To Literacy with Love - A Blueprint
September Basic Education and Literacy month for Rotary International. As Rotarians all over the world are actively engaged in projects, fund raising and discussions to promote literacy it is important to note that as of January 2016, two hundred and fifty million people on the planet are illiterate. That is twenty years after the United Nations International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural rights recognized 1996 as the Universal right to Education Year. Today In China, there are 60 Million Children dubbed the “Left behind children” as a result of their parents migrating to the urban areas like Beijing and Shanghai to seek jobs. These children are left with their less than literate grandparents and often do not go to school. In a Stanford University administered test by professor Scott Rozelle, it was found that of the 60 Million children left behind, 70 percent of them show signs of mental-health problems such as anxiety and depression. These children have an increased tendency for accidents, drug abuse, sexual exploitation, violence and participate in “bully culture”. Their notions of power and self are formed from the perspective of having no love and as such no power.
In Jamaica and the Caribbean there is a similar consequence. We have “Barrel Babies”, these are children who’s parents migrated or “ran off” to North America and England during the impressionable periods of the children’s lives. They are left with relatives and often sent barrels of goodies to suffice for missed contact periods. Sometimes for their entire childhood these children are without physical contact with either parent.
How is this related to literacy?
The road to universal literacy should be travelled by going on a road to develop a more loving, affectionate and caring society. Learning begins with a desire to learn and desire comes with love. The affective domain of learning which is your feelings towards what you learn, requires love for its development -If the information is to be worth anything to the learner. This domain along with the cognitive domain (mental capacity) forms a core component of literacy and learning. So their attitude towards learning will be one of love. This loving environment for which all children should have a right, must encourage love through gentleness, friendliness, empathy, helpfulness, knowledge of self and their cultural legacy from which they came, all mixed together to form part of a useful value system. If the teaching- learning environment is loving, the child will love the activities in that environment. The desire to learn will then be a matter of fact. The “Left behind children” in China go insane because they don't have access to their first connection to the love, gentleness, friendliness, helpfulness and knowledge of self through cultural legacy that they should have received from their parents. Likewise the “Barrel children” as reported by Dr. Pottinger, clinical psychologist at the University of the West Indies said that “barrel babies” develop feelings of loneliness, anger, rejection, fear of rejection, abandonment and sadness as they try to come to terms that their parents are not physically involved in their daily lives to give them the care that is needed.
The communities, nations, and the world’s progressive societies are like an army’s convoy - It slows down for its slowest member. The world’s economic systems and humane ideas cannot advance without those two hundred and fifty million people including those in Jamaica, the wider Caribbean and China developing a love for themselves, love for knowledge, and a love for being literate, no matter if the rest of us may wish to speed up.
The repercussions of illiteracy are presented in the daily and nightly local newscasts and newspapers. Feelings of powerlessness turned into violence and other anti-social behaviors are common headlines. I have been a teacher for over 12 years, interacting with students from various backgrounds who come with problems of illiteracy and my conclusion is that more than education, the people need inspiration. Love for literacy comes first through loving parents/ guardians and our loving teachers. Through engaging parents, loving teachers , and socially relevant literacy programs children may read about experiences that are far from their circumstances and develop their imagination at an early age. Additionally, I believe if a child is educated to read for ten minutes a day , regardless of their circumstances they will be lifelong readers. Lifelong readers are lifelong leaders. Lifelong leaders will rise to the occasion from whatever circumstances they may face to become excellent professionals and problem solvers. They will solve their own problems and people will find them to solve bigger problems, this will change circumstances economically and socially for all stakeholders. They will be loved and in return give that love in service. Fortunes favors the man or woman of service. The cycle of love is sustainable and will only facilitate increase.
To the “Barrel parents” who wish their children well; next time you send a barrel ensure that you send more books to build their imagination and less violent video games. Download more learning tools and books on the iPads and less Comics. Send more love to your children and less words of discouragement. If you can, ensure that you talk and touch your children lovingly everyday as the technology affords. A child should not have to struggle to connect with loved ones. Whenever this happens they move from thinking in colorful dream language to dark nightmares. We can foster a gentler society in the next twenty years where people's values are based on the virtues of service, goodwill, helpfulness, love and use those humane elements as the teaching tools for literacy to change people’s lives and fuel economic development. I saw where the Saint Mother Theresa said : “If you wish to change the world, go home and love your family”.
I say if you wish to make the world more literate give more love to your children. Teachers, give more love to your students. Bus drivers, give more love to your passengers and fellow motorist especially while carrying children. Because If we increase the love given to children in our communities through their daily interactions, we can increase the literacy numbers in our nation. Children learn through love. Not only through instruction and information.
Certainly the teachers that I remember are those who taught me valuable lessons. These are the same teachers that gave me the most love. Whether their lessons came with harsh realities or not, I developed the desire for learning the subject they taught because I felt like they cared for me and how I was learning .Illiteracy has a billion dollar price tag on it that fuels the current economy of self-doubt, fear and debt for millions of people. Its continuation especially among the disenfranchised and oppressed stands to benefit some of the current masters of industry. However, there is no full prosperity without full literacy - So if we, who can read, should lead the charge with love to see to it that every man, woman and child become literate then perhaps our progress and prosperity will be hastened. We have already tried most things in this regard through government policies and other ministerial initiatives. Maybe it is time we just try love as a policy in order for the convoy of literacy to advance the entire human race at a faster pace.
Donovan “JR” Watkis is an Author, Educator and Cultural Artige’.
He is a member of the Rotary Club of Kingston East And Port Royal, Jamaica.
His latest publication “Jr’s Hope: Thoughts on Improving From Up The Street”
may be found on amazon.com and in local bookstores
you may email responses to jrshopethebook@gmail.com