Day 6 - The Responsibility to Change (?)

What is the one elemental thing that sets me apart from those whose life still revolves around making ends meet? What is that one thing that was given to me that I leveraged in my growth? Why was I given that element? These were some of the questions that wriggled inside my head for a long time, the search for the differentiating element.

Every child has the potential to become someone in future regardless of his/her current situation. There is a sense of possibility in that child’s future. We may never find any evidence or non-evidence of this but we cannot work on factual data when it comes to the future of the society. Notwithstanding the individual growth that the child may have, he/she deserves every right at the chance. Limitations that constrain this belief in the child plays a major role in conditioning his/her mind from a very early age. We all know that more often than not, a child who is constantly ridiculed for being slow, will remain (or become) slow.

Values and mind-sets always play an imperative role in any decision that is taken. Personal experiences, beliefs and way of thinking influence every human’s decision making skills. Because of this simple reason, inculcating the right values and mind-sets in students become very important. It would be unfair on our part to place in front of an innocent child, the world and ask him/her to decide on issues. What they need, is an understanding of those issues, the ability to decide right from wrong and the art of weighing pros and cons.

It is not an easy task to imbibe mind-sets and values in a child who can barely focus on something other than being happy. It takes a patient, dedicated and creative brain to encompass all these within lessons and activities in school to overcome the dominant trait of the child and condition him/her to push limits. Having said that, where do we draw the line? When should we stop pushing our kids to set mind-sets and values? Is it our “responsibility” to “put” them on the right path? Who is to decide what the right path is? If I had given in to this “putting” me on the right path, I would not have been what I am today! 

Now that I think of it, I believe that this CHOICE of making my OWN, INFORMED decision was what set me apart. And this is what I will want to pass on, the ability of making an informed choice. Though I might have the power to change the child’s path as a teacher, I should only guide him/her until where the road splits. Having given every ounce of knowledge and having conditioned them to make the right choice, I should let them exercise their right to choose their own life path. It is my responsibility to train them to make an informed choice but it is my most elemental duty to stop myself from making that choice for them, because then, he/she will only be an extension of us which is putting a limitation to the possibilities in the future.