The True Canon of Education by a 66-Year-Old Principal:
First Question: What is education? In simple terms, education is about cultivating good habits in children. On the basis of these good habits, so-called enlightenment and quality will naturally form over time. The process of education is a lifelong journey with four key components: 1) Family Education: Also known as starting-point education or root education, it can even be traced back to prenatal education and early childhood education. 2) School Education: Aims to cultivate children into well-rounded individuals who excel morally, intellectually, physically, aesthetically, and socially. 3) Social Education: Cultivates the ability to discern right from wrong and truth from falsehood during the "socialization" process. 4) Self-Education: Nurtures the spiritual realm of "prudence," which accompanies one throughout life.
Second Question: What are children? If you ask me, what is the most worrying yet valuable thing in life? It's our children. No amount of wealth can replace a child's healthy growth or a strong parent-child relationship. Children are the inexhaustible source of your blessings.
Third Question: How do we educate children?
First Strategy: Mindset. Parents should maintain an attitude of observation, appreciation, and smiling normalcy. Expectations for children should be subjective, calm, equal, and respectful. Trust your child but also recognize that they are just ordinary people. Maintain an ordinary heart and discard the tendency to compare. What kind of childhood does a child hope for? The answer lies in your own memories and dreams: a childhood full of play and mischief.
Compare two types of parents: In one scenario, when a child shoots basketballs and makes 9 out of 10, some parents might criticize: "You're so stupid! You made 9, why didn't you make that last one?" Making 9 shows capability! In another scenario, when a child makes 1 out of 10, some parents might say: "You're amazing! You made one!" The latter is criticism. No matter how hard the child tries, they cannot meet the perfect standard set by their parents, leading to eventual discouragement and loss of motivation. The former is appreciation. Through appreciation, the child builds confidence in themselves and becomes a positive person.
Second Strategy: Appreciation. "Great job! Well done! You can do it! There’s progress!" These four phrases should become a mantra for parents encouraging their children. However, praise should be measured. First, commend the child's efforts rather than their appearance, which is inherited genetics, not their own effort. Second, praise sincerely, not superficially or perfunctorily, as children can sense subtle differences.
A mother suffering from a terminal illness and unable to speak wrote to her child at every stage of growth: When the child was young, she wrote: "I have big hands; I can do things myself." When the child worried about grades, she wrote: "If I judged my child solely by numerical scores, how foolish and shallow I would be. Every bit of effort and progress in my child is my true pride!" When the child became proud as a class monitor, she wrote: "When above others, see them as people." When the child felt discouraged after stepping down as class monitor, she wrote: "When below others, see yourself as a person." When the child entered society, she wrote: "Face the complexities of the world with genuine simplicity."
Three basic concepts about children: 1) No child hates learning. 2) Interest is the best teacher. 3) Accept reality before changing it. To show equality and respect for children, listen immediately, squat down to look at things from their perspective, and involve them more in household affairs. During shopping trips, instead of making them look at rows of little legs while holding their hands, let them ride on dad's shoulders to see the whole world. Only then will they willingly participate in your activities.
Third Strategy: Role Modeling. Parents' words and actions are the child's role models. The resentment caused by parents' failure to properly raise their children cannot win respect, only the virtue of nurturing can earn true affection. The most important ability a child needs for life is the ability to learn. To help children learn, parents should provide them with as much independent learning space as possible, create a family learning atmosphere filled with books and fun that meets the child's needs, allowing the child to be nurtured in a good home environment. Books are the ladder of my progress. Reading is a good habit for a child's healthy development. An individual's spiritual growth history is their reading history.
Fourth Strategy: Learning through Play. If children like watching TV or playing games, this is their nature and also a way for them to understand the world. However, it is essential to inform them of the differences between the TV and game worlds and the real world, preventing blind imitation. Do not place the TV in the child's bedroom. Manage the time and content of children watching TV. The best way to prevent children from watching TV is for parents to engage in games and learning activities together with them.