Did you ever stop to think on the innumerable talents that our children have? Did you ever reflect on how talented you are?
Let us begin with the true story of an Indian dancer who danced her way to the top and became the number one dancer in India. It so happened that she lost both her feet in an accident and she, and everyone else, thought that the end of her dancing had come to an end.
Not so. She got artificial legs and began practising again for some time. And guess what? She became an excellent dancer and again danced her way to the top. Then it dawned on everyone that strained their mind to think just a little that her dancing talents were in her deepest self, in her soul and mind, not in her legs.
This is why German philosopher Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) says: it is not that we have numerous possibilities, we are in fact possibilities. To be human is to be possibilities, to have endless possibilities.
I do remember my philosophy professor who added to this thinking by saying that our talents are like a rubber band, you can stretch it and make it longer. Our talents are numerous and stretchable.
Now let us turn to our children, all children, in fact, to ourselves as well. Each child has those endless possibilities. Unfortunately, our education system has not realised this fact yet. We teach children the same things in the same way and expect them to excel.
We push all children to have good grades in mathematics, in geography, in all subjects.
We have not realised that some children have other possibilities, other talents.
Do you know Michael Jackson, the music legend? He did not excel in any subject in school. Teachers and parents thought that he was just dumb, unteachable, untalented! You and I know how wrong they were.
It was when his family realised that his talent was in music that he finally became the world-famous music legend that he is.
And this is why I have always argued that no child is unintelligent, no child is without talents and gifts that are to be shared with the community and the world.
Countries that have realised this fact have developed exponentially.
Each of their citizens is given the opportunity to be their best, to bring out their best.
We need to move in that direction.
Prof. Raymond S. Mosha
📞 (+255) 769 417 886
📧 mosha@depaul.edu
