<SPAN name="FREEDOM" id='FREEDOM'></SPAN>
<h2>FREEDOM</h2>
<p>The success of these results is closely connected
with the delicate intervention of the one who
guides the children in their development. It is
necessary for the teacher to <i>guide</i> the child without
letting him feel her presence too much, so that
she may be always ready to supply the desired
help, but may never be the obstacle between the
child and his experience.</p>
<p>A lesson in the ordinary use of the word cools
the child’s enthusiasm for the knowledge of
things, just as it would cool the enthusiasm of
adults. To keep alive that enthusiasm is the secret
of real guidance, and it will not prove a difficult
task, provided that the attitude towards the
child’s acts be that of respect, calm and waiting,
and provided that he be left free in his movements
and in his experiences.</p>
<p>Then we shall notice that the child has a personality
which he is seeking to expand; he has
initiative, he chooses his own work, persists in it,
changes it according to his inner needs; he does
<span class='pagenum pncolor'><SPAN id='page_78' name='page_78'></SPAN>78</span>
not shirk effort, he rather goes in search of it,
and with great joy overcomes obstacles within his
capacity. He is sociable to the extent of wanting
to share with every one his successes, his discoveries,
and his little triumphs. There is therefore
no need of intervention. “Wait while observing.”
That is the motto for the educator.</p>
<p>Let us wait, and be always ready to share in
both the joys and the difficulties which the child
experiences. He himself invites our sympathy,
and we should respond fully and gladly. Let us
have endless patience with his slow progress, and
show enthusiasm and gladness at his successes.
If we could say: “We are respectful and courteous
in our dealings with children, we treat them
as we should like to be treated ourselves,” we
should certainly have mastered a great educational
principle and undoubtedly be setting an
<i>example of good education</i>.</p>
<p>What we all desire for ourselves, namely, not
to be disturbed in our work, not to find hindrances
to our efforts, to have good friends ready to help
us in times of need, to see them rejoice with us,
to be on terms of equality with them, to be able
to confide and trust in them––this is what we need
<span class='pagenum pncolor'><SPAN id='page_79' name='page_79'></SPAN>79</span>
for happy companionship. In the same way children
are human beings to whom respect is due,
superior to us by reason of their “innocence”
and of the greater possibilities of their future.
What we desire they desire also.</p>
<p>As a rule, however, we do not respect our children.
We try to force them to follow us without
regard to their special needs. We are overbearing
with them, and above all, rude; and then we
expect them to be submissive and well-behaved,
knowing all the time how strong is their instinct
of imitation and how touching their faith in and
admiration of us. They will imitate us in any
case. Let us treat them, therefore, with all the
kindness which we would wish to help to develop
in them. And by kindness is not meant caresses.
Should we not call anyone who embraced us at the
first time of meeting rude, vulgar and ill-bred?
Kindness consists in interpreting the wishes of
others, in conforming one’s self to them, and sacrificing,
if need be, one’s own desire. This is the
kindness which we must show towards children.</p>
<p>To find the interpretation of children’s desires
we must study them scientifically, for their desires
are often unconscious. They are the inner
<span class='pagenum pncolor'><SPAN id='page_80' name='page_80'></SPAN>80</span>
cry of life, which wishes to unfold according to
mysterious laws. We know very little of the way
in which it unfolds. Certainly the child is growing
into a man by force of a divine action similar
to that by which from nothing he became a child.</p>
<p>Our intervention in this marvelous process is
<i>indirect</i>; we are here to offer to this life, which
came into the world by itself, the <i>means</i> necessary
for its development, and having done that we must
await this development with respect.</p>
<p>Let us leave the life <i>free</i> to develop within the
limits of the good, and let us observe this inner
life developing. This is the whole of our mission.
Perhaps as we watch we shall be reminded of the
words of Him who was absolutely good, “Suffer
the little children to come unto Me.” That is to
say, “Do not hinder them from coming, since, if
they are left free and unhampered, they will
come.”</p>
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