Something About Education

Something About Education

By Martha Díaz

 

 

graduate1Pop Quiz! What is the picture that comes to your mind whenever you hear or read the word Education?Maybeit is a clean classroom, where everything is in its place and kids happily raise their hands before talking. If this picture fits with yours, we can share some ideas. In education, and in any human activity, everything we do is based on Aristotle’s four causes: material, formal, moving, and final.

For example, an artisan chooses clay, sees the color and feels the texture, imagines the right form for a specific use; and works carefully moving his hands with love to create a decorative and useful pot. That is, the material (clay), changes its form with a movement to reach its ultimate purpose: to become a useful object.

In Education the four causes are present, but the material is unique and if we do not recognize and accept it, we can harm a human being. We can only imagine his final purpose through his own eyes, to support and reinforce his gifts and skills.

The movement for change is given by the society and the teachers, all of them unique human beings with different eyes, goals and experiences who must respect his pace and nature.

But the form: can we imagine beautiful sculptures in our cities? Can we imagine doctors, parents, architects, engineers, businessmen etc. working honestly and professionally throughout the scope of their decisions? Only values and skills can sculpt the citizens with whom we want to live.

So, whenever you imagine the picture of the clean classroom with smiling, respectful children, imagine also: a clean city without violence, and offices where everyone’s voices are fairly listened to.  

(Ed. Note: Maestra Diaz has been described as “a dedicated teacher, one of those who was born for the task, and who derives great pleasure from helping shape the future of Mexico.”)

 


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