Raising People

Autumn had arrived. The leaves on the trees had begun to turn yellow after their green shades. It was as if they were falling to the ground with the sorrow of the sunny days coming to an end. As Füsun looked out the window, she thought, "People are just like this..." They, too, left behind the liveliness of summer and became slower and calmer with the arrival of autumn.

"Sunlight..." Füsun murmured. The rays of the sun had a revitalizing effect on plants, animals, humans—in short, on all living beings. Nothing was created in vain. Everything had a purpose, a goal it sought to reach. And they all struggled to achieve that goal.

The birds in the sky seemed to support her thoughts, flying in perfect alignment. Seeing them, she opened her window and waved. "Have a safe journey to wherever you're going!" she said with a smile. She took a deep breath of the fresh autumn air. "Ohhh... Autumn has its own unique scent!" Her smile grew even bigger when she heard children's voices, reminiscent of birds chirping. The sounds were coming from the elementary school across from her house. Summer vacation had ended, and today was the first day of school. A large crowd had gathered below. Parents had accompanied their children on the first day, causing a line of cars in front of the school. The children were running around the schoolyard, full of excitement.

Her grandchild was starting primary school this year, too. She had called him in the morning to wish him well. She didn't show it, but she was very excited for him. She loved children and admired their boundless energy. When they were together, her grandchild never wanted to go to bed. "Grandma, just one more story, please!" he would plead. But eventually, they both would fall asleep.

Füsun was a retired teacher. Throughout her career, she had taught countless children, each with their own unique traits. She enjoyed recognizing their differences. Some were talkative, some preferred to sit in the front because they couldn't see well, while others hid in the back, hoping to go unnoticed. Differences were a kind of wealth. Though they might seem like challenges, they were actually opportunities for growth.

Her main goal throughout her teaching career had been to raise students to be kind, compassionate, and fair individuals. Unlike other teachers, she conducted her lessons outside whenever possible, especially life sciences. As the name suggested, life sciences should be learned within life itself. When she shared this thought in the teachers' lounge, many objected, saying she was disrupting the order. But she always found a way to convince the principal. She wanted children to observe the soil, the plants, the ants—in short, nature. She wanted them to see that every living thing had a purpose and was engaged in a task.

Mathematics, geography, and other subjects were important, of course. But children shouldn't be disconnected from life. After finishing school, how would they apply what they had learned? How would they transfer their experiences? How would they learn to be good people? These were the questions that mattered to Füsun. However, other teachers found her ideas unrealistic. They focused on whether students were successful, whether they got good grades on exams. Their discussions in the teachers' lounge often became heated. The school's success seemed to be measured by student scores alone. Strangely, parents shared the same mindset. They only cared about their children succeeding in academics, believing that life skills would come naturally. That’s why they enrolled them in extra classes, tutoring, and private lessons. They were so convinced that this was the right approach that they spared no expense.

What they didn't realize was that what they wanted for their children was actually what they themselves had missed out on. They didn't see how much pressure they were placing on them. Even if there wasn’t enough time, children were expected to take ballet, swimming, gymnastics, and various other activities. They were constantly running from one course to another. They had to pass every practice exam. In the end, childhood was slipping away without being truly lived. They were growing up too fast, entering adolescence too early, yet they still felt unprepared. Left alone in the real world, they became defenseless, lacking self-protection skills, and turning into mere consumers.

Of course, engaging in activities that strengthened a child both mentally and physically was important. But when done flexibly and with variety, it was more beneficial. Once things became too professional, children were treated like racehorses, and parents started competing with each other. When things weren’t kept in balance, they began to do more harm than good.

Füsun sighed and continued talking to herself. "I wonder what my former students are doing now," she mused. "Thankfully, most of them turned out to be thoughtful and caring. They always call me on Teacher’s Day."

"Aaaa, Füsun Hanım, you've drifted into the past again! Go make yourself some coffee!" she told herself, heading toward the kitchen. Just then, her phone rang—it was her daughter.

"Mom, what are you up to? My little one keeps asking about you. 'When is Grandma coming?' he says."

"Soon... Give my dear grandchild a big kiss!"

Füsun took her coffee and a glass of water, then settled into her armchair. She thought about the passing years—life had flown by so quickly. What remained in the end? As a teacher, the most important thing to her had been raising good, honest, and productive people.

"Raising a person... Fulfilling a need... Yes, that’s truly important and valuable. I hope I have played my part in that."

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                      Experiential Design Teachings and Decision-Making Themed Blog

Experiential Design Teachings aim to give purpose to a person's life.

To be happy and successful in life...

"Since the existence of humankind on Earth, the greatest friend and foe have never changed. The person in the mirror..." 

Yahya Hamurcu 

Who’s Who? The Art of Understanding People 
Mastery in Relationships 
The Psychology of Success
Mastery in Avoidance
Designer (Strategy Design)

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