Always Learn!

Sir Jim Rose’s April 2009 published report for the government on the overhaul of the primary education curriculum and children’s education highlights the importance of communication.

A focus of the report is on the ability to’ ‘talk’ in primary schools.

This aspect of education is hugely important and of related and massive importance is the ability in later life to take this talk into the public arena.

We are now clearly in the age of presentation and communication and those that can speak in the public in whatever form lead considerably richer lives both materially and intellectually.

It is well known that adults fear speaking in public more than they fear death itself and therefore most do not do it.

So how do you deal with this potential for impoverishment in people’s education and lives? There is provision for the education and training motivated adults but first and foremost we must deal with the matter as early on in children’s lives as we can and this means when learning at the primary school age.

So the question arises; how do you enhance children’s learning experience, provide the necessary education resources to avoid the growth of the fear factor?

The answer has to be based on using a method that employs all aspects of  children’s learning styles using a clear structured approach based on visual, kinaesthetic, auditory, and memory techniques. It is this that will lead to success in their education.

Organisations such ‘The Learning Well’ and ‘The Speaking Well’ and well known individuals such as Tony Buzan, who developed Mind Mapping, have a huge focus in this area providing just such learning techniques, utilising all learning styles, to all those who aspire to give the gift of public speaking to children.

For the sake of our children’s future those now tasked with developing the primary education curriculum must take note of these methods and techniques including the Memory Map and Memory Mapping originated by Tony Lazar and used and spoken about extensively by Alan McMahon, both of ‘The Learning Well’ and ‘The Speaking Well’.

These activities massively boost children’s education and confidence and provide a clear structure for effective speaking, talking and learning

The origin of the term ‘education’ can be traced to Latin roots from the term ‘educare’ meaning ‘to raise’ or ‘to nourish’. The main purpose of bestowing education is to imparting and development of knowledge and its significant application in life in positive aspects and also in the growth of wisdom and social and cultural consciousness. As a result the process of communicating and interacting with students and therefore the efficiency of the teacher and his skills are equally vital for the spread of education. In fact it is necessary to note that all the countries of the world are pledged to extend the cause of education by reaching out to every nook and corner and ensure that every individual is literate. Literacy is a fundamental right of every human being irrespective of geographical boundaries and every child is entitled to receive basic education. Different disciplines contribute accordingly in the spread of education. Here it is to be pointed out that education begins form the grassroots level at home among one’s family and peers but elementary school education begins in the form of primary education and is followed by secondary education and then higher education. Therefore it is not wrong to refer to primary education as the first step towards attaining a bright future. It is the first stage which every child has to embark on in the beginning.

Primary education more often follows nursery or pre-school education. Primary education is a vital stage in the development of the consciousness and personality of the child as it is at this juncture that a whole new world of bright ideas and knowledge open up in front of their eyes. At this stage children are extremely inquisitive and elementary education must encourage this tendency among the children. As the child attains about twelve years of age, he becomes eligible for high school or secondary education. However there are several educational institutions which provide middle school facilities which make the transition form primary to secondary schools quite gradual. Literacy is one of the most important goals that primary education sets to achieve and primary education concerns itself with introducing the study of history, geography, science and the various social sciences along with the necessary languages that need to be learnt. Primary education also encourages the practicing of the liberal arts like music, dance, fine arts and even facilitates physical fitness along with the development of the mind.