The Educational Crisis

The Educational Crisis

The distinction between the two concepts offers us the key to understanding the crisis now existing in the field of education.

The concept of "imparting something from the outside", along with the corresponding traits of authority and control on the teacher's side and the imposition of programs, is in direct contrast to the tendencies now rapidly coming to the fore.

The above-mentioned contrast has produced a revolution against traditional educational methods. New methods shifting the "center of gravity" from the teacher to the pupil, have teen proposed and put into practice.

Psychoanalysis, with its emphasis on the harmful effects of repression and censure, has also substantially contributed to this radical change. Thus, great progress has been made; children and young people are now treated with more understanding and are given greater opportunities to develop more freely. That the revolution in the field of education (as what almost always happens with revolutions) has gone too far, arriving at the opposite extreme in some cases. The elimination of all discipline, every rule, all help on the teacher's part has produced. results that are undesirable and at times, even disastrous, both within the family and at school; disorder, anarchy, lack of self discipline, and violent behavior have been its effects. Furthermore, the fact that has most astounded the "reformers" has been that this regime of freedom without limits has proven unnatural; they have come to realize that even the children themselves do not want it and often ask for guidance, precise rules, a. certain amount of discipline and order, and that they most of all want "models" and living examples. 'That this fact should not be surprising. It has been found that even adults find it difficult to bear freedom, and while they often fight to obtain it, they basically do not really want it; they are ready to give it up and even seek to run. away from it. This paradoxical behavior helps us understand many recent events and has been pointed out in Erich Fromm's books Escape From Freedom(amongst others).

The poor results caused by exaggerated applications of the new educational methods have given rise to a counter reaction, but this has not solved. the problem. All attempts to return to the "good old methods of the past" are in fain. and are destined to fail, both due to the fact that those methods were not really "good", and because their imposition has been rendered impossible given the profound changes that have occurred in the psychology of the new generation and in the environmental conditions. In the meantime, the rapid increase in the number of students, the tumultuous extension of "mass education" in the form of compulsory education (something which is both desirable and necessary), and the resulting scarcity of competent teachers and adequate schools, have created. new and serious difficulties and complications. All this explains the current crisis in the field of education, where the old and the new are found in different proportions, side by side, and often, in sharp contrast with one another. The more enlightened educators have recently recognized the need of finding a "middle road" and have been carrying out experiments in this direction. This is constructive and promising progress. But to arrive at truly satisfactory methods, one must take into full consideration the new tendencies emerging today, tendencies that continue to characterize, more and more, the future direction.

What has been said until now indicates how important it is to discern and to establish the main lines along which an education adequate to the new conditions and needs, must be developed. But first let us specifically deal with the defect considered most serious in present- day education., that is, the excessive importance given to scholastic education and the consequent relative lack of education in the family, thus giving rise to serious deficiencies. In part, this is due to the already mentioned confusion. between "instruction" and true education, and in part to the real difficulties which exist in carrying out an adequate family education. These are made worse by the present conditions which often deprive children of the attention. and cooperation that is their due. This is particularly true for the father because his time and energies are very often absorbed by the pressing demands of supporting his family. But the deep conviction that children cannot do without an adequate education within the heart of the family, and that it is their right to receive it, should induce all parents. to face those difficulties and to seek seriously to overcome them.

The great and often decisive importance attributed by psychoanalysts to the first years of life and to their imprint on the future personality, has been acknowledged by many educators. N:ot only do traumatic experiences, brought to light by psychoanalytic research, seriousl7 hinder all future development and the formation of the personality, but so does the lack of certain, indispensable positive elements, such as love, understanding, training, guidance, an a sense of security as well.