The gospel of education — then and now

By Kim See-bong

The best wine comes out of an old vessel. Or good broth may be made in an old pot. These are the proverbs that teach us that we can always learn from the old. Therefore, irrespective of how old they are, the old teachings by ancient sages still apply to us in modern times. This is because truth transcends time.

Approximately 2,500 years ago, there was a story concerning the educational enthusiasm of Mencius' mother. She moved three times in search of the best ambience for her son's education. First, she lived near a cemetery, where she found out that her son spent time burying something. Next, she moved near a market where she found him playing at being a merchant. Finally, she moved near a school and there he started to study. This episode tells us how important the environment, as shown in the old phrase ``the three moves by Mencius' mother.''

However, this story had a warped effect upon some young modern Korean mothers. So they are always lopsidedly mindful of what more they can provide or tolerate for their children. They are always ready to offer to them whatever they are capable of and in extreme cases even the things beyond their reach. For they often ask for the moon their mom can't reach. Most of such moms are so obsessed with a mistaken idea that it hurts their children to deny them something that they often over-commit themselves.

Today it is not unusual for mothers to move to the area whose ambience is commonly accepted as the best for their children's education. Or they transfer their kids to the so-called good schools. What they do for their children at present is commonly accepted as what it takes to be a good mother. So they often send them abroad to study. This has become a new trend. However, in most cases, they are throwing their children into the dark.

To my regret, such mothers are yet to learn from another episode concerning Mencius and his mother. One day Mencius, who had been sent away to study, felt so nostalgic that he returned to his mom before he finished studying. She was weaving on a loom. The moment she saw her son coming through the gate to her house, she cut the woven cloth from the loom and snarled at her son, `` If you return home before you finish your job, it's like me cutting the cloth lying unfinished on this loom like this.'' Hearing this, he immediately went back to his school and devoted himself to his studies. This is called ``Mencius' mother's cutting of the fabric to instruct her son.''

In the Occident, there's a saying that to train a horse, both sticks and carrots are required. Only it's up to the trainer to decide when to give carrots and when to horsewhip. Likewise, the harmonious management of the two teachings by Mencius' mother, sometimes providing the best educational ambience and sometimes challenging their kids with the courage to say no to their wishes, will tell in the long run.

Early this morning, I read an article on how today's young children are living at their mother's disposition only toward the one and same goal of performing well at elementary and middle schools and moving up to good high schools and then to good universities, and I feel obliged to remind the modern Korean mothers of Mencius' two teachings. One is a wise parental decision when to move or what to provide and the other is a wiser decision when to say no to the wishes of their children. The earlier they learn to deny themselves something, the safer sailing in life they are guaranteed.

The writer is principal of Polyglot Day School in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province. He can be reached at glsacademy@dreamwiz.com.