Getting to the Heart of Education



In our busy day-to-day lives, we sometimes forget to get in touch with what is in our hearts -- our feelings. Children need to learn how to feel what is in their hearts and be able to express this responsibly so that they will grow up to be adults who know how to connect with others and the world around them in a meaningful way. We often need to be reminded that education is a holistic process that involves not only the mind and body but also the heart.

“Students of all ages come to school with their souls alive and seeking connection. Howard Gardner (1993) and Daniel Goleman (1994) documented that ‘emotional intelligence’ is a greater predictor of academic and life success than is IQ. Robert Sylvester’ s work, A CELEBRATION OF NEURONS (1995), tells us, ‘Emotion is very important to the educative process because it drives attention, which drives learning and memory.' ” ( Kessler, The Soul of Education)

Nurturing the Heart. . .
How do we nurture what is in our children’s hearts? One way is by setting up simple rituals that allow ample space and time for sharing. Set a time limit, maybe a half hour, to be totally present with your child (no housework, appointments, reading the paper, or watching TV, etc.). In her book, CHERISH YOUR CHILD, Ilana Fernandez offers questions that could open a “window of sharing” with your child, perhaps as a bedtime or dinner time ritual.
“What do you like about yourself?”
“What did you do today that you feel good about?”
“What are you looking forward to tomorrow?”

Or you could try the flip side to these questions and help them get a lot off their chest. A word of CAUTION: Be open and non-judgmental when asking these and listen with your heart.
“What don’t you like about yourself?”
“What did you do today that you don’t feel good about?”
“What are you not looking forward to tomorrow?”

These following questions can be also used with a friend, a spouse, or partner.
“Tell me one thing about your day that was important to you.”
“Is there anything I can do to support you?”
“Is there anything we need to discuss or that you’d like to share with me?”

Allowing our children, as well as ourselves, time to connect with our hearts can help strengthen our emotional intelligence and help us connect with our family, friends, and our environment in a more caring and meaningful way.

Shirley Rivera (Counseling PS - Gr. 5/ CE. Gr. 3-5)
*Phone: 441- 3839 *Email: srivera@midpac.edu

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