The sense of understanding what had been puzzling is exhilarating and delightful ; every good teacher should be able to give it. ... Initiative and individual work give the pupil the opportunity of discovery and thus afford the sense of mental adventure far more often and more keenly than is possible where everything is taught in class. Wherever it is possible, let the student be active rather than passive.
Source: On Education, especially in early childhood, 1926, by Bertrand Russell
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In Japan, the declining birthrate has led to a decrease in the number of children, but if the number of teachers could be maintained, it should be possible to provide more attentive education. In reality, however, fewer people aspire to become teachers.
The main reason for this lies in the large amount of non-teaching duties, which result in long working hours, coupled with compensation that is not commensurate with the workload.
For teachers working in such a difficult environment, "Today's Words of Russell" may seem nothing more than an idealistic statement -- something like "a pie in the sky (e ni kaita mochi)."
However, what Russell is expressing here is a fundamental principle of education and learning: the importance of developing the habit of thinking for oneself. This is a truth that remains unchanged in any era.
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