"If we are to educate the young to value only the final products of their learning, we have lost the soul of what learning is: a never-ending means to understand the unique sense of life each of us inwardly has been offered," writes Richard Lewis, founder and director of The Touchstone Center in New York City, an interdisciplinary arts organization. If you are a regular reader of Parabola magazine, you will recognize some of these essays which were originally published there.
Lewis marvels at the delight children demonstrate in fusing with the object of their play. He revels in their interest in language beyond its utilitarian value, how they are attracted to the musical seductiveness of words. Lewis believes that nurturing the imaginative life in children is the challenge of education in the home and the school. He discusses projects and workshops on acting out daydreams, stimulating poetic and mythic thinking, and introducing fourth grade kids to Chinese thought and culture.
The inner life of a child is expressed through wonder. It is high energy curiosity that crosses all boundaries and asks plenty of questions. It is playfulness that opens the doors to new worlds. Although Lewis doesn't explicitly mention the spiritual dimensions of wonder, they shine through the pages of this exuberant book.