5 Pillars of Education
Who Are You? Have you ever asked yourself this question? If so, you would have to address the physical, mental, social and spiritual aspects of yourself. These are the 5 Pillars of Education.
1st Pillar: Mental/Emotional Health
This is the central component through which we all operate every moment of everyday. Everything that we experience operates from our beliefs, thoughts and emotions. It is vital that we understand the workings of the mind in order for there to be harmony internally and externally. There is a design to everything in the universe and the mind is no exception.
2nd Pillar: Physical Health and Nutrition
Students need to be given good nutrition in order for their bodies and minds to function at an optimal level. Classroom teachers understand that if a child is not getting adequate nutrition and sleep, learning is greatly hindered. There are many factors that influence the physical health of a student but we must first seek to educate students on ways to promote optimal physical health.
3rd Pillar: Healthy Relationship
In today's world, we are witnessing widespread social dysfunction with the rise of technology and social media. Adolescents, in particular, have such a need for a sense of belonging but instead are experiencing feelings of disconnect and social isolation. Students need to be empowered with the knowledge on how to resolve conflict and communicate effectively. Today, face to face interaction is very limited and adding to the internal conflict within an upcoming generation. We have the ability to turn this around in hopes of a brighter future.
4th Pillar: Financial Health
We know the importance of finances in terms of meeting our needs in life. Unfortunately most students do not have a clue how money works in life because it was never taught to them in school. The bottom line is that in reality, we do not have a money problem, we have a thinking problem. Money is never the issue because it comes and goes but once we begin to understand that it operates by wisdom and life principles, it will always be there for us when we need it.
5th Pillar: Faith and Spiritual Health
When we hear the word "faith" we may associate it with religion but it has very little to do with religion and more to do with belief, choice and personal experience. Everyone has faith to some degree because everyone has a belief system. Many great leaders throughout history have discovered the importance of faith and the power it has to transform lives. Students can be greatly empowered simply by discovering the power of prayer and meditation to help them overcome the struggles they will face throughout their adolescent years and beyond.