I have a few passions in life. Two of those passions are books and education. I've decided to honor three books that I have read that I feel have greatly contributed to education. The first book I have chosen is Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time. I believe Greg Mortenson has done much for education around the world.
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
In this amazing detailed account of one man’s mission to bring an end to terrorism through the intellectual weapon of education, David Oliver Relin tells the story of Greg Mortenson’s journey across the middle east. Mortenson’s entire life was changed by a failed K2 summit. After promising the people of Korphe, a little village that took him in and saved his life, that he would come back and build them a school, he came back to fulfill that promise. He encounters various roadblocks that almost bring an early end to his vow that include such things as the Taliban, the government, people from other villages, and finances. Mortenson not only builds a school for Korphe, but he continues his benevolence across the region.
The book’s title comes from a practice of offering visitors tea. One of the people Mortenson meets, Haji Ali, explains, “The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger. The second time you take tea, you are an honored guest. The third time you share a cup of tea, you become family, and for our family, we are prepared to do anything, even die.”
Mortenson was in Pakistan during the 9/11 attacks in New York City. He was in that region many times following the attacks as well. He responds to the military force used to combat the war by saying, “If we try to resolve terrorism with military might and nothing else, then we will be no safer than we were before 9/11. If we truly want a legacy of peace for our children, we need to understand that this is a war that will ultimately be won with books, not with bombs.”
After reading accounts of how far some people go to gain education, I have received a greater appreciation for what I know and the comfort in which I have gained my education. He reveals conditions under which children receive an education. Dilapidated huts with mud floors are their classrooms. No pencil or paper can be found, so sticks and dirt are used for math. One man sends his son on a raft made of goat bladders down a raging river to float him to a town with a functioning school. He may never see his son again.
While this book has much to say about the importance of education, it also reveals a lot about the Islamic faith. I developed much respect for those who practice Islam. Many false notions were cleared up in my mind. I have found my “holy envy,” or thing from another religion which I wish I imitated. There are many areas in which Muslims worship that can improve me as a Christian. The area that stands out to me the most is that of prayer. Relin tells a story of Mortenson joining his new-found friends in prayer at a gas station. The book states, “The word ‘Muslim’ means, literally, ‘to submit.’ . . . But for the first time, kneeling among one hundred strangers, watching them wash away not only impurities, but also, obviously, the aches and cares of their daily lives, he glimpsed the pleasure to be found in submission to a ritualized fellowship of prayer. . . . With Manzoor he knelt and crossed his arms to address Allah respectfully. The men around him weren’t looking at the advertisement on the wall, he knew, they were looking inward. Nor were they regarding him. As he pressed his forehead against the still-warm ground, Greg Mortenson realized that, for the first moment during all his days in Pakistan, no one was looking at him as an outsider. No one was looking at him at all.” I’ve found the Muslim faith to be beautiful. It preaches tolerance, acceptance, brotherhood, and mutual improvement.
After his enormous contributions to Pakistan, Greg Mortenson received Pakistan’s highest civilian honor, the Star of Pakistan, from Pakistan’s President, Asif Ali Zardari. If you are interested, Mortenson wrote Stones into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, Not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan, a follow-up book that picks up right after Three Cup of Tea and documents his efforts up to the end of 2009. Mortenson’s work has spread from Pakistan and now goes into Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia. More information on Greg Mortenson and the Central Asia Institute can be found at www.gregmortenson.com or www.ikat.org.I feel the need to add that I am fully aware of the allegations of Mortenson's accounts. Some suggest that certain elements are fictitious in nature. I've seen the news stories and interviews. Every story has two sides, and we must each decide what we believe. However, these allegations do not change the fact that Greg Mortenson has contributed greatly to education in the Middle East, and he should be praised for his efforts.
Why Gender Matters by Leonard Sax
Boys and girls are different. This we know. But how are they different? Why Gender Matters explains basic academic, emotional, biological, and psychological differences between males and females, particularly in children. The reason this book is amazing is that it reaches such a broad audience. As a future parent and educator, this book is priceless to me. Not only does it give information and advice on how to teach boys and girls effectively in the classroom setting, but it also informs parents on how to teach their children at home. Differences in discipline and praise are covered. Several differences that I found particularly interesting included girls' hearing being more sensitive than boys', boys' eyes being hardwired to gravitate more towards dull colors while girls' eyes are designed to be more captivated by bright and vibrant colors, how boys and girls have differences in how and where they get involved in drugs, and how boys respond more to restrictive punishments (such as grounding) than girls. Every parent and teacher should own this book.The Hurried Child by David Elkind
This one leans more toward parenting than education, but it offers significant insights into education. The main point that Elkind makes in this book is that children today are being rushed through childhood and forced to grow up quickly. Although the book was written in the 1980s, it is still very much applicable today. One of the things that stood out to me in this book is his mentioning of parents’ and teachers’ infatuation with having their children speak and read as young as possible. Whether or not a child speaks before or after a year of age will not determine that child’s intelligence or speaking abilities 20 years down the road. If a child isn’t reading by first grade, who cares? Eventually, they will want to read. They will want to keep up with their friends. They will want to read signs and menus. They will come to you, and their desire will allow them to learn quickly. Many children are forced to read, and that is their perception of reading: torture. We are raising a generation of children who hate to read. But they can read nonetheless. As if that is the only thing that matters. The point is that your child or student simply having the ability to read doesn’t arm them with the desire to read. Is that a victory? Just something to consider. Anyway, this book discusses everything from sports to summer camps. Parents should read this book before our 4-year-olds are forced to apply for college.
