Small Kindnesses

There's a chapter in the Qur'an called Small Kindnesses. One of the verses is "Woe to the worshipper."

What? Isn't worship a good thing? Isn't that what gets us into heaven?

The verses continue. "Woe to the worshipper who wishes to be seen by men but forgets small kindnesses." (I'm writing this from memory--the translation may be off by a word or two.)

We all know about that. Pious people who build large mosques or churches while othes starve. Islam doesn't condone this. No religious belief does. Unfortunately, sometimes religious leaders do.

I kept reading online headlines today about the death of Leona Helmsley, who apparently earned the nickname "the queen of mean." What an awful way to be remembered. I'm sure she did good things in her life--she must have--but this is her "eulogy."

My father was nice. He always joked that "nice guys finish last." That's okay. I would rather be poor as long as I'm remembered as being kind.

When Will They Ever Learn?

So, where have all the flowers gone?

(Another cultural reference from a baby boomer, and a powerful one. If you're not sure what I mean, look it up.)

Education and Cultural Context

It's hot here. I hear it got up to 101 today. It's so hot that I feel like I'm in the middle of a Tennessee Williams play.

If I use that reference in my home, I don't think my husband and sons will understand. The boys have studied some literature, but I don't know if they've covered Tennessee Williams. My husband is from southeast Asia and even after many years in the U.S. that's the culture he knows.

Knowledge isn't just a conglomeration of facts and figures. Our experiences, both cultural and personal, add color and depth to our knowledge. Sometimes I like to get down with my fellow baby boomers, you know? We know how to groove and we understand what's happening. And nobody wants to be a square.

The cultural impact on knowledge is seen most often in standardized tests. I've seen it especially in the social studies section, though the pictures for the early elementary students can also be misleading. I remember one question--What is the oldest religion? My Muslim students answered as they were taught. Islam is the oldest religion because it is submission to the Creator. The correct answer, of course, was Hinduism. So when the results were tabulated my students lost one point right there.

We teach as we have been taught. And all of us are teachers. We influence our coworkers, our neighbors, even our friends.

Cultural context is something we need to watch out for. It will help us avoid conflicts and ridiculous arguments over trivial matters.

If we don't we will never speak the same language.

Education and Religion

In many societies, education has been viewed as a religious, or even spiritual, exercise.

This is certainly true in Islam. The first word of the Qur'an, which Muslims believe to have been revealed, is "Read!" Muhammad encouraged people to seek knowledge, if even they had to go to China (and, of course, there were no planes back then).

Religious followers have been accused of blindly and ignorantly stumbling behind their leaders. Many do. But faith is better, and stronger, if it is accompanied by knowledge.

Education

Today was the first day of school here in Lexington. Last week my boys faced the exhilaration of buying new supplies, new clothes, and new shoes. Today they had to face reality.

At the end of the day, both were happy to be home. The first day of school somehow doesn't measure up to the expectations.

Because I was raised in this country, as a youth I didn't value formal education. I loved to read, write, and explore on my own, but the thought of sitting behind a desk failed to thrill me. It wasn't until I met my (future) husband that I thought about what education really means.

He was raised in Thailand where schooling is much more competitive. He craved formal learning. At first I didn't understand that. But in Thailand, as in many other nations, education is not a given. The young person must earn the right to go to school and pass through the different levels.

I've tried to explain all this to my sons. The older ones get it. The younger ones still feel as if they're being tortured by homework and equations. After all, they're Americans.

There has been much talk about educational reform in this country. Standardized testing is definitely not the answer. I know there must be a better way.

(And, personally, I think August 13 is way too early to be going back to school.)

Avoiding Hypocrisy

Muhammad said there are three signs of the hypocrite:

1. When he (she) speaks, he lies.

2. When he (she) makes a promise, he breaks it.

3. When he (she) is given a responsibility (a trust), he betrays the trust.

A true Muslim speaks the truth, keeps promises, and fulfills responsibilities.

I try to remember this daily. Hypocrisy is certainly not something to strive for!

Excuses and Downright Lies

I heard them often when I was a teacher. "My printer ran out of ink." "My computer wouldn't work." "My parents were out visiting people all weekend and they made me come too." "There's no one to take me to the library." It was an Islamic school so there were no dogs available to eat the homework. Usually it was the computer's fault, though sometimes the parents were to blame. Never the student, of course.

It would be nice if this type of behavior were simply an adolescent phase. But my guess is that many of my students had parents who also made excuses. "My car broke down." "The baby was sick." "We had relatives visiting from overseas." As I got to know the families, I could tell which were downright lies. Some--students and parents--chronically lied.

It doesn't stop there, either. Ask someone in Congress why he or she voted for the war against Iraq. Many excuses. Ask someone in the White House why the war was started in the first place. Many lies.

My father was easy going, for the most part, but one of his frequent sayings was "No excuses." That annoyed me when I was young. I've since learned to appreciate his attitude.

Being a responsible adult, or a responsible student, means accepting responsibility for your actions.

No Excuses. (Thanks, Dad.)