Experience is the best educator

Spirituality as a holistic faith journey: what genetics and psychology can teach us

African/Middle Eastern Group:

Joseph Baru Uri, Joseph Kachelewa

Hani Polus Yonu Al-Jameel, Hedwing Musanga Ataku

GROUP WORK CHAPTER FOUR

The first discussion based on four questions made to young people had the following responses:

Young people are being brought up in a way that does not encourage them to become independent. They grow up with that mentality, seeking somebody behind in order to act and this creates that scene of doing this better or worst in group:

• Participating in a function brings positive results when they are in peer groups.
• Making a decision for then is easy when they are in a group.
• Solving a problem or causing a problem is done in a group.

This lack of independence is really a lack of convictions. This attitude becomes a problem if one is to make a concrete contribution in life. It will take time to choose or even the choice to be made, will not be made based on reflection and deliberation, but will grow out of the need to confirm one's choices according to the opinion of the group. Young people find it much easier to rush to their friends but not to their parents.

•  When youths who are completely idle (unemployed, unable to complete their education), life becomes hard for them. Personal identity nowadays is defined in terms of possession: I am because I have! i.e. one feels okay if is having high class mobile phone, expensive cloths, shoes. Without this will develop low self-esteem, insecure, feels that life is not complete, with this in mind, if the situation has no solution life looses meaning. 
•  We have values of the culture or society under going this culture, positive response will be obtained only if in the return will favor them, like: the 18th birthday. In Africa we talk about the circumcision ceremony. It marks a sign of adulthood, maturity, capacity to make decision and the commitment to take responsibility for one’s life. It also marks capacity to possess family property, for example, to receive and administer an inheritance.

The second discussion based on four questions made to educators took a different direction. In order to create good environment that will allow educators to address the needs and desires of the young people, it is important to take several elements into consideration. Among others, our group concentrated on the following elements:

• As we well know, experience is the best educator; education must depart from living experience; youths are good observers.
• Educators should create friendly relationship with the youths in order for them to open up themselves in case of any problem.
• Educators should set the youths free, so that initiatives, to be raised by them. Incase of any problem judgment should be avoided. Judgment leads to lack of trust, lack of openness, low self esteem.
• Young people need to be accompanied; having being brought up in the environment of security from parents, at home, same thing extends even at school.
• Young people needs to be listened, as a sign of communication; they will be able to create that sense of belonging, affection, trust, maturity (physical, mental and spiritual) if they are given responsibility and encouraged to take their part in the decision-making process of the community. 

Submitted by Fr Hani Polus Yonu Al-Jameel
Photos: Don Orione in Jordan, courtesy of Fr Hani Polus Yonu Al-Jameel