Education must be based on trust
WE OFTEN talk of a lack of authority in the family and educational centres and it is thought that this is the cause of bad behaviour and low school performance.
Authority has to be exerted the least possible, because each time it shows, it exposes a weakness. It is negative to not use it when necessary and it is also negative to use it in excess and end up losing it. When the child is used to hearing their parents give a certain order, he does not pay attention and does what he wants. For example, it would not be educational to call the child five times to get up when in the last call he still has sufficient time to go to school. It would be more appropriate to call him once within a reasonable time and demand he get up, even when the risk of arriving late because of his guilt exists.
If authority wears down, each day it will have to be exercised more intensely to get the same results and in the end it will be more difficult to regain the lost ground.
It is not good to have an attitude of constant distrust or recrimination before students. Distrustful attitudes make the child begin to invent lies, such as personal defence. When the child knows what they have to do, it is preferable to let him and act as if we don’t know what happens without saying anything, leaving a margin to his own responsibility. If we have given him our confidence and he does not use it reasonably, later he will be upset because he disappointed us.
That is why it is good to create in the family and school a climate of freedom where the child feels comfortable without excessive controls.
It is not good to express disbelief to the child: education must be based on trust.
ARTURO RAMO
Independent Forum Of Opinion.