Los Niños como Individuos, no como linea de salchichones.

Mis disculpas por no traducirlo, pero puede buscar un traductor en internet para hacerlo. Me gustó y lo pego acá. Feliz navidad!!!!

Children as Individuals —Not as Sausage-Links

Winifred Sackville Stoner

Stoner's Text: How -can we expect two children to be so much aiik*- that the same methods of Education will produce r^-mlts lor each .'

We who call ourselves 'Natural Educationalists," are not followers of any method. We are working to make efficient beings through treating each child as an Individual and not as a link in the sausage- machine of life. We know that no two leaves on a tree are exactly alike and how can we expect two children to be so much alike that the same method of education will produce results for each child. We believe that education does not consist in working for a sheepskin but in aiming to become a useful being and we see no reason why education should be given in the form of work when play will bring the same results. We argue that " Work is for an end but play is the very end itself." By play we refer to occupation for some big aim and occupation where the Fairy Interest is present. Work is accompanied by the gnome Drudge. Men like Edison play and accomplish great things. Tramps work at the woodpile and accomplish little s» It is our hope to make shining lights of the constructive geniuses rather than the destructive. The constructive must be taught in the cradle and parents should not sow seeds of war by giving children toy swords and pistols and by singing highest praise to soldiers in nursery days. Some so-called educators preach " Banishment of Fairies." We are fighting to preserve these same fairies. There are fairies in the hearts of all good and great people. Fairies whisper to us to do good deeds and fairies are the creative power which has caused the painting of great pictures, composing of great music, building of great structures, etc. We have many games in Natural Education; games to teach the sciences, games to teach the arts and we begin to teach children how to play in the earliest babyhood days. In fact we believe in prenatal influence of play and urge our mothers to be happy and playful before the birth of their children and to begin the mental-physical-spiritual training as soon as the child is born. There is no fear that the child will be injured in being kept busy. As long as Fairy Interest is present no harm can be done.