The teacher, as a bridge between culture and the learner, is one of the clearest points where limits are seen. While imposing limits and granting freedom to individuals, the teacher themselves also experiences both limitation and liberation. For example, by adhering to the demands of a certain institutional authority, the teacher gains power, paradoxically by limiting themselves. Becoming part of something bigger brings both boundaries and authority. By passing on these limits to students, the teacher prepares them to become future leaders.
Teachers should not impose too many limits, nor should they leave the learner completely unrestrained.
Whether the teacher is a public servant, a parent, or an everyday citizen, they must impart limits that serve as bridges between values and the individual. They should not become slaves to values, institutions, and norms, but neither should they leave the learner without boundaries. We do not fully know what values and institutions require. For instance, someone teaching a religion should not speak in absolutes, as it would be arrogant to assume they fully understand the divine message. However, many religious leaders speak as though they have seen heaven themselves. This attitude is nothing more than an attempt to influence and manipulate people. Conversely, leaving religious interpretation entirely to the individual is also wrong. Religion, like other values, is part of tradition, but tradition exists for the future. Balance is key.
Patience and consistency are the greatest messages.
In childhood, individuals learn through trial and error what they can do and how they can behave. A child will try to figure out if they can exhibit certain behaviors, even though you are not their enemy, by hitting you, for instance. Even if you tell them they can’t do this, they may still try. If children could be “coded” in one go, they would become tools for ill-intentioned people. After repeated warnings and punishments, not hitting will eventually become a behavioral pattern. To instill this, consistency and stability are required. To avoid sending conflicting messages, we must align our behavior with what we ask of the child. For example, it is not wise to hit a child and then tell them not to hit others.
A student who does not receive behavioral limits cannot absorb intellectual boundaries.
No matter how hard a teacher tries, they often struggle to create lasting behavioral change or to cultivate conscious learners. The child needs a culture beyond what they get at school. First, they need to learn how to behave in society, which comes from their family. If they don’t acquire basic communication skills and social gains, it’s unrealistic to expect them to succeed academically. Intellectual achievements cannot be imparted to those whose behaviors are unrestrained. Therefore, the family, school, and all stakeholders must work in collaboration. Political, cultural, and global issues, as well as the local environment, can all serve as obstacles to behavioral change. We must move from the fundamental to the advanced, starting by meeting physical and social needs before progressing to intellectual ones.
Education is like paying in advance.
The teacher tries to make the student “pay in advance” for their future life, addressing shortcomings they haven’t yet experienced. This advance payment benefits both sides, though the returns are long-term. The teacher must first provide a down payment of affection to the student, though the effects of this may never be seen. It clearly requires some sacrifice. Similarly, the student invests sixteen years of their life in a journey whose benefits they have yet to experience. Such idealistic efforts only happen when society is well-organized. In this transaction, the teacher, acting as the “seller,” must possess strong persuasion skills.
Teachers sell invisible products.
Teachers “sell” cultural products that are not immediately apparent and which continually impose limits on the individual, often at a high price. Abandoning play and entertainment to impose limits on oneself is only possible when stakeholders collaborate. When a student is convinced, their learning curve rises quickly at first, but over time it slows down due to lack of feedback and motivation. Roadblocks inevitably arise, and even the teacher may lose hope. Reward and punishment systems, routines, and feedback for stakeholders can enhance a willingness to embrace limits.
Focusing is hard, but helping others focus is even harder.
The human mind has a hard time focusing on one subject, as there are many distractions. Even when focused, much of one’s attention is occupied by memory and mental schemas. People have a very limited “spotlight” of awareness, and to use it effectively, they must be truly motivated. Pressure works to a certain extent when trying to get learners to focus, but unless there is a collective effort, the process of cultural adaptation is doomed to fail.
The teacher must balance themselves, the institution, and the learner.
The teacher cannot apply institutional mandates word for word; they must be localized and individualized. If this weren’t necessary, schools wouldn’t exist—we could simply write down what needs to be done and send it out. Education is especially tied to the environment, to human interaction. This is why the teacher must strike a balance between raw institutional data and the learner who seeks freedom. It is not about doing exactly what the learner wants or fulfilling the teacher’s personal wishes. In a shared process, the teacher must balance the needs of all parties, discovering the human aspects of being present in an educational setting.
