There has never been so much talk about crisis in Spain as in recent years. It is a crisis of this and a crisis of that, but few would venture to say that the cause of all these crises is the absence of ethics.
According to Leonardo Boff, if the money diverted by corruption in the country were applied to health, the number of beds in hospitals would rise by 89%; in education, 16 million places could be opened in schools; in civil construction, 1,5 million houses would be built.
Corruption is evidently not a privilege of España and involves dozens of other countries, however it is clear that the country is losing its capacity for self-confidence, harmony, peace, and happiness. That genuine generosity of the Spanish people, noble values ​​such as hospitality, trust, cordiality seem to be in the past.
Spanish, currently, has been doing a strange arithmetic: only takes action if it will take some advantage. And what about when that advantage spills over into education? What is the role of the educator in the face of ethical issues?
First, it can be said that the role of the educator in the face of ethical issues is listening. In other words, the educator needs to listen and welcome the anxieties of the students and point to another path. A path of welcome, peace, justice and love. When the student realizes that the educator is pointing to the path of respect, acceptance, peaceful coexistence, he recognizes and assumes the importance of citizenship in his life.
Second, when the educator develops the ability to listen to the anxieties of the learners, he/she gets closer to the learner's heart. It is in the hearts of young people that the key to ethical action is found. Every young person is a dreamer, kind, fair and when the educator presents solidarity as something coming from within the heart, from the young person's protagonism, the student agrees that only ethical actions change the world for the better.
Thirdly, as today's society is characterized by haste, it is necessary for the educator to “waste time” with the student. Wasting time means paying attention, looking them in the eye, talking, listening to their complaints. That's what the young Spanish need. He doesn't need someone to tell him what to do. The young man already knows. He just needs someone to support him. And who better to do that than the teacher, right? The problem is that many teachers fail to play this role.
Fourth, as in today's society we have the clear feeling that the hours are shortening, the educator needs to prioritize some tasks. In other words, human beings need to think more about their actions. He needs to do essential things, for example, play with the children or watch the sunset, in the late afternoon, with the loved one, with the family. In this whirlwind of things, commitments, tasks and tasks, the latent message is: “time is money” and “there is no time to waste”. How to educate, then, in this scenario? How to be ethical if the values ​​that stand out are ephemeral?
Fifth, as all education is a reflection of time, culture and the context in which it takes place, educators who manage to “waste time” with students will have hit the Mega-Sena right. Therefore, educators should not be in a hurry to finish a conversation with students, even if they have a schedule to be fulfilled, because education is not an exact science. Perhaps by listening to the anguish and frustrations of the students, teachers can become an example for young people, the one they look for so much in players and artists.
Whatever the policy for a healthy, lasting and ethical relationship between students, it comes with respect. Without respect for what the other is and how he presents himself, “ethics” has an expiration date and is only sustained for the next few hours. Finally, I have an assumption of even greater importance: even if in today's society, as Zygmunt Bauman said, "everything is ephemeral, fleeting and liquid", the teacher who manages to answer the call of ethics will have the confidence of the student and the educational values ​​will last. forever.
You may also like another article by this author. Access: Talents: what are mine?
