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"The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away." Pablo Picasso.
As we mature, we find our unique talents and interests, develop them, and discover how to use them to help others. Among the ways school can help in this process is to encourage free voluntary reading, an extremely pleasant activity. This cannot happen, however, without access to books and other reading material. Unfortunately, children of poverty have little access to books: Often, their only source of books is the library.
We Are All Different, We Are All Special
Each of us has unique talents, interests and desires. Along with many others, I will assume in this column that in our younger years, we are supposed to find out what our talents, interests and desires are, and as we grow up we start to develop our unique talents. And as we mature, we discover how to use our talents to help others. There are thus three steps: 1) Find your talent; 2) Develop your talent; 3) Use your talent.
Things Change
"It's hard to predict, especially about the future." (Yogi Berra)
The history of science and technology has taught us that new developments are nearly always a surprise. This is, of course, a problem for education.
A popular view is that we must prepare today's students for specific "21st Century Skills." Many "experts" behave as if they know what these skills are. Most of us have no idea. In fact, it is impossible for societies to make detailed plans for the future.
There is a solution. Instead of training students for professions that may be obsolete by the time they graduate, school should help students "pursue their strengths":
... it is...difficult to predict what new businesses will emerge and what will become obsolete. Thus, what becomes highly valuable are unique talents, knowledge, and skills, the ability to adapt to changes, and creativity, all of which calls for a school culture that respects and cultivates expertise in a diversity of talents and skills and a curriculum that enables individuals to pursue their strengths (Zhao, 2009, p. 156).
Thus, the path of discovering your talent, developing it, and using it for the benefit of others is the best...