Teaching the Right Lessons?

I was talking to teacher friend of mine yesterday about whether or not we are teaching the right lessons in our classrooms. I used to believe that teaching endurance and resilience was the key, that as long as a student had the ability to bounce back in life, he or she would be okay.

Now, I'm not so sure if endurance and resilience are enough.

What happens when your students are downright ignorant of the things they should know about?

What can you do when they don't understand the universal effects of suffering? When they don't know about the evils of human nature? When they are barely able to hold an intelligent conversation? When they don't understand what it means to submit to authority? When they have not developed the proper work habits? When they live each day with unhealthy attitudes toward money?

What should you tell them when they've become so ignorant, they don't even KNOW that they don't KNOW?

How much direct correction can a child take before he feels like a failure? And, how much pampering does a child receive before he becomes so soft that he is bound to fail in our cruel, competitive world?

Where is the balance?

Teaching the subject matter is no longer enough. I have discovered, like many teachers before me, that if the life lessons are not in place, the subject matter cannot follow.

And yes, the subject matter is secondary, because if the students cannot understand the reasons why reading, writing and math are important, they will not see any value in learning the subjects.

When I was a child, I was taught that illiteracy equaled death. Now, students live illiteracy as a way of life.

That will not do in our modern world.

I gotta teach grammar rules and test-taking strategies because kids need that stuff to survive school.

I also gotta teach social rules, world histories and the path of personal integrity because kids need that stuff to survive life.

And I've got to find the balance.

That's for real.