Many parents, due to genuine limitations, prefer to send their children to schools where they can get both quality and affordable education. This undoubtedly is something that even the wealthy would prefer if they come to realize that their children would grow and develop in an environment which actively taps the different dimensions of their human potentials. Today a substantial number of schools actively concentrate on two fundamental dimensions which undoubtedly deserve the attention: (1) Mental abilities, and (2) Physical abilities. Other areas are not totally disregarded, but given marginal importance. When we speak of mental abilities, we refer to the abilities to focus one’s attention, retain what one has already learnt, analyze and compare the same, rephrase and produce it in one’s own words, etc. Most of the fundamental areas of the mental dimension are taken very seriously. With regard to physical perfection, facilitating the amenities of sports and physical exercise has become an important segment of nearly every school today. There is a fundamentally determining dimension, however, which if not tapped properly and actively, can facilitate the perpetual ruin of our children. Qualities such as authority, dignity, steadfastness, selflessness, etc. are traits that can either be developed or hampered in the aspiring student. The encounter of every teacher tremendously influences the student, especially because the latter is not facing a mere individual, but rather a small society which consists of the teacher and students of his age. A substantial number of maladies like inferiority complex, emotionally reactive behavior, lack of responsibility, lack of interest in education, etc. stem from such educational setups, which despite its fame of excellence portrays a Darwinic image of “the survival of the fittest” instead of the Muhammadan image of “the emancipation of the weakest”. The success of every school is determined not by its first grades and As, but rather its collective excellence. It is high time we try to decipher how some maladies of personality appear in our children!!!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Sacrifice Personality for Mental Perfection?
Many parents, due to genuine limitations, prefer to send their children to schools where they can get both quality and affordable education. This undoubtedly is something that even the wealthy would prefer if they come to realize that their children would grow and develop in an environment which actively taps the different dimensions of their human potentials. Today a substantial number of schools actively concentrate on two fundamental dimensions which undoubtedly deserve the attention: (1) Mental abilities, and (2) Physical abilities. Other areas are not totally disregarded, but given marginal importance. When we speak of mental abilities, we refer to the abilities to focus one’s attention, retain what one has already learnt, analyze and compare the same, rephrase and produce it in one’s own words, etc. Most of the fundamental areas of the mental dimension are taken very seriously. With regard to physical perfection, facilitating the amenities of sports and physical exercise has become an important segment of nearly every school today. There is a fundamentally determining dimension, however, which if not tapped properly and actively, can facilitate the perpetual ruin of our children. Qualities such as authority, dignity, steadfastness, selflessness, etc. are traits that can either be developed or hampered in the aspiring student. The encounter of every teacher tremendously influences the student, especially because the latter is not facing a mere individual, but rather a small society which consists of the teacher and students of his age. A substantial number of maladies like inferiority complex, emotionally reactive behavior, lack of responsibility, lack of interest in education, etc. stem from such educational setups, which despite its fame of excellence portrays a Darwinic image of “the survival of the fittest” instead of the Muhammadan image of “the emancipation of the weakest”. The success of every school is determined not by its first grades and As, but rather its collective excellence. It is high time we try to decipher how some maladies of personality appear in our children!!!
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Dear Shaykh Khalfan,
ReplyDeleteSalaam Alaikum,
I must say that your articles are very beneficial and thought-provoking, and alhamdulillah i make a point to read them everyday before i start my day.
I refer to your closing statement-"It is high time we try to decipher how some maladies of personality appear in our children!", which I totaly agree with. I will really appreciate if you could share your advice/suggestion as to how best we can go about it.
Many Thanks.