Principles of
Enlightened Education

by Creative Educational Systems

"enlightenment - freed from ignorance and misinformation."

1. All children can learn. Each child, however, is unique-in his or her genetic, psychological and environmental individuality— and therefore learns in ways that resonate with his or her whole being.
   
   
2. The purpose of education is to prepare the child to learn who he or she is, what the world is, and how best to contribute to society for the good of all concerned.
   
   
3. The scope of knowledge available is infinite and is eternally expanding. Thus, creative thinking and functional thinking are equally necessary to effectively address daily living.
   
   
4. Stress, both positive and negative, is inevitable in the growth process of all organisms. An overabundance of negative emotional stress, however, (anger, fear, confusion, guilt, sorrow, etc.) blocks receptivity to learning and, must, therefore, be self-managed.
   
   
5. Children need to learn that their lives are created by the choices they make—in their self-image, their behavior and their social interaction. Therefore, they must come to the realization that every choice has an effect on themselves and on others.
   
   
6. Compassion and understanding together are the key to inner peace and are thus essential to success in personal, professional and social relationships. Actively caring for one another through understanding and forgiveness helps children to avoid violence—to themselves and to others.
   
   
7. Society, by its nature, exists in a condition of interdependence. In order to grow and prosper together—in a family, a classroom, a nation or the world—unity must serve as the underlying principle for action. All children must experience unity in their youth in order to create it in their maturity.

"One grows by helping others. One helps others by growing."

Thomas