Grout, Education and the Easy Life

Have you ever heard anyone tell you that something was easy, really easy, to do? I have. Not only that, I actually believed them. Many are the voices that reverbated through my head as I gamely laid the mosaic tile and later grouted. (Does that word really exist? I grouted. You grouted. He grouted. We all grouted.) Yes, I finally grouted. My fingers had to work overtime as the grout slid off the wall constantly and landed in great big lumps on the shower floor. I had to push the grout into every nook and cranny. So much for the 45 degree angle idea using the whatever- it's -called instrument.

Have you seen advertisements for easy ways to learn a foreign language? Spanish in ten minutes a day, Spanish for dummies, and the list goes on. Who are these people claiming that it is easy to learn a foreign language? Or, indeed, that it is easy to learn anything?

Nothing is easy. All things can be easy, but only once you know how to do them. I still don't know how to lay tile or grout. I know the theory, but I need to practice and practice and practice. Easier said than done. Motivation can help ease the eager to discover how easy it is to be an eager beaver.

People expect things to be easy. They no longer know what it's like to fail, or lose. From an early age they are pampered, patted on the head, even when their performance is poor. Isn't it better to teach children reality rather than indulge them in flights of fancy that they are the best, despite low grades, poor results? Why praise them with "Great job!" when they've actually done a pretty lousey job? Are we all so afraid that young people will crumble if we point out their shortcomings? Isn't it more to the point that young people need to be prepared for the future, a future which doesn't only include doting parents shielding them from criticism? And if they receive bad grades, tell them to study harder. Simple. There's no need to blame the class teacher, or the text books, for that matter. Now, that is easy.