You Tolerate a Headache

Within the PYP, there's a lot of jargon -- the learner profile, the concepts, the transdisciplinary skills, the attitudes, and so on.  For the most part I love the language they use, encouraging students to be open-minded, reflective, empathetic, and more.  The PYP hopes to shape not just 21st century minds, but also thoughtful global citizens.  However, there is one word among all the lingo that I think falls short of their goal, and that word is tolerance.

Tolerance is one of the twelve attitudes that the PYP guides students to develop.  But is tolerance really something to strive for?  Someone once said to me, "You tolerate a headache."  Human beings are not headaches, and I as a person do not want to be tolerated -- I want acceptance instead.  A quick internet search tells me that to tolerate is to "allow the existence, occurrence, or practice of (something that one does not necessarily like or agree with) without interference."  So you won't get in the way of someone doing what they want or being who they are, but you don't necessarily work to understand or support it.  To accept, on the other hand, is "to receive with approval or favor."  In this case, you are welcoming and open to difference.

To be fair, I believe that when confronted with diversity, tolerance is an important step along the road to acceptance, and I don't want to discount that.  There are certainly things that others do that I may not fully understand or support, and I do believe that we all have varying levels of internalized sexism, racism, and other prejudices.  But as an ideal to strive for?  I think tolerance is aiming rather low.  Yes, being accepting of all human beings is a challenge, and I'm certainly not there yet.  But an attitude of acceptance implies open-mindedness, compassion, kindness, and love.

One of the most beloved teachers from my high school closed his 2006 baccalaureate speech with one of my favourite quotes:  "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." - Ian MacLaren

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Currently reading:  just finished Speak by Laurie Halse Andersen, about to start The Boleyn Deceit.  Also just read this article on benevolent sexism.
Current high:  spent the morning subbing in kindergarten, and the trip to early years was so good for my soul!
Current low:  coming down with a horrible cold :(