Why?

Humans are by nature social creatures. We move and live in groups depending on our age and needs. When we are born, we cry when we do not see our mother. In school, we learn to socialize outside our home and discover the wonder of playing with friends as we discover friendship outside our home. During adolescence, we ignore our family and seek friends because they "understand." In college, particularly when you move away from home, friends really become family. We talk of parties and classes and relationships over breakfast late saturday morning (sometimes noon!). Friends comfort us when we fail an exam or have a broken heart. Friends (at least those who are true friends) support us when we have to have less fun to get better grades. Farther along in the future, our own families become our social network. A spouse, children, grandmothers and cousins are our world and the cycle continues for future generations.

Knowing this, it is hard for me to understand how we can be so close minded when it comes to making new friends. Once we have our circle of friends, no one can come in and the one who steers away is a traitor. I live in what, as far as I know, is the most populated city in the world. I am surrounded by people all the time yet it seems that the larger the city, the lonelier life can get. In small cities, new people are a novelty and are the most sought after friends while in larger cities, strangers are just that, strangers. We live inside our bubble where only our "circle of trust" can come in.

Why do we do this? Why can't a large city be open to new people? Why do we choose to live inside our bubbles and reject all those who try to break through? In a world connected with smart phones and social networks and messengers, why do we reject friendship when it is right in front of us?

Educating is not teaching...

I am truly amazed at the changes education and pedagogy are making. Not too long ago, the purpose of a teacher was to transfer his or her knowlwdge to the students so that they could make meaning out of it. The teacher, along with the text book, were the only sources of knowledge. A teacher was respected regardless of the treatment he or she gave by students and parents.

Nowadays, teachers are not the source of information nor should their job be seen as transmitors of knowledge. Today, a teacher is a mediator of knowledge and a learner. Teachers do not give information, but rather help students find the information by teaching skills. Whether these skills are meant for research or analyzing, everything students learn must be provided by and taylored for the students. What amazes me even more is the importance of helping students understand their learning process. Students need to rationalize how they learn so that the can become independent learners. Like a professor of mine says, "Students must learn despite their teachers."

This new perspective of education allows the teacher to become a student as well. While I've been working at my current school, I feek like I have learned more than I had before. Discussions with my students have given me a new perspective on many topics. I have observed that my students benefit more from the discusssions they have than from any type of information I can give them. And with the new program I am involved with, Gardner's Multiple Intelligences theory, I am on the right track as a modern and effective mediator. I was not fortunate enough to have experimented these new theories and perspectives, but I can take advantage of them now just like my students do.

Could this be the way to improve this crazy world we live in? I am certain the answer is yes.

Wise Words

I have always believed in the power of words. Words, phrases, poetry, prose always have an ability to transcend time and give meaning, strength, and a new perspective to the world. Perhaps this is the reason why I ardently read and attempt to write. Words are powerful and magical and through words, I make meaning of this crazy yet beautiful world we live in. Writing our thoughts is an important part in the quest to analyze and improve ourselves because every great and terrible idea began as a thought in someone's mind. When we write our thoughts down, we make them words and those words can become the actions that forever change our lives. It was a thought of equality that allowed Martin Luther King to fight, a thought of peace that gave Gandhi the motivation, a thought of hate that gave the countless dictators the motivation to create hate.

These are just some of the reasons why I think we should always be careful about what we think, say and write. Our brains are capable of such beautiful dreams and such terrible nightmares. When I come across words that touch my heart, I like to write them down. This gives me the possibility to go back to them and think and reflect. Today, while I was reading such phrases, I came across sweet words that a friend once told me. I don't remember the occasion, but these words were the right amount of medicine I needed. My dear friend, who lives far away and who I have not seen in years, once told me "People get what they deserve and you, my love, only deserve the best."

I am such a fortunate person to be surrounded by people whose words in books and in conversation give me strength years after they've said them. We should be careful with what we say and who we say it to. We would be better people if we chose our words wisely and acted upon them with even more wisdom. I don't know if this post makes sense. I don't even know what the purpose of it was. I guess all I can say is thank you to all the people whose words make a difference in our lives, in our cities, in our countries and in our world. Thank you to everyone who fights for a better tomorrow with words rather than guns.