The Psychological Foundations of Education

What prompted me to write this brief piece was something I read on the page of one of the mothers: her daughter, who is in third grade, asked her why the teachers show warmth during remote learning while they fill the classroom with yelling and anger during in-person education!!!??
The second reason for writing came from my grandson Basel's response (in the same grade as that girl but in a different school located in Jerusalem) to my question after reading the girl's question above: Which teacher do you like more and why?  
His answer came quickly without hesitation or stuttering: Teacher Suham because I feel she is my second mother, and Mr. Ammar because he doesn’t shout or hit.

The third motivating factor came from another student of the same age, when he told the teacher, "I don’t like the language we learn from you, but I love you like my mother.

Here, I allowed my psychological educational convictions to intervene, as will follow later, initially confirming a firm truth, which is: "Give me interactive and sound education, and I will give you sustainable development, and sustainable societal peace, after enhancing the child's self-esteem, courage, questioning, respect, and acceptance of others as human beings (diversity) thereby promoting dialogue and active listening.

The Importance of Psychological Care for Children

In light of the bitter reality - the ongoing war, the separation wall, and what has recently been established - about 139 barriers separating population hubs, unemployment, the closing political horizon, and its deterioration, ongoing cases of separation and factionalism, and what derives from all of that, such as the transition from the extended family model to the nuclear family model, and the transformation of education into a commodity for some, all of this has numerous psychological and social implications that affect all segments of society, particularly the children, as they are among the most vulnerable groups in society.
Those who think that a child does not realize what is happening around him or her are mistaken; thus, we see persistent cases of anxiety, stress, and excessive fear to the point of obsession and sometimes phobias, which push the child to ask many questions in an attempt to find something that helps alleviate the toll of what he or she suffers and hides within, if only he or she had the courage and opportunity.

This necessitates securing preventive measures to help the child avoid reaching such deteriorating conditions as those mentioned.

We will not achieve what we aspire to without an educational system that guarantees and considers the importance of mental health, which requires schools to provide a safe space where the student feels psychological safety as they do at home, provided the home is spared from demolition and the family from displacement, as is prevalent these days in most areas of the occupied homeland.

Decision-makers must also secure educational curricula relevant to the reality that students are living without any circumlocution, with the necessity of naming things by their true names.
I see that this cannot happen without getting rid of and eradicating the approach of dependence on others in building and designing curricula that respond to the actual needs of society, and not keeping the key and active player in the educational process - the teacher - in the miserable state that he or she is in today, a state that does not provide them with the dignity required as a basic condition to ensure their effectiveness. This may be through accepting unconditional international aid, exploring the possibility of enhancing local Palestinian investment, continuing to apply the principle of social responsibility, and securing opportunities for joint global investment with local capital. Such efforts require effective systems and laws, and there is no harm in restructuring employment opportunities in existing sectors without shame or hesitation. This way, we ensure the existence of an educational system that harmonizes and aligns with the requirements of Palestinian national security.

Among the foundations that need to be activated is raising self-esteem through:-
•    Enhancing responsible partnerships for students by creating effective student committees and clubs that are non-partisan and non-factional, as we witness the current state of the student movement at all educational levels and their titles.

•    The contribution of vocational education (whether short-term courses, diploma, or bachelor’s level…)

•    The necessity of humanizing the relationship between the teacher and the learner and completely moving away from the approach of dictation and the assumption that students recognize the significance of what they are learning. If this student, who spoke with his teacher about not liking the educational subject, had been previously informed through preparation about why we learn!!??, the student's feelings towards this subject would surely change; in other words, we want an interactive education that meets a large part of the people's needs.

•    Given the dire economic circumstances, it may be beneficial to start thinking about returning to the implementation of a unified school uniform, according to the educational stage, and there is no harm in including this for administrative and teaching staff.

•    An immediate halt to the continuation of selling and spreading illusions regarding challenges and thorny educational issues, with the necessity to involve the General Union of Teachers and the Parent-Teacher Association in discussions to find realistic and practical solutions that preserve the dignity and respect of all Palestinians. Yes, let the noise phenomena that are unfortunately widespread in our educational system stop; they fit the saying "we hear noise but do not see flour." Here, it is required to reduce centralization and open the space for all Palestinians to participate responsibly.

•    Rethinking the structure and building of the educational guidance and counseling system, ensuring that those involved are scientifically and experientially qualified in the field. Here, we ensure the elimination of the traditional, incorrect concept of psychological care and educational guidance; this may be through increasing participation in educational and guiding activities conducted by community organizations specialized in this field and in partnership with local Palestinian universities. There is no harm in creating programs for exchanging experiences and skills in the field with Arab and Islamic countries in the region by sending specialists for training during in-service programs.
•    The necessity to intensify informal educational activities (volunteer work, sports competitions, activating the educational tourism curriculum...)

•    Intensifying religious education for its active role in promoting the values and ethics that contribute to building strong relationships that provide an atmosphere of psychological comfort for both the learner and the teacher.