Teach Values Not Facts

After the terror attack on 9/11 I wrote a letter-to-the-editor of the Vail Daily.  The editor, Don Rogers, published my letter in full and called to ask if I would meet him for lunch, which I did.  At lunch Don asked me if I would consider writing a weekly commentary for the Daily because as he explained, “We don’t have any conservative writers and I want the paper to express all points of view,” and thus began my journalistic career.  I seldom tackled politics back then and instead wrote about whatever popped into my head; obviously my focus changed over the last 24 years, nonetheless, in light of what’s transpired over the last few days, I decided to share the gist of one of my early commentaries in today’s post.

William Burroughs once wrote, “The aim of education is the knowledge, not of facts, but of values.” Which begs the question, does the American education system create the space where differing philosophies are presented and collide, where a wide variety of viewpoints are welcomed and where students, especially those in higher education, are allowed to debate and test opposing theories and philosophies?

I believe the vast majority of educators in grade schools and high schools want their charges to be open-minded, but at the same time, I suspect the liberal orthodoxy of academia can’t help but rub off on our kids.  I also believe education begins in the home, and as parents, we have a myriad of responsibilities regarding our progeny.  Certainly, teaching manners, etiquette and grooming are important, but like the biblical parable, we serve our children far better when we focus on teaching them “how to fish” so they can become self-reliant and prosper after they leave the warmth of the parental hearth.

Too often, children are taught to be quiet and dutiful when we should be trying to develop expressive and open-minded little personalities.   And the surest way to have interesting children is to be interested in them as human beings, not just in their grades or the cleanliness of their rooms.

Years ago, I came across a philosophy about education that actually does focus on values, rather than facts.  And the first tenet of this approach to education is the view that the ultimate responsibility for a young person’s success or failure in life lies with the individual, and it’s the level of a young person’s self-confidence that ultimately determines the level of his or her success … academically, athletically, interpersonally and, most certainly later in life, economically.

This philosophy also embraces the notion that the key to building self-confidence is to first help our kids develop positive attitudes.  Children come into this world filled with a sense of curiosity, merriment and inquisitiveness, and it’s a parent’s job to cultivate these natural attributes. In fact, we can even make the process enjoyable.  Kids are the most naturally curious little learning machines the Lord has created, and parents need to use this “leverage” to everyone’s advantage.  And when young people have a positive attitude, it’s a lot easier for parents to teach them about their individual importance and identify their unique talents and abilities.

So, too, parents must teach their children how to make wise choices, i.e., choices that are in their own best interests.  And a practical way to accomplish this is by using this simple equation: actions equal consequences, both positive and negative, something that unfortunately is sorely lacking in most aspects of modern-day America.  Parents also need to demonstrate how repeated efforts toward accomplishing a worthy goal or ideal (positive habit building) will bring success over time.

Meanwhile, thinking outside the box is a critical component of a liberal education (I use the term liberal in its classical sense), and thinking outside the box is a lot easier for children when everything and anything is possible, so why not use this naturally eager-to-learn attitude to help our children think creatively?   And, lastly, kids must be taught the benefits of persistence, i.e., the age-old adage of try, try again.  A tall order?  Perhaps, but the benefits are surely worth the effort.

Quote of the day: “Education is what remains after we’ve forgotten what we learned in school.” — Albert Einstein.