Back to school

Students are back in school in Stone Mountain. It seems early, but I grew up in a different time and a different place. The old Texans didn’t like to see kids in the schoolyard while crops were still in the field.

Montaigne pointed out that agriculture and education are similar. Whether it be cabbages or human beings, the problem isn’t planting them. The myriad cares come later.

Montaigne was an advocate of letting children find their own interests, but he thought good teachers could help.

A poor teacher loads the student’s memory like a pack mule, while a good teacher asks questions that help each student find his own questions. A poor teacher focuses the pupil’s attention on making a living, while a good teacher inspires her to think about what she could contribute to her community.

Montaigne’s principle:

 

We should always guide them toward the best and most rewarding goals.

• Source: Michel de Montaigne, The Complete Essays, translated by M.A. Screech; London: Penguin Books, 1993, p. 168.