Chapter 5: Values, Meaning and Purpose
The Values of 21st Century Education; Importance of Purpose; Building out Meaning and Purpose; Experiential Aspects of Building out ‘Meaning and Purpose’; Spiritual and Religious Wisdom; Illumination; Beauty; Action; Science; Dance and Ritual; Devotion; The Value of Reflection; Choice; Summary.
In this chapter, we seek to explore the importance of holding shared values in educational institutions and a consideration of meaning and purpose for young people. Our development, as an individual personality is supported by a personal growth in values, and this is associated with our beliefs, and personal ideas on the meaning and purpose of our lives.
Summary
Meaning and purpose for young people is an important aspect for their psychological development. This importance does not presuppose completion or anything like that, but it does provide opportunity for young people to have more space to grow and understand themselves in better ways.
Schools and institutions can show and articulate by ethos and practice, the basis of healthy society and evoke the important capacities of the dignity of human development: tolerance and trust, authenticity in relationship, grace and compassion, respect and acknowledgement of the value of meaning and purpose within us.
We value the ethos of the institution to pay heed to:
- aspects of wisdom;
- beauty, creativity and aesthetics and their value in empathy;
- the value of service, action and volunteering;
- the value of illumination and expansion of consciousness;
- the value of ritual and dance;
- and the value of science, curiosity, discipline and wonder;
- and the call of exploration of choice.
The themes in this chapter are important characteristics and sensitivities for educators to bring into the lives of children and young people. They can be presented in different ways and offer rich experiences for personality development.
In all these aspects the young person is becoming accustomed to grow in a broad experiential institution.
This chapter relates to the way each young person sees and values their sense of self, and how they are treated by adults and by their peers, and their involvement with others, older and younger than themselves. How we inter-relate to others is important for the development of our sense of meaning and purpose, and the next chapter discusses relationships.
A simple evaluative question is to pose to each member of the educational community is ‘how do you feel valued, seen and respected by your place in this institution?’.
Chapter 6 Relationships Part 2 Developing a 21st Century Approach to Education