dark Side of Education. Sir Ken Robinson delivers a powerful punch as he articulates some key problems with how we educate our children. One of the key points he makes is illustrated by the following story:
A mother brings her very energetic child in to see a therapist. The mother is convinced the child just has too much energy, as she appears hyperactive. The therapist allows the daughter to be in a room alone and then takes the mother to an adjacent room where her daughter can be watched. The professional and the mother watch for a few minutes and observe the little girl jump, bounce, and spin around the room.
The professional turns to the mother and says in a gentle and understanding way: “Your daughter loves to dance”.
Fast-forward to this young girl’s adulthood: She becomes a world famous dance choreographer.
Lesson in this talk will implant in your head: Stay aware that your child’s most annoying qualities, the qualities that schools may look to “sand down” or “regulate” may just be the qualities that represent what is most unique and which will help define a successful future if only you help them channel that particular kind of energy flow.
And for all you parents with the most strong-willed children, rest assured: if you can help your child channel the powerful force of their personality in the right way, they too will do something that no one could foresee.
Homework: try paying more attention to what your child naturally gravitates toward in terms of their activities, and see them for who they are, not for who you want them to be. Don’t try and keep up with the Joneses, rather, focus on this one question every day: Am I really accepting my child for they are?
This does not mean blowing your standards, but it does mean clearing away some of your own illusions.