What Can Our Children Learn -- And When? Advancing the Cause of Human Relationships

Aaron, four, sat on the carpet under the arch between the dining and living rooms scribbling in a pad while his brother, Chris, seven, sat by the coffee table learning his multiplication tables. Their mother, Lynn, sat on the sofa turning flash cards toward him.

“Nine times three.”, she would say.   “Twenty seven.,” he would reply and await the next challenge. At some points, he’d hit a snag and have to pause a few seconds. “Twelve times 9.” (Pause)

It was then that Aaron would chime in with the answer, “One Oh Eight.” he would say without lifting his head from drawing figures. He did not try to answer each question, but he often jumped in when there was a pause.

Chris would bite his tongue until he couldn’t take it any longer. Then he would say, “Look, I’m the one who’s learning this. You’re only four. I’m seven. You’re not even supposed to know this yet.”

What this tells us is that children, like adults, learn when they learn. They learn when they are exposed to things, from math to hunger. And learning opens the door to more learning and more growth. The real question is, “What can we expose our kids to that will help them grow and develop into the people they can become.?”

Fast forward to 2011. Educator John Hunter is presenting to an audience at a TED conference recounting his journey as a teacher and as the designer of the World Peace Game (http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/john_hunter_on_the_world_peace_game.html)

In his game, now some thirty years old and current with the times, Hunter brings challenges to nine year olds that far and away transcend multiplication tables, and it is clear that his students are up to the challenge. No one says. “You’re not supposed to know this yet.” Which brings me posit this question: Have we limited our children’s personal growth and development by setting artificial barriers to what they should know and by when?

Some might reply that these are ‘gifted’ children, above the norm. I concede they are. But I also believe that there are many others just like them who have the same abilities but who were not blessed with a nurturing home environment where they could flourish. For them, such challenging classes can elevate their performance and increase their desire to participate in school for just those reasons. They can be exposed to serious issues and not lose who they are. They can, instead, become more than they might have had they not learned.

One boy in the video particularly stood out when he reflected on what he learned. He said, “One of the things I learned was that other people matter. In this game, one person can’t win, everyone has to win. And I think that taught me a lot about cooperating with other people, being generous, and having an attitude that, if you work together, you can achieve anything.”

Before adding your comments, please look at the clip from the video,  a documentary about this special program. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCq8V2EhYs0 . Ask yourself, “Can I as a parent learn from this and start different dialogues with my own children?”

As a grandparent of a 2 year old boy and 2 month old girl, I have to consider what I can do to elevate our dialogue together. After all that I have done, or not done, to this planet. I owe them that. 

Patterns
 

Alexa Tsokos and Alexios Mavrides knew from the moment their eyes met that they were meant for each other. And so it was that they courted, married and began their lives together. Alexios worked for Olympia Airlines and Alexa was a travel agency and between them made a respectable living, enough so that they were confident to start a family. Soon they were a family of four, with young Alexi and his sister Kalliste.

Life in Athens was prefect until the financial collapse. Alexios’ job was first to go, followed six months later by Alexa’s.  Until that point, they had never considered themselves as part of Greece’s lower class. Nor did they feel that way as their savings slowly depleted. Then reality hit them as it had millions of their fellow citizens.

It was bad enough that they had to listen to the news reports of their nation’s diminishing role in the European community, a basket case of illicit dealings and fraudulent financial reporting. But to actually be victims was beyond their imagination. Soon enough the fear of never working again at thirty seven and thirty two respectively, of losing their home and not knowing how they would feed their children drove them to despair. Never once had they thought that an outside international institution had aided and abetted the nation’s collapse.

They never saw the documentary Inside Job or knew of the Senate hearings in Washington D.C. that investigations into the financial pariahs that had caused the financial collapse in the United States. To them, the Greek crisis was just that, Greek.

Similar couples in Portugal, Ireland, Italy and Spain experienced the same emotions as their jobs disappeared and it seemed to them that their countries/ leaders were at fault. And rightfully so. But it never occurred to any of them that a handful of people from a number of global players could wreak such havoc on the world. And when they finally connect the dots, they’ll realize that the solution to their pain will require an integrated global revolution.

That millions of unemployed Americans have as counterparts millions of unemployed Europeans goes beyond coincidence. And the similarities of the responses of each nation’s leaders, all calling for tough austerity measures while giving tax breaks to the rich in all cases, smacks of collusion on a grand scale.

It is time for the leaders of the respective ‘occupy’ movements in every affected country must come together to find the answers to how these collapses occurred, to share their respective stories to find the perpetrators of the behind-the-scenes actions that led to the European/American collapse, and to agree on the common actions necessary to retake the ground ceded to the criminal elements which stole it, presumable all legally. 

It might help to begin with the actions of Goldman Sachs, many of whose former players are now in leadership of the ministries of commerce in various European and US governments. It might help to know that Goldman Sachs had quietly asked for, and was granted, permission to speculate in commodities, a practice denied financial services for the risk it posed to markets, It may not seem like buying options on oil or corn or wheat could be a big deal but  the results of their actions resulted in commodity prices going through the roof while people of all nations experienced the prices of food and oil breaking people’s budgets. Wheat, for example, went from an historic trading range of $4-$6 per unit went to over $30, causing food riots in over thirty countries, all so a few could increase the digital symbols (money) in their accounts.

It might begin with a more thorough analysis of the actions of Goldman Sachs’ involvement in shrouding the actions of Greek politicians as they reported their financial information to the European Union.

Goldman Sachs is only the tip of the iceberg. As one follows the respective paper trails, including leaked documents and e-mails, the collusion of members of congress and ministries across the globe will come to the forefront, and will result in demand globally for a cleansing of political systems worldwide.

Looking Toward the Election

Looking Toward the Elections

As the nation moves inexorably toward election day, billions of dollars are amassing like so many soldiers to face off in the battle for the hearts and minds of the people.

Included among the many lies and distortions being readied for the airwaves, are the purported ‘values’ of the respective parties, those guiding principles that underpin their respective belief systems and direct their noble actions.

It’s interesting to note how different the two sides are, and how similar. They differ on social causes, i.e. human rights (the rights of women to make their own decisions; the rights of humans to select their partners, to marry, to parent, the rights of people to vote).

The sides are clearly separated on economic issues, i.e., the rights to keep all the money they earn, even if they have to get it from bailouts vs. the rights of people for social support networks during difficult economic times, even though they paid for them through payroll deductions during their working years. Or, the rights of corporate criminals to avoid prosecution even following Senate and other investigations delivering damning proof of illegal actions that led to the financial collapse of a nation.

Interestingly, both sides are willing to ally themselves with the moneyed class to the detriment of their nation, be it in finance, insurance, healthcare, the military or elsewhere.

Most are willing to tolerate the military budget, fully ten times more than their closest perceived ‘enemy’, China, and more than the major industrial nations combined. No one, save Vermont’s Senator Bernie Sanders, seems willing to point out that the concerns about entitlements (Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid) were ‘paid-in’ accounts, in which every worker’s pay was ‘taxed’ for these future benefits.

No one, save Bernie, seems willing to point out that the military generals have themselves said that much of the equipment yet to be built is no longer necessary because the nature of war has made them irrelevant, and that the monies not yet spent could be used for better, non-defense things. Nor has it been pointed out that those insisting on the equipment being built are the congressmen in whose districts they are built. Seems like no one remembers beating swords into plowshares.

Pay close attention to this election cycle, lest you find yourselves poorer to benefit of a few, especially including those whom we sent to represent us. 

Lessons from Harry Belafonte   Part II

The second story really struck such a chord that I share it with you because it is a call to action for all of us.

Throughout the evening, much of what Harry had shared with us was full of insights delivered with a mixture of humor and candor. At this point, he directed his words to the African American students in the audience, He told them about an event in the Olympics of 1968. In that year, the United States had the best relay race team in the world, bar none. This team was so good that no one was betting against them. Four African American women were virtually guaranteed the gold. For Harry, the metaphor was compelling, enough so that he set aside time to watch the race on television.

The starter gun sounded, and the runners leaped forward, the African American in the lead. As she approached her teammate with her arm outstretched to pass the baton, they fumbled the handoff. Other runners passed them by. The two quickly recovered but the second runner had a lot of ground to make up. She passed the baton to the next team mate who was still behind, and she to the fourth, to no avail. The United States did not earn the gold – or the silver, or the bronze. Sadness filled the air around them, and among the American Olympic fans throughout the nation.

The wondrous thing about a good story is how it affects the listeners, how it brings them into the story. They can see the runners on the track. They feel their pulses rise in the moment, the adrenaline rush the mind generates. Their breathing increases, reflecting the degree to which the video running in their minds has captured their spirits. I not only saw the loss – chins falling forward, shoulders collapsing inward, tears flowing and open sobbing resonating – I felt it. In that moment, their loss was mine.

Harry paused for a moment to allow the sensations to sink in. Then, in a soft voice, he continued. “I have thought about that race throughout the decades since. A race that was guaranteed was lost because they failed to pass the baton. For me, it is a powerful metaphor. Because we did the same. In all the years that Martin, Andy, so many others, and I worked to create an America in which everyone, including African Americans, would be free to pursue their dreams according to their hearts, with all the marching and protests and speeches – time we committed so that you, in this audience, would have the freedoms to experience the American Dream, we forgot to pass the baton to you. We forgot to tell you what your part in this has to be. You are here today because of the work of others who went before, but the work is not over. So, when the Supreme Court of the United States can determine the President of the United States, where were you? When a president could take us to war in foreign lands based on lies, which cost us thousands of lives and billions of dollars, where were you?”

His speech continued for a few minutes more, but his points to me were made.

Each of us in this audience is better off today than our parents because of the leaders who went before, to break barriers, the pave the way for our acceptance, and to make the rights for some the rights for all. And, perhaps they were too busy creating their dream for us that they neglected to pass the baton to us. In turn, perhaps we did not pass the baton to our children. Our parents might not even have known that they should have passed it along. We might not have realized our responsibility to do the same.

But we know it now. Because when a small group of elected officials are blatantly crafting new legislation that restricts the rights of their fellow Americans, when special interests in key areas of commerce and industry can rewrite or eliminate laws designed to benefit our nation as a whole and have new laws put in place without concern for the citizens of our nation, where are WE? When manipulators in the financial industries virtually ruined our nation, and our politicians from both parties failed to ask why – and instead worked socialize the debt and then allowed the perpetrators to privatize the profits and award themselves billions in bonuses, where are WE?

It is sad that we had to discover that we were being emasculated by a select group of corporations using elected officials as their proxies – but it is not too late for us to act to reverse them. The call goes forth and we must be there for each other to take our country back, to redistribute wealth and opportunities – and responsibilities to the majority of Americans who are at risk of losing their rights.

I offer for your consideration two other stories, both crafted in my mind as thoughts gestate in the quiet of the wee hours of the morning.

In the first one, I envision conversations with the angry electorate in Wisconsin and Ohio, Michigan and Tennessee, in Maine and beyond. It centers on critical thinking – or the lack of it. In all these states, as in dozens of others, we were mad as hell, disillusioned with our president and his party. The democrats are ruining the nation by spending extravagantly on programs to kick start the economy using hundreds of billions of dollars – borrowed monies – that our children will have to repay – for our mistakes. We are reinforced in these views by the republicans, who play our dissatisfaction to their advantage. We somehow do not note that they were the ones that created the mess.

Their fears that we are failing ourselves and our children drives us solidly into the republican camp with their messages of slashing spending and getting our financial house in order. We listen to the promises of the candidates in Ohio and Wisconsin and we forget to use critical thinking. We hear them tell us that we need to control, even slash spending but we fail to ask the critical questions – like “How”.

Within weeks after the elections, we see what they really meant. They extended billions in tax breaks for the wealthiest among us, and now they attack public sector workers to make up for it. They go after unions in fields mostly populated by women, -- teachers – with nursing on the horizon, leaving for the moment male dominated fields such like police and fire fighters. In Maine, the new governor endeavors to legislate new wage structures that cut minimum wages for people ages twenty and younger by $2 and hour! And to permit the extension of hours that children can work during their school periods. Where are WE?

Taxes paid by the wealthy are a fraction of what we pay. Taxes paid by corporations in many cases are a fraction of what they should be paid – all of this legal – because our legislators changed the rules. (I cannot overlook with gratitude that our neighborhood big box retailer COSTCO pays its full share. I urge you to frequent their stores.)

Currently the government is within hours of a shutdown brought about by issues that have nothing to do with the budget. Instead, republican legislators are holding us hostage to push their social agendas upon us. Many senators and congressmen are blogging and tweeting that the administration is threatening our military by their actions. They use other blatantly falsehoods to muddy the water in an attempt to accomplish their agenda. Where are WE? Who should be actively telling them to remove the riders to the bill that have nothing to do with the budget, and work on their other issues at a later time?

We need to be on their blogs challenging them to return the financial legislation that protected our nation from abuse by investment bankers, and to actively investigate those corporations that in 2008 brought this country to its knees. We need, each of us, to watch the documentary Inside Job that we might better understand how we got hosed, and to use the rage we will feel as we watch it in a positive way to take political grass0-rrots action to stop the plundering so we can then focus on rebuilding the nation. And while we do this, we must pass engage our children – and pass the baton.

Lessons from Harry Belafonte  Part 1

Harry Belafonte no longer sings. But he still talks, and the wisdom of his years is a beacon for us all.

We sat in quiet amazement as he spoke about his experiences as a civil rights activist with Martin Luther King, Andrew Young and others, and shared insights that we’d never known. His stories were rich in imagery, each communicating clear ideas, reflecting the depth of thinking and commitment they each felt toward the challenges they faced as African Americans, as Americans without color, as men trying build better lives for all Americans.

Two stories he recounted demonstrate the strength of their minds and their characters, and offer insights for all of us. The first one takes place in a hotel room in a southern city, where they are holding a strategy meeting. A lot of arguing was taking place with clear differences of opinions being expressed passionately. Harry looked up to see Martin standing alone, looking out from a window. He moved slowly to stand with Martin, careful not to disrupt his thoughts.

“Martin?” he asked, “You’re quiet today, and distant. What are you thinking?”

Martin shook his shoulders, bringing himself back into the moment. “I was just thinking. Here we are, striving with all we’ve got, to integrate ourselves into this society, and I cannot shake the thought that we might be integrating ourselves into a house afire.”

The nation was in the midst of very powerful internal strife, of which integration was just one of the issues. The Viet Nam war was dividing the nation, along with other issues.

“We’ll, Martin, if your fears are well founded, are we perhaps wasting our time and energies. What would our roles be if we were successful?”

“We would be the firemen.”