I had just finished reading Helen Keller's The Story of my Life; I had never read it before and decided that it was time that I did. A whole new world of understanding was opened up to me within the pages of this book; between it's covers, it contained a look into the world of Helen Keller. Before her teacher, Anne Sullivan, entered her life, Helen was prone to temper tantrums. Reading her story, one could ascertain why and could begin to gain perspective of the life of one who could not see, hear and, for part of her life, even speak.
Yet, this book had never been a required reading, during my career as a student; it should have been. Books, such as this, should be a required reading in the education of all children. Another such book, The Diary of Anne Frank, is read in the schools but not examined as closely, as it might be, and only used for its literary value rather than its human value. These books might be even more valuable as a teaching tool implemented to teach human understanding of the disadvantaged and persecuted.
A course of study, such as this, would not only consist of merely reading the required materials, but to explore the feelings and point of view of the writer. This having been done, the student should then, also, begin to explore his or her own feelings, if they were to have to face this person's circumstances, themselves. The effectiveness of these studies could be monitored, if all students were required to keep a journal of their thoughts and feelings.
This is a course of study, that can be begun at elementary levels; there are many young children's books about other cultures and even Helen Keller, herself. Rather than for mere story time, these books can be read and discussed so that children will learn understanding and compassion at the earliest age possible.
Hopefully, through such a course of study, children would become less apt to tease and torment their less fortunate peers, by learning to put themselves in the place of others. Perhaps from our young, a better race of human beings might emerge. Every parent wants the best for their children; would they not also want their children to grow into the kindest, most understanding adults that they can become?
