By Wendy McDonnell

“Perseverance is a great element of success. If you knock long enough and loud enough you are sure to wake up somebody.” ~Henry Longfellow

In order to fully capitalize on children’s gifts, they need to practice their ability to make necessary changes in society.  Often parents and teachers are satisfied with listening to children’s ideas, judging them, and then tossing them aside. An objective is considered met when a child shows us that they understand a concept, often through regurgitation of fact. Why would the children not take their ideas to the next level?   Why would they not bring their gifts and insights to the change agents of society?  Why not tap the children’s infinite knowledge to better the world?

I recently heard the story of Alexander Graham Bell, the man who invented the telephone.  Here was an inventor who spent his days exploring his endless abyss of creativity.  He did not consult “professionals” to tell him how to do things and then stop there. He took his thinking further and took pleasure in creating, inspired to make a difference.  He did not care about the money; he wanted to better the world by creating communication that was simpler and more effective.  Interestingly, when he brought his invention of the telephone to the great minds that be, they turned him down.  At the time, he only wanted a small amount of money for his great invention and hoped they would take it further.  He was judged and tossed aside.

Instead of accepting the “professionals” advice, he took the telephone on himself.  Used to the rejection, he did not let this judgment affect him. He knew the world needed his gift and, by and by, he began Bell, the longest standing telephone company in the world.  He completed the cycle.  He had an idea, developed the idea, presented the idea and then even propagated it on his own.  He was one man that changed the world.

When children have to stop at the formation of ideas, it is an effective means to limit their ability to make a difference.  When they then receive a subjective grade for their idea, negative self-talk often starts and children’s ideas are not able to surface as easily.  By the time many children reach adulthood, their psychosis of negative self-talk has made sure that they will meld perfectly into the work force without questioning the “professionals”.  And the cycle to diminish intelligence continues.  Alexander Graham Bell was an exception to the rule.

So break the traditional cycle of education.  Have children present their ideas and then take them a step further.  Discuss the ways to effectively create positive change.  First, they must follow their passion. Second, be ethical and work for the greater good.  Third, understand their proposal more than anyone else.  Fourth, realize that a rejection is but a lesson on one way not to complete the task. Fifth, modify and try again.  Then GO OUT  into the school, community, city, or country.  Bring the invention or idea to the people that make decisions for the betterment of society.  It would be giving the world a much-needed gift: Completing the cycle for the greater good.  What more could an educator ask for?

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Articles by Wendy