An educator ought to be a very special
person, with a very broad outlook on life and an understanding of the processes
that are happening in the world. Through a familiarity with the world and with
nature, he should have a clear vision of the state he’d like to bring the child
to at the end of the educational process. His/her role is to help the child
reach the exalted goal of connection and love of others, but using the child’s
unique approach, without suppressing or destroying the talents with which he
was born. In short, an educator is the one who sculpts the young child with
much craft – not according to the educator’s way, but rather by the child’s
way.
How to do?
The most efficient way is through the
correct use of the society. We all know the importance that children attach to
their friends, which increases as they grow older. Developmental psychology
states that the more our children grow, the more the influence of the family
gives way to the influence of the “the peer group” – other children whose
language your child understands and with whom he shares common areas of
interest.
The cleverness of the educator lies in his/her/her
ability to build his/her class into a society of friends, a microcosm of the
world, which will positively influence each and every one of its members, while
he himself remains “behind the scenes.” For that, he must equate his/her level
to that of the children – to act as a “big friend.” If he does not act like
that, he will be perceived as a teacher or a parent who belongs to the society
of the adults, and his/her opinion will not be accepted.
If, however, s/he belittles her/him-self
too much, he will be perceived as a student. Only when the child feels that his/her
educator shares his/her experiences, and therefore is equal to him/her, will s/he
accept him/her as a real friend and open up to his/her influence.
For that, educators must partake in all the
activities with the children, to accompany them to all the places, to do
everything really like children, to fully “mingle” with them, but at the same
time to gently take the reins in their hands and start directing the children,
to begin building different forms of behaviour in them. How exactly? The guides
raise questions in the circle of the children, which allow them to scrutinize
different topics between themselves from time to time.
The only difference that ought to be sensed
between the educator and the children is that the educator can share a little
more from his/her own experience about their common way towards this path love
and giving. Thus, along with having a big friend, the child receives an example
for the next stage to which he must aspire to reach. An educator who is able to
make the child feel that he is an equal partner to him in a path to a more
exalted goal in life makes his/her students feel true confidence and pride.
