I've spent some time with children under age 7 recently. I rarely have an opportunity to do that and it was a rather nice experience. I wish adults could hold on to some of the qualities I observed including:
Wonderment/Fascination: These kids were asking questions about everything and they were actively involved in their environment.
Joy: By the time many students reach my classroom, their joy has been muted if not completely extinguished. I teach classes that are considered "deficiencies" in our program which doesn't help the students in the "joy" department, either. I've been suggesting for three years and counting that the word deficiency be changed. No action yet. Perhaps I need someone who is more valued in our department to suggest it. I'll work on that this year.
Gentleness: These particular children have been taught to treat the people and things in their world with care. I know children two to three times their age that do not have that training. I've met kids who've talked about me in the third person when I was right next to them. I felt as though they were referring to me as a servant....but I digress. Heck, I know adults who don't appear to value gentleness. It was refreshing to see how these children respected their world, their parents, and the other adults they dealt with.
So that whole andragogy thing: Perhaps not just for adults anymore.
