We find it normal that a child be there to learn what we teach him.  Why can't we think that he understands certain things better than we do?  We should realize that a child is handicapped in expressing his ideas; he lacks vocabulary, he does not know the exact meaning of words, and therefore he cannot explain himself.  But this does not mean his ideas or criticism do not merit our attention.  We do not know them well enough to approve or reject them.  Perhaps he could at times express himself correctly, but he doesn't in the knowledge that if he did so, we would be displeased.  In short, he is afraid, and he fears to risk the love that we give him.  In other words, a child as he is brought up in today's world is not free.  He gets the same education we received.  We are ready to disregard yesterday=s and today=s education for ourselves, but we keep it affectively for our children. We are passive in the sense that we do not take any measures to prepare them for the life of tomorrow.  The young people who will be replacing us will have to assume much heavier responsibilities than those we bear today.  Must we admit that we are not sufficiently mature for such a mission?  And have we had any special training to enable us to act as parents?  Have we at least learned to teach worthwhile foundation without infringing on the freedom of the child, who can only resort to resignation?

Education has a primary role in the short period of childhood.  Can we assert that this problem of preparation for the future has been given full attention?  Surely not!  Can we pretend that our children are equipped to handle tomorrow's decisions?  Even less!  Children receive from their elders a basic education which has been transmitted from one generation to the next.  These fundamental ideas have not evolved, and they are adapted neither to today's environment nor to tomorrow's.  There are avant-garde educators who refrain from exposing their ideas for a change of methods, for fear of being labeled as oppositional by their colleagues--or by the parents of their students, who are conservative by nature.

One must admit that it was not easy, even 10 years ago, to establish educational methods which would have been effective today; the world has evolved so rapidly that it left many predictions far behind.  Now that we know the rhythm of evolution in all the disciplines, we might be able to establish strong and lasting methodology in education for the future.  To achieve this objective, one should consider the opinions of experts; the remarks we made as children, which were dismissed then; and finally, the criticisms that today's children would offer.  We know in advance that parents will be opposed to any change, because of their blind respect for tradition and because they would perceive their authority as being wrongly attacked.  Under the pretext of love, these same parents hold on to the child and stifle him,--thus putting an end to his natural blossoming.  It is time for them to realize and admit that a child is neither a possession not a toy.

We cannot deny that we must rely on the quality of teachers, to whom we entrust our children.  However we cannot rely only on the professional aspect of educators.  Emotional qualities must be considered, as well.  The toddler who enters nursery school is not out of touch, since he finds the same ambiance as with his parents.  These teachers have been trained for their job, which they consider as a calling.  They are enthusiastic and love children.  They do not scold, nor punish them,  but rather spend time explaining what they should and should not do.  They are tolerant and patient and do not favor one child to the detriment of others.

The child grows up and goes to school where he will never again find the same type of atmosphere.  From that time on, there is a polarization between teachers and students.  The only qualities emphasized are those relating to pedagogy, and those are certainly not conducive to the natural blooming of children.  However some children will feel content with the emphasis on the cognitive, and will benefit from the intellectual approach.  Other children may become problematic to society.

A few experts who had nothing to fear have shared their ideas on innovative teaching methods which may turn out to be fruitful.  The best method seems to be that of Maria Montessori, who communicates the incentive to learn.  It seems logical to avoid placing the whole responsibility on teachers, who have a very difficult task.  We must not suspend our own responsibility with the registration of our children in a school.  We have a duty to follow their progress in their studies, work closely with their teachers and provide them with some help whenever needed.  We know our children better that anyone else; therefore we must help them bring out their own attributes and natural gifts.  It is essential that we cooperate productively with their teachers.

Is it so necessary to maintain the end term evaluation?  Grades are given, and students are ranked.  This business of having a first and a last place on the list is a good way of generating jealousy and bad relationships among students.  It is obvious that they can't all be "first."  Isn't it enough for the teacher to be aware of the value of each student?  The "last" ones are discouraged; if they are not helped they will forever remain in that dragging position.  One must prevent them from being disdained or labeled as slow.  Can we really assert that there are no geniuses among them?  Perhaps they just need a little something, an event or some help, to blossom.  We do not have the right to label them forever. 

Let us not demand from them anything more than we would ask of ourselves, and let us focus our attention upon ourselves since we set the example for this little seed that we want to see germinate under favorable conditioning.  Indeed, all our moral resources should be dedicated to producing the best results.  Once our duty has been accomplished, we may spend time on secondary tasks.  Then we can operate with a peaceful mind, take care of our garden, pull up the weeds, water it and grow beautiful flowers.  A flower is beautiful, but nothing is more beautiful than a child.  The work with a child is similar to that required by a flower.

Building impressive buildings to be used in various ways is necessary, but it is nonetheless also essential to create as many green spaces as possible where children can play.  There are some, but children are forbidden to walk on lawns in order to spare the flowers.  A flower can grow again, but each of us possesses only one childhood.  And a lost childhood may be the root of a lost life.  In society, that would then be translated into delinquency, criminality, alcoholism and drugs.  These outgrowths are the results of bad examples.  Parents may be responsible because of poor relationships, unconventional liaisons, and the abandonment of children to their own devices.  All this constitutes a very meager spiritual legacy.  And in addition, there may be defective genes whose effect is not easily controlled.

Investment on the education of a child is a more rewarding investment than the enormous amounts given technology.  We complain about the evils destroying society; we note them and suffer from them, and that=s all.  Why don't we take action so that tomorrow's society will not need to repeat the same suffering?  To cure a society, it is not enough to punish the evil doers.  One must go to the source, and one may find that basic causes lie in such realities as a bad family atmosphere, the carelessness of parents, the selfishness of those who are not worthy of taking upon themselves the responsibilities of child-rearing.  We are guilty of that. 

Let us help the child live his childhood fully.  Let us respect his own rhythm of development and forget his age.  Let us not push him into our world before he is ready for it.  Let him grow up carefree.  He has plenty of time before he gets involved in our problems and gets a glimpse of the responsibilities that will be his.  He will then encounter success and failure, but he will have absorbed the experience which constitutes the wisdom of our elders.  Each child is a world that we must discover.  Anything that springs from his imagination gives us pleasure.  We marvel at historical castles, but we are flabbergasted by the sand castle the child has built.

Every human being has his own personality, measured perhaps in varying degrees of value.  The child also has his own personality, and we must be very careful not to destroy it or disturb it by using our influence or authority.  This personality, imprinted with willpower, is difficult to eliminate.  Any such attempt is bound to fail.  Sooner or later, the personality will assume its independence, and it could turn against us for having tried to shape it according to our wishes.  Any obstacle erected by us may provoke unfortunate reactions whose consequences we should have to suffer.  The child will respect the will of others when others respect his.

A child may be small physically, and young in age; however, he is big enough to know what he wants.  And what he wants does not always please us.  We do not accept his suggestions and his criticism, since we do not wish to admit that his logic is often more accurate than our own.  Our sense of justice is subject to many factors; that of the child is clear and transparent.  He eschews the wrong doing and lies that we employ to add persuasion to our opinion.  The spurious arguments that we use to convince our peers do not convince him.  It is a mistake to underestimate the wisdom of the child.

In the same way, it is our sense of injustice and arrogance which perceives women as inferior beings.  And this superior attitude originated early in history.  Man is not honest with  himself and does not want to admit his weaknesses.

This situation has improved slowly, but can still be noted nowadays even in intellectual families.  The woman is endowed with a natural instinct that we tend to disregard.  She has been assigned too long to a secondary role.  She realized her capabilities but was faced with an enormous opposition with which she had to contend.  Wisdom and intelligence are not in man's nature only.  Whereas men are capable of creating marvels, women can perform miracles in many areas of everyday life.  Men and women are complementary to each other.  They comprise the two antithetical poles that produce life, from which happiness for both emanates.  What would be the meaning of life deprived of happiness?  Since we love love and happiness, let us respect those who create them.

I do not argue for an era that favors women.  But I do feel that any human being, whatever his sex and color, must be given the potential for fulfilling his role in today's society which perceives itself as advanced.  The periods of force, authority and domination are over.  We live in an age where cooperation and harmony must be sincere and reciprocal.  Wars have been failures and have only benefited those who sell weapons. We are now in an age when we have to achieve integration.  Our enemies of yesterday must become our friends of today.  The wealth of the earth lies in the goods of all people, who are required to use their finest intelligence to live in peace and mutual respect.  Wisdom will prevail.

It is frustrating to have nothing to say when everyone is talking.  It is even more annoying to start talking when we don't feel like it.  Each word has its weight and its level of responsibility.  Being able to listen silently, without giving any answer and without betraying our opinion, is a great advantage.

Let us not stand up and talk without knowing in advance what we are going to say.  Let us weigh our words, and let us foresee the effect they will have on people, so that we can anticipate our own answers.

Even if we are inclined not to talk too much, we cannot remain silent in the face of an injustice, or in a matter of someone's life or death.  It is our duty.  The sincerity of our arguments represents a force which can change the course of events. 

Some people love to hear themselves talk but do not say anything new or anything of interest.  It is also important to know when to remain silent.  Silence is often a more convincing force than the best arguments.

Natives in villages know that behind each shutter there is always a person who watches the street, with the expectation to witness an event.  Nothing is more depressing than this mutual spying among the inhabitants.  From birth to death, each one knows the secrets of the other.  If you should wish to erase an unhappy event, there will always be someone to remind you of it.  The ancestors of these villagers survived through their urge to gossip.  The daily news items are carried by word of mouth with extreme rapidity.  The doctor owes his reputation to the number of people he cured; titles and diplomas are no references.  Each inhabitant has its role to play in the collective life, and there is no room for the lazy or the evil-doers.  It is easier to be named minister in the capital than to be elected mayor in the village.  I have traveled extensively, and I have found the same life pattern repeated in villages.  For this very reason, I do not distinguish between people of Arabia, China, Japan, Europe or elsewhere.  A peasant will remain a peasant.

We often say that we do this or that to kill time.  Is it possible to deliberately kill something as precious as time?  "Killed" time will not return.  It is lost forever, and with it goes the experience we could have acquired and used in a fruitful way.  Let us enjoy each moment of our life, in as much as we will never find them again.

The past is a part of our life which brings us, in the present, more pleasure than when we experienced it.  We tend to remember the past and foresee the future, rather than to enjoy the present moment.  And yet the past was the present in its own time, but we gave it no importance, just as we are doing now.  We look at the present only from the moment it enters the past.  Let us live in the present moment, and go through its trials.  Let us feel each moment with intensity.  Nature is so constituted that even the feeling of sadness provoked by the death of a beloved is experienced differently with the passage of a few months.

In order to understand and ending, one must know its beginning.  And each beginning is nothing but the continuation of another ending.  There are endings of episodes; there are endings of films and endings of eras; but there is never an absolute ending.  Therefore, an ending is only a new beginning.

We are so absorbed by our daily routine that we do not take the time to reflect, which accounts for our automatic behavior.  What we perceive as good today is not valid tomorrow, which makes me wonder how well we can distinguish between good and evil.

We cannot be sincere with our peers if we are not sincere with ourselves.

Sometimes blatant truth is directly confronting us but it is so pure, simple and clear that we do not pay much attention to it. "They have eyes and do not see; they have ears and do not hear..

How can we solve our problems and help others?  Each of us is faced with daily problems of different severity.  It is essential to focus in on the problem itself, to carefully study the given facts; to examine its origin and how serious it is.  Could it have been more important, or could it have thrown us into a dangerous situation?  This type of analysis puts the problem in a more delimited framework.  Before trying to find a solution to the problem, let us act so that it does not go beyond its actual limits, thus becoming more serious.  We have to use our good will and conscience in order to find a constructive solution which will not harm anybody.  We will try to create neither victors nor defeated.  Once the problem is solved, we'll have to make sure it does not return in a different guise.

To involve oneself with other people's problems must not be spontaneous or pre-determined.  If we are asked for help, we must weigh whether we are capable of giving it.  As soon as we take charge, the problem becomes ours, and we must put time in on its solution and use our will power and experience.  Helping others puts us in a position of sacrifice without expecting anything in return.

We have to accept the consequences of the decisions we make, when they are our responsibility.  Let us not fool ourselves; no one will come to our rescue in case of difficulties.

It is important to differentiate real problems from the ones we create.  The solutions we find for ourselves or for others must be free of pride or of emotion.

The problems we have to solve daily are personal trials.  Every day we are facing new ones.  Failure and success follow each other, and thus we acquire experience.

How do we choose our path?  Is it done on a personal basis?  Are we guided by fate?  Or is there an intervention of forces of whose existence we are not aware?

If you are rich, it is said that you oppress others.  If you are poor, your spirit is oppressed.  If you are an intellectual, you oppress your body.

Who has not been overflowed with joy and enthusiasm at a soccer game?  Is it thanks to a love of sports?  Possibly.  But it is above all the feeling of being with others, in the same state of mind.  We then forget society's rules and we call each other freely, without even introducing ourselves.  We smile at each other and pat each other on the shoulder to express our "joy".  We are linked together through those natural forces, since our joy stems from the same source.