1. The myth exploded. There is no such thing as ‘skills transfer’ and to hear educators using this obnoxious mantra over and over in the public discourse is quite disconcerting, to say the least. In ‘resetting’ the system, some notes:
1.1 Transferring Information. Information (not skills!) can certainly be transferred. Information may come from encyclopaedias, books, textbooks, libraries, educators & teachers, mentors, parents, siblings, spiritual leaders, mainstream & social media, newspapers & magazines & the Internet (websites & blogs etc.), hence expressions such as ‘information technology’ etc.
1.2 Transferring Knowledge. Knowledge, riding on the back of Information, can certainly be transferred, as in the case with Information.
1.3 Transferring Wisdom. Wisdom can be transferred by educators, parents, teachers, mentors and friends via all kinds of media to eager and willing learners. Spending time with wise (knowledgeable & experienced) people may ‘rub off’ on the learner: The Bible says:
“Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.” [Proverbs9:9].
As the adage goes, 'Good decisions come from experience; experience comes from bad decisions'.
2. The challenge of 'Skills Transfer'. Had there been such a thing as ‘skills transfer’, I would have been able to play the piano like Van Cliburn or the violin like Andre Rieu; play golf like Gary Player or Arnold Palmer; box like George Foreman or sing like Matt Monro or Pavarotti.
Unfortunately, ‘skills’ can never be ‘transferred’ from one person to another; skills must be honed & cultivated over time by the learner himself using best resources available, including teachers, libraries, parents, mentors, educators, workshops, vocational training i.e. internships, on-site & in-the-field training, practise, repetition, perseverance etc. As the saying goes, 'Practice makes perfect'.
3. ‘Full Potential’. There is also no such a thing as ‘full potential’; the word ‘potential’ alone already embodies, denotes or implies the idea of ‘full capacity’ (‘latent qualities’ required for success). A better expression to be used by educators and teachers would be ‘True Potential’ (not ‘Full Potential’).
4. 'Social Justice'. There is no such thing as 'social justice' ... all justice is supposed to be 'social' by default because it involves people, involves society. The very word justice implies to do right unto people in all spheres and arenas of life.
Had there been only one single man living on planet earth he would not have needed any justice at all; also, no justice system or people involved in jurisprudence. In such a 'society' he would have to act as his own policeman, lawyer, advocate, barrister, district attorney and judge engaged in opposing himself as the one and only runaway one-man crime wave on the planet. All justice is supposed to be socially just (for just behaviour or just treatment) or it would not be justice at all.
The Bible teaches that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of all knowledge and wisdom.
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction ... For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding ... The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." [Proverbs1:7; 2:6; 9:10].
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever." [Psalms111:10].
"And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding." [Job28:28].
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