Life As A Theme

In an effort to develop a more holistic approach to education, many boards and individual schools are pushing character development in the curriculum. Often, each month has a featured theme such as caring and kindness, responsibility or empathy. While this may be well intentioned, it can often become lost as just another concept kids learn and then throw away, like long division. If you are involved in this project please be sure that kids understand that these traits are not like a light that you can turn on or off because someone is watching. Rather they are all interconnected and come from an awareness of others, from being able to see and hear others deeply. We may recognize one particular characteristic each month, but when we truly practice mindfulness, when we move away from ego and start to see the rest of the world, our whole being radiates all of these qualities with no effort at all. In fact, we can't help but show them in everything we say and do.