A Complete Education

It's What’s Inside that Makes the Difference

The key purpose of education is taking responsibility to equip the child with knowledge, to broaden and deepen all-round understanding. But the ability to exercise thinking with responsible flexibility and an inner moral compass, are widely seen today as crucial to a person’s future.

The influences of the child’s surroundings, people interaction and environment are usually highly empowering. Discussions continue between psychologists and educators about whether there is such an existence as a “bad child” of pre-destined path or just “bad parenting” and mitigating circumstances.

Leading British child psychologist Dr Pat Spungin says: “Psychologists recognise that there are temperamental differences in babies from birth. There are children who are born with less empathy and understanding of people and who care much less about the consequences of their actions and the effects on other people.”

* Quote from Daily Mail newspaper, October 2010.

What kind of a person are we when no one is watching? What kind of a person are we when it really matters? These are times that exhibit the true test core of character. Educator Dr. Betty Chan, Director of Yew Chung International School in Hong Kong, China and USA, states, “Our commitment to education today recognises the necessity for thinking and acting from insular to universal. YCIS acknowledges our human obligation to cultivate a new generation that will take care of the environmental, social and economic challenges ahead. We should ask ourselves, what kind of person would we wish to drive the world’s direction? Linked with our commitment to global education is the vision to promote the inner moral compass.”

How does a school place a balanced emphasis on character building to develop of the individual’s moral compass? At YCIS character education is delivered using a researched based programme as a regular feature on the timetable. They focus on one good character trait a month bringing real situations to the classroom for open discussions, sharing their appreciation of such a character as they receive a deeper understanding of the affect this can have on themselves or others.

A school serves as a microscopic version of our whole society. Dr. Chan embraces the use of character education in all YCIS classrooms, saying “This balance will enable them to take the helm and steer their way through human complexities, enabling them to exhibit goodness, honesty and compassion with confidence.”

YCIS students are also given the opportunity to enhance appreciation, respect and tolerance of other cultures; thus deepening their moral obligation to our globe. Parents have the first responsibility to choose a school for their child with care and caution. Dr. Chan says, “Parents making this important decision need to

look inside the classroom for evidence of quality education for their child – what is happening within that environment.”

Through close liaison between school and home this partnership can help steer the path for the young person with the framework in place and the care and love to assist, a YCIS student would be at an advantage with his moral compass set to take on the unknown challenges of the future.

“Character Education is more important today than ever. We live in a society that has not been taught sustained basic moral values. The value of life and property, the value of respect and honesty. We constantly see in the news that character is set aside for the feeling of the moment. Anger, jealousy, hatred, and selfishness are instead placed center stage and acted upon. The time has come to bring character to the forefront again and raise the moral values we have as a society, and as individuals.” With reference to www.charactereducationnews.com:

After all, it is the actual learning in the school that will impact and transform the future of a child and his world; it is what’s inside that really matters.