Spencer education in my home

Author: Yao Lei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Children learn effectively when they are happy
Effective education of children is a long-term and arduous task. To know how to educate children, one must first understand under what conditions children learn most effectively. After years of extensive research, Spencer concluded that children learn most effectively when they are in a happy state. From the physiological and psychological processes of learning, when new information is received, it enters the brain's limbic system through sensory channels for preliminary evaluation and judgment, and then proceeds to the cerebral cortex for deeper processing. If the information is deemed meaningful, the brain releases an active substance that facilitates the connection of neural networks, making it easier to accept and store the information. When children receive meaningful knowledge, their brains are activated, allowing them to learn naturally, effortlessly, and happily, with high efficiency. Therefore, true learning is joyful—it not only refers to the sense of accomplishment from acquiring knowledge and mastering skills but also to the learning process itself being enjoyable. Thus, educators should strive to instill in children the belief that learning is a joyful experience. By encouraging children to approach learning with a sense of anticipation and delight, the entire process becomes engaging and full of fun. Every educator should return the joy of learning to children, helping them use effective methods to learn and making learning a joyful endeavor. Only in this way can children achieve good academic results while experiencing immense happiness.
Baldwin and Bерд are inseparable best friends. They always play and study together. One evening, Baldwin and his mother went for a walk and happened to meet Bерд and his mother also going for a walk. The two mothers sat down to chat. At this moment, Baldwin took Bерд's hand and said, "Bерд, let's have a race! Let's ask our mothers to be our cheerleaders." Bерд happily agreed.
They then went to their mothers.
"Baldwin and Bерд, we want to have a running race. Can you be our cheerleaders and cheer us on?" Baldwin said.
The two mothers smiled at each other and readily agreed.
"Alright, let's use the church on the other side as the finish line," Baldwin's mother said.
"Great! Let's encourage our little ones!" Bерд's mother said.
Baldwin's mother knelt down and said to Baldwin, "When I give the signal, you run. There's a wedding in the church, and you might get some small candies if you get there first. Go for it, Mom supports you!"
Baldwin excitedly replied, "Don't worry, Mom! I'll definitely win!"
Bерд's mother then said to Bерд, "Berd, you must run to the church as quickly as possible. The faster, the better. If you fall behind, Mom will be very sad and embarrassed. So, you must keep going!"
Berd nodded in agreement.
"Okay, we've both been motivated. Now, prepare, start!" Baldwin's mother shouted.
At her signal, the two children ran swiftly toward the church.
In no time, the result was clear. Baldwin arrived at the church first and stood at the top waving, still very excited.
Berd was still running when he saw Baldwin had already reached the church. He gave up and turned to walk back with his mother.
Seeing this outcome, Bерд's mother was surprised. She had always been faster than Baldwin. Why had he lost this time?
Doubt filled her mind, and she asked Bерд what had happened.
Berd said, "I did my best, and I didn't want to lose. But Baldwin had already reached the finish line. What's the point of continuing to run? I don't want to run anymore. It's pointless."
With that, he walked away, his back casting a melancholic shadow.
Bерд's mother felt heartbroken.
At this moment, Baldwin's mother walked over and said to her, "Berd is unhappy. The things you said to him were not encouragement but pressure. In his eyes, it turned the race into a stressful competition rather than a simple game. He saw it as an order and passively obeyed. Of course, he couldn't win or feel happy."
After hearing this, Bерд's mother had an epiphany. She realized it was indeed her own words that had made Bерд unhappy.
Baldwin's mother then added, "Actually, as long as you bring joy to Bерд, guide him positively, and let him develop his sense of initiative, I believe his future will be just as you hope. Don't worry too much."
Bерд's mother tightly grasped Baldwin's mother's hand and kept thanking her.
The contrast between Baldwin and Bерд clearly shows: Baldwin's mother gave him encouragement and a reason to keep running at the start. This made Baldwin happy and willing to participate, turning the race into a joyful activity.
On the other hand, Bерд's mother's mindset hindered Bерд from exercising his initiative, turning the race into a command or task that he passively executed. Even with the pressure, it had little effect and even made Bерд lose his joy.
Spencer believed that education should be joyful. When a child is in a state of unhappiness, his intelligence and potential are greatly reduced. The purpose of education is to help children become happy individuals. Therefore, the goals and methods of education should also be joyful. Just as a small reed tube—whatever bitter juice you pour into one end will never flow out as sweet honey. Children find it easier to learn anything when they are in a happy state.
Conversely, if they are in a low mood or mentally tense, their confidence weakens, and education yields little success.
Thus, family education methods determine a child's developmental state. Educating a child is a long-term task, and the rewards are also long-term.
Therefore, the best approach is for parents to patiently wait, turning education into a gradual and joyful process, guiding the child's development with joy.
Based on Spencer's explanation of joyful education for children and allowing them to learn in a happy state, parents should pay attention to the following in the process of educating their children:
(1) Children's happiness is diverse and often purposeless. Education aims to guide them toward "purposeful happiness." Therefore, parents should first bring joy to their children before setting achievable goals.
(2) Provide children with a dedicated activity space and involve them in designing and arranging it. These actions help children learn joyfully and grow healthily.
(3) Create a healthy and joyful learning environment, which promotes intellectual development and stimulates children's interest in learning. For the sake of their future, parents must never underestimate this—it is a crucial factor in a child's normal development.