The family, religion and education are the three primary social institutions in democratic societies. The
family is the most basic of all three because its function is to bring new people into the world. Education
and religion assist the family in socializing children, teaching the new citizens to live according to the
cultural expectations of society. For a half a century, I have worked in all three areas, as an educator, a
social psychologist and a minister. This newsletter focuses on human relations. It is intended to assist
families in all three areas of development. You are invited to react to the content of this letter. In fact, your
input will assure its relevance. Topics on all three areas will be discussed according to needs expressed.
The section Ask the Teacher will be led by Elsida E. Cordova, Pd.D., a retired educator from the
American school system. E-mail her at asktheteacher@religiousreview.com
For a FREE subscription to this newsletter, e-mail me at Newsletter@religiousreview.com
family is the most basic of all three because its function is to bring new people into the world. Education
and religion assist the family in socializing children, teaching the new citizens to live according to the
cultural expectations of society. For a half a century, I have worked in all three areas, as an educator, a
social psychologist and a minister. This newsletter focuses on human relations. It is intended to assist
families in all three areas of development. You are invited to react to the content of this letter. In fact, your
input will assure its relevance. Topics on all three areas will be discussed according to needs expressed.
The section Ask the Teacher will be led by Elsida E. Cordova, Pd.D., a retired educator from the
American school system. E-mail her at asktheteacher@religiousreview.com
For a FREE subscription to this newsletter, e-mail me at Newsletter@religiousreview.com
=======================================================================
Volume 1, Number 6 Focusing on Relations March 15, 2007
=======================================================================
Volume 1, Number 6 Focusing on Relations March 15, 2007
=======================================================================
ASK THE TEACHER
By E.E.Cordova, Pd.D
By E.E.Cordova, Pd.D
**************************************
Words of Wisdom
**************************************
Words of Wisdom
Life can only be understood backwards; but
it must be lived forward.
**************************************
| How to Develop an Effective Prayer Life is my latest book. It deals with becoming intimate with God through prayer. Order your copy from your favorite bookstore or click the book icon. |
Question: It is March, and my first grader's
teacher informed me that probably he will be
retained this year. Is it too soon for the teacher to
decide on retaining my child? And what will the
consequences be if he is retained?
Answer: The teacher is informing you of this
possibility in order to make you aware of the
situation and to discuss with you alternatives to
help your child and avoid retention if possible.
Alternatives may be:
1. Teacher preparing extra activities for you to
help your child at home
2. Your child attending tutoring classes provided
by the school
3. You providing a private tutor to work with your
child on a one-to-one basis
If none of the above alternatives work, it is better
to retain your child in first grade than to allow him
to struggle in second, having latter to be retained
at second, allowing him to have an adverse
experience making him dislike school and impair
his academic and social progress.
teacher informed me that probably he will be
retained this year. Is it too soon for the teacher to
decide on retaining my child? And what will the
consequences be if he is retained?
Answer: The teacher is informing you of this
possibility in order to make you aware of the
situation and to discuss with you alternatives to
help your child and avoid retention if possible.
Alternatives may be:
1. Teacher preparing extra activities for you to
help your child at home
2. Your child attending tutoring classes provided
by the school
3. You providing a private tutor to work with your
child on a one-to-one basis
If none of the above alternatives work, it is better
to retain your child in first grade than to allow him
to struggle in second, having latter to be retained
at second, allowing him to have an adverse
experience making him dislike school and impair
his academic and social progress.
BEFORE THE WEDDING BELLS RING
J.C.Cordova, D.Min.,LCSW
Marriage is one of the most serious contracts
people ever make, because it is ideally a life-
long commitment. The biblical image of boy and
girl leaving the family of origin, the beloved
parental home, to unite in matrimony to form a
new family is a serious decision requiring lots of
preparation, including pre-marital counseling
offered by a professional in the area.
The marriage contract has undergone much
change through time. Some change has been
good while other hasn't been so good. In
modern, post-industrialized countries, much
undesirable change has taken place. This
change has created crises in the institution of
marriage and the family, as the high rate of
divorce suggests.
A growing number of young people are following
the example set by celebrities from the
entertainment world, who marry other celebrities
for reasons other than establishing permanent
bonds of matrimony.
However, if marriage is to last, the union of boy
and girl must be based on solid foundations,
rather than on imitating the bad examples of
many. Instead, they will do well in developing
their own model for mate selection.
Several factors are important to consider in
mate selection. A most important factor is
motivation. What moves boy to develop a
relationship with girl? If the motivation is other
than developing lasting bonds, the relationship
will fail.
Right up there with motivation is mutuality. Once
the relationship begins, the question becomes:
what do boy and girl have in common? Although
character differs from person to person in
degree, character similarity is important to form
desirable bonds. Minor differences have high
probabilities of being resolved, but the contrary
is true for major ones. But most definitely,
character disparity indicates low probability of
mutuality and consequent bonding.
Mental health is also an important factor to
consider in pursuing a solid relationship. So, the
questions here is how different is boy from girl
personality wise? The intellect, emotions and
belief system of each party seeking a bond of
matrimony should be a matter of consideration
in determining degree of mutuality.
Finally, affect is the overall bonding ingredient.
Love must be clearly defined both as attitude
and behavior. While an attitude is a state of
mind predisposing people to act, behavior is the
actual doing. This is how the apostle Paul
defines love as conduct in marriage:
More on this next time.
God be with you.
J.C.Cordova, D.Min.,LCSW
Marriage is one of the most serious contracts
people ever make, because it is ideally a life-
long commitment. The biblical image of boy and
girl leaving the family of origin, the beloved
parental home, to unite in matrimony to form a
new family is a serious decision requiring lots of
preparation, including pre-marital counseling
offered by a professional in the area.
The marriage contract has undergone much
change through time. Some change has been
good while other hasn't been so good. In
modern, post-industrialized countries, much
undesirable change has taken place. This
change has created crises in the institution of
marriage and the family, as the high rate of
divorce suggests.
A growing number of young people are following
the example set by celebrities from the
entertainment world, who marry other celebrities
for reasons other than establishing permanent
bonds of matrimony.
However, if marriage is to last, the union of boy
and girl must be based on solid foundations,
rather than on imitating the bad examples of
many. Instead, they will do well in developing
their own model for mate selection.
Several factors are important to consider in
mate selection. A most important factor is
motivation. What moves boy to develop a
relationship with girl? If the motivation is other
than developing lasting bonds, the relationship
will fail.
Right up there with motivation is mutuality. Once
the relationship begins, the question becomes:
what do boy and girl have in common? Although
character differs from person to person in
degree, character similarity is important to form
desirable bonds. Minor differences have high
probabilities of being resolved, but the contrary
is true for major ones. But most definitely,
character disparity indicates low probability of
mutuality and consequent bonding.
Mental health is also an important factor to
consider in pursuing a solid relationship. So, the
questions here is how different is boy from girl
personality wise? The intellect, emotions and
belief system of each party seeking a bond of
matrimony should be a matter of consideration
in determining degree of mutuality.
Finally, affect is the overall bonding ingredient.
Love must be clearly defined both as attitude
and behavior. While an attitude is a state of
mind predisposing people to act, behavior is the
actual doing. This is how the apostle Paul
defines love as conduct in marriage:
- Love is patient; love is kind; love is not
envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It
does not insist on its own way; it is not
irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in
wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It
bears all things, believes all things, hopes
all things, endures all things.
More on this next time.
God be with you.
