By Paulo Coelho
Climbing up a track in the Pyrenees in search of somewhere to practice archery, I came upon a small French army camp. The soldiers looked at me, I pretended that I could see nothing (we all have a little of this paranoia of being seen as spies …) and carried on my way.
I found the ideal spot, performed my preparatory breathing exercises and then saw an armored vehicle approaching.
I immediately put myself on the defensive and reviewed all the possible answers to the questions I would be asked: I have the permission to use a bow and arrow, the spot is safe, any word to the contrary is the responsibility of the forest keepers, not the army’s, and so on. But then out of the car jumps a colonel who asks me if I am the writer and offers me some interesting information about the region.
And then, getting over his almost visible shyness, he tells me that he too has written a book and begins to tell me the curious genesis of his work.
He and his wife made donations for a leper child who originally lived in India but was later transferred to France. One fine day, curious to meet the little girl, they went to the convent where the nuns took care of the child. They spent a lovely afternoon and towards the end of their visit one of the nuns asked if he would help in the spiritual education of the group of children who lived there. Jean Paul Sétau (the officer’s name) said that he had no experience teaching the catechism but that he would give it some thought and ask God what he should do.
That night, after saying his prayers, he heard the answer: “instead of offering answers, try to find out what the children want to ask.”
From then on Sétau had the idea of visiting several schools and ask the pupils to write everything they would like to know about life. He asked for the questions to be put in writing, so that the more timid among the pupils would lose their fear of exposing themselves. The result of his work was gathered together in a book – ” The child who wants to know everything” (Ed. Altess, Paris).
Here are some of the questions:
Where do we go after we die?
Why are we afraid of strangers?
Are there Martians and extra-terrestrial beings?
Why do accidents happen even to people who believe in God?
What does God mean?
Why are we born, if in the end we die?
How many stars are there in the sky?
Who invented war and happiness?
Does the Lord also listen to those who do not believe in the same (Catholic) God?
Why are there poor and sick people?
Why did God create mosquitoes and flies?
Why isn’t the guardian angel close by when we are sad?
Why do we love some people and hate others?
Who gave names to the colors?
If God is in heaven and my mother is up there too because she died, how can He be alive?
I hope that some teachers or parents who read this column feel stimulated to do the same thing. In that way, instead of trying to impose our adult understanding of the universe, we will end up remembering some of our questions as children – and which were never really answered.
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Hi Paulo
Thank you so much for this story. I loved it when I first read it in ‘Like The Flowing River’ (borrowed from a friend!).
I am at university now, studying about researching with children, using creative and participatory methods. I am creating a portfolio, which I am going to base around the theme of ‘the voice of children’.
I searched and searched for this story again, as it was a source of inspiration for me. I really appreciate that you enable us to read your work time and time again. With your permission, I want to include an extract from your words about Setau’s work, in my portfolio.
Thank you again Paulo Coelho, and also to everyone that has written a comment about this piece. It is wonderful to know that you are all touched to hear these things, as I was.
Thanks, Jack, for your comments! Best wishes on your journey of discovery.
For those who might be interested, here is Jean Paul Setau’s website. The book is also available on the site in pdf format: FREE!
http://www.jeanpaulsetau.fr/
This song I heard on the radio this morning making me cry ….
I`m having a really hard time with many things right now and this made me have hope again ;-)
Believe/Josh Groban
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtslM-C7TwQ
HI paulo ! freinds !
somehow it semms reassuring that even greats like u paulo have almost the same initial reactions ( of fear ?) as other lesser mortals ! maybe the diffrence lies in how we handle ourselves once the initial recations have subsided !
questions are the way to learn, and questions of innocent children are pointers to truth. these children too will learn that while its imporatnt to have and ask questions, it’s more imporatnt to live the present moment, joyously !
Our adult understanding of the universe !!! ha ha ha ! it’s a good joke.
love
aditya
A little correction …. ;-)
You always give me so much inspiration Paulo and reminding me everyday of what I should put my energy on.
It´s was a meaning whis this meeting :-)
Everything has a meaning, even if we can´t see the hidden blessing right away. I have learned this over and over again.
In my case maybe it´s time to leave the past and move forward.
Not hang on to people and places that not give me anything anymore.
But I have so much guilt for this, I don´t know why, but I have.
I have to let the guilt go and just believe in my own path wholehearted.
Our mind is suppose to be a servant not the master. Our heart is the master ;-).
Why is it so hard to live by that sometimes, getting caught up in what other people and society believe?
I want to go my own way without anyone judging me for it.
But I have to go my own way even if other judge me.
You always give me so much inspiration Paulo and reminding me everyday of what I put my energy in.
You are a true blessing for me anyway !!!
And yes, we should listen to our children.
They have really great thoughts which I say to them often, that I can´t really answer, they have to listen to their own heart for the answer.
Love and courage
Jessica
Paulo,
Thank you once again for coming up with a topic and content just as I need it, even when I didn’t realize that I did until I read your essay.
I would also like to thank Savita very much for her response. It was so well written and thought provoking too.
I have forwarded this entry on the a number of fellow teachers and people of faith that I hope will also be moved by it. Like Savita, I am going to look up Setau’s book.
Blessings and good aim,
Jack
I attended a course that was based on the Reggio Emilia’s methods. It is considered one of the best in the world. Thanks for reminding me Savita.
Ahh Paulo, your’e wonderful You’ve hit the nail on the head! We continually tell people what we know, and what we want them to know. Through the class room, church, the media and through books. Talking to my daughter/ asking question/her opinions about the internet/suicide topic,she was most enlightening. My thought at the time was that we should have more symposiom type sessions, where we as adults, parents and educators, wanting to benefit our kids ask questions of those people we want to benefit, interactive learning and teaching.
I’m from a profesion teacher, now at home, with kids. But in the last days I was thinking about these questions, you are writing.
School = teacher as a subject -saing you this and that, children just listen – no giv and take, no creativity, not teaching the kids, to think by them selves.Just you must to do this, and that, like soldiers.
Kids naturaly does not like it.
When they can found the truth ( by teachers unvisible help) they are so happy.
Same way the churches – “you must do this or that” , “you can’t think by yourself, what God is saying to you.
Priest as subject , you as quiet object.
Not give and take – like both sides inspiration. Therefore many people loose their faith, many people does not have realy living faith.
The love to God , which naturaly flow up from your heart.
If we realy sit down and listen our hearts, there are many questions, which we many times does not to hear, or we forget about, that we were asking them.
Thank you for this theme, good night .
Great story. It made me think about all the questions that I still have unanswered, as the child that lives inside of each one of us. I often wonder why is that the worst natural disasters tend to happen in the poorest countries or affect the most vulnerable people, and how to explain that people that speak different languages can communicate and even fall in love. I am immensely grateful for the human ability to“wonder“, one of the basic abilities that we learn as kids and many of us lose over the course of life. I am grateful for all of those unanswered questions that make life enigmatic, and that suggest that we are, in fact, part of something bigger.
Fantastic Paulo!!!
I was born into a Catholic family and raised as such, but now I practice Kabbalah mainly and study diferent paths as Alchemy, Shamanism, The Vedas, The Divine Femenine, etc. it’s hard for me how to approach the subject of God to my young children, I just didn’t know how, now you just provided a way for me, Thank you so much!!!
In regards to your story, just comes to show that you never know who can teach you something, isn’t it amazing!!! expect the unexpected!!! Much Love!!!
By asking questions we can find the TRUTH!
“Ask and you shall receive”.
Love,
Thelma
only during faculty some of prof asked us what we would like,or how we would like that the course go on.Still,many students were shy,or indiferent,and not say a word.I was always the favourite of proffesors,for I took part at the course,always prepared,active,writing on the blackboard…so on.But,now,if I have students to prepare,I start by asking them:what are youre expectations from me,from my course?How would you like that ?And during pedagogical courses,or methodics,I learnt many things,as being innovative,open,close to the child,but not as a friend./They love to see we are well prepared,they are able to distinguish a good teacher from a weak one.I must add,many times kids surprises us.they are marvelous
What a way to meet :)
But there’s always a reason, no? :)
“impose our adult understanding of the universe” – those who claim they have one, usually don’t have the slightest clue.
Thank you for this post! If more teachers set out to encourage children to express and explore the questions that the children themselves already have, rather than making them memorize the answers to the questions the adults think are important, the learning experience would blossom into something magical and enjoyable for both the students and the teachers. When the hierarchy of knowledge is broken – when teachers suddenly open themselves up to perceive the wisdom and knowledge held by their students – the labels “teacher” and “student” no longer hold meaning. Suddenly everyone involved in both teacher and student. The energy of genuine learning is then free to flow.
When my daughter was small and we lived in Miami, she attended a Reggio Emilia school (one of the many schools cropping up around the world, based on philosophy of the schools in Reggio Emilia Italy). Compared to other ways of “doing shool,” there is nothing quite like it. The Reggio Emilia inspired learning environment is one in which questions such as these listed above (in Paulo’s post) become the core units of inquiry and exploration. If anyone lives anywhere near a Reggio inspired school and has young children, I would highly recommend they check out one of the sites below. Also, for anyone who is in the teaching profession, there are now a number of certification programs in the Reggio Approach. It is also possible to go, as many teachers do every year, to Reggio and learn there about this truly unique and astoundingly liberating approach to education.
Zerosei – Reggio Emilia in Italy (also in English):
http://zerosei.comune.re.it/
North American Reggio Emilia Alliance (NAREA):
http://www.reggioalliance.org/
Reggio Emilia Approach European Network:
http://www.reggioemiliaapproach.net/
There are also a couple of books (not Reggio based, but the basis of Reggio) that are a must for teachers looking to break out of that mold and step into a whole new world where the boundaries of learning are unleashed:
“Pedagogy of the Oppressed” and “Pedagogy of Hope”
both by Paulo Freire
At the same time my daughter was in the Reggio Emilia school, I was teaching an intro to Creative Writing class at the university. I was very lucky in that my supervisor, the director of the creative writing program at the time, was very open minded. I chose to design my class so as to incorporate as much of the Reggio Emilia philosophy as possible. In other words, I didn’t step into the classroom with a detailed curriculum listing all the “lessons” that I wanted the students to learn and outlining the projects that would enforce these lessons. Instead, I went into the classroom the first day with a pack of Tarot cards – a very pretty and colorful collage deck, not depicting the traditional images but uniquely designed – passed a card out to each student, and invited them to spend the next fifteen minutes considering the image on the card and writing whatever came to them. My only “rule” was that they try not to sensor themselves at all – just write freely. At first, they seemed a little at a loss without guidelines. “How many pages should it be?” one asked. “As many as it takes,” I replied. “And what if it’s only one paragraph?” another asked. “That’s great!” I said, “That’s one paragraph more than you had before.”
It took some time to convince them that I was not there to coerce them into learning some “hidden” lesson, that I had no secret agenda – that I just wanted them to write and to enjoy writing, to learn to like what they wrote.
Each day became an experiment; each day was something new (for them and for me) – usually whatever came to me the night before, or sometimes even that morning as I sat down to meditation and prayer. The very last day of class for the semester was a bit like the first, I came in armed only with a pack of cards, but this time blank. I passed out these blank pieces of paper to the students, along with thumb tacks and tape. They all stared at me much the same way that they had that first day, when I passed out the Tarot cards. The paper they could understand, but what were the tape and thumb tacks for? Then I asked them to write freely whatever they would most like to share with the world, but not to put their name anywhere on the page. When they had all finished – some took several of the small sheets of paper – I then told them to take their words out into the world and set them free: take them out onto the university campus and post them up wherever they might like, for all the world to read. When they all filed out of the room, I waited a few minutes, then I went out. As I walked across the campus toward the library, there were these little slips of white paper everywhere! Tacked on trees, dangling from bushed, taped to table tops in public spaces, taped on the doors of buildings, even on the door to the library itself. And the greatest thing. Even in that small spans of those few moments, their words had attracted a buzz of attention. Around each slip of paper, students and faculty alike had gathered to read the words written there. Everyone was pushing to get in closer, to find out what all the fuss was about, to read the brave and magical words written on those mysterious slips of paper, suddenly appeared from out of nowhere.
Many of my students, in their required anonymous review of the class, stated that it was the best class they had ever had in any subject, and lamented that more classes could not take that same approach. They loved the freedom and the respect that they had been accorded. They were further surprised, as many of them expressed, to learn they they also loved writing. Not only did they enjoy it, but they liked what they wrote. Some of those students still keep in touch with me.
I know that many would argue that in an introductory creative writing class there is a “foundation” that must be laid, a core body of basic knowledge that must be passed on so that the student can build upon it from there. That may be true to a certain degree, but I would argue that if the students don’t love what they are doing, they won’t remember, beyond the exam, what you make them memorize, and furthermore, they won’t continue to write. The most important “foundation” to be laid is the JOY of writing, of communicating freely, un-coerced and in an environment free of negative judgment. The second element essential to that foundation is to lead the students to LOVE what they write. All that other stuff, all the corrections and suggestions, all the rules, can come later, once they are solidly grounded in that joy and love of writing. And if they never go further than that – if they never go on to that next class – that too is just fine. It’s more important that we send kids out into the world, full of joy, than it is to send them out into the world, full of rules. The one must precede the other.
Anyway, I thank you so much for addressing this subject, Paulo. I’m going to look up Sétau’s book right away.
Sincerely,
Savita