Lao-Tzu

By: JUMAR A. BALDREZ- MATE TA

– Lao-Tzu was believed to be the founding
figure of Taoism. He was the traditional
author of the Tao- Te Ching. Lao Tzu was
the one who was introduced and
explained the main Taoist concepts. He
also applied Taoism philosophy to human
conduct as well. He designed the behavior
of the political leaders and princes in
conformity. Usually we study Taoism in
relation with Lao Tzu and his life
philosophy.
Taoism

– traces its roots to 6th century BC. The religion didn’t really prosper until
hundreds of years late around 100 AD. Taoism started as a combination of
psychology and philosophy but evolved into religious faith in 440 CE.
– Tao means the “way” or the “path”
– To live life with goodness, serenity, and respect.
– Believed that a persons action should be influenced by instinct and
conscience.
– The yin-yang sign. The Ying(dark side) is the women side and the yang (light
side)is the side of men
– “Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish; feed him for a
lifetime. Lao Tzu, spoke these words over 2000 years ago. Education is similar to
this principle. For centuries students were “fed” information and taught to
memorize facts, in the hope they would retain a portion of what was taught.
Today it isn’t enough just to feed information to students. Our world is changing
so fast that new information becomes available faster than it can be taught. If a
nation wants to keep pace with this ever-changing world, then learning can’t
stop at graduation. Students as well as teachers must learn “how to fish” for
knowledge by becoming life long learners. Teachers can become life-long
learners by realizing and acknowledging that life long-learning is a necessity; by
learning to keep up with changes through personal and professional
development; and by teaching with passion, inspiring young minds to see
learning as something wonderful.
Life-long Learning is a Necessity

– The last century has brought about an explosion of inventions, new

technologies and new information about our world and universe. Teachers
have had to keep up with all the new information and knowledge. What
would it be like if they hadn’t? Picture a classroom somewhere in America.
The teacher has been teaching for many years; she might be in her 50’s.
That means she started teaching during the 1970s. Think back about 30
years. What were American schools like then? What kind of things would
you have found in her first classroom?
– Classrooms in those days had chalkboards and pull-down maps. Some schools
had TVs, film-and overhead projectors that were shared between classes and
could be rolled into the room. Calculators existed but were generally not used
in the classroom. Now imagine for a minute what it would be like if this
teacher had not adapted to change. What would it be like if she had buried
herself in her classroom, not furthered her learning, not embraced all the new
technologies, events and discoveries? If she had not been a life-long learner,
what would she have missed? What would she not have learned, embraced,
and passed on to students? Think of the things that have happened in the past
35 years. She would have missed, among other things, the hostage crisis in the
late 70’s, Presidents coming and going, this country at war more than once, the
attack of 9/11.
– She would not have seen the Soviet Union collapse, would not have heard of
Aids or global warming. She would not have known much, if anything, about
DNA. She wouldn’t know how to use a personal computer, the internet or cell
phones. It is easy to see that if we stand still the world will pass us by. We live
in a global society that is changing at breathtaking speed. We need to adapt
and change. Life-long learning is a necessity for everyone.
Personal and Professional
Development
– In order to keep up with our changing environment and to stay informed,
teachers make a conscious effort to continue learning. They will take part in
professional training through the school district or through classes taken at
universities. Most teachers read books and professional journals to keep up
with the newest information about child development. They read magazines,
newspapers, watch the news and surf the internet to keep up with changes
that happen around the world. Teachers attend workshops to keep up with
technology, the newest teaching strategies, and classroom management
techniques.
Teaching with Passion

– Children have a sense of wonder when they are young. “Keeping the joy in
learning should be a priority of every school and every teacher.” (Warner,
2006)If children can keep their sense of excitement about the world, they will
love to learn and that original excitement and love of learning will most likely
stay with them for life. To help keep the excitement alive, teachers aim to
inspire young minds. They want their students to see how much fun learning
can be. When teachers model excitement about learning, students will see
learning as something positive to be imitated. In turn they will hopefully
become life-long learners themselves.
1. YOU HOLD THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF LIFE’S
MOST PRESSING QUESTIONS. WHEN YOU LOOK
WITHIN, YOU WILL FIND EVERYTHING YOU NEED

– “At the center of your – “Knowing others is

being you have the intelligence; knowing
answer; you know who yourself is true wisdom.
you are and you know Mastering others is
what you want.” strength; mastering
yourself is true power.”
2. BY LETTING GO, YOU BECOME FREE. YOU
CONQUER BOTH YOURSELF AND THE WORLD
WHEN YOU ALLOW, NOT FIGHT, THEIR
EXISTENCE .
– “Therefore the Master acts – “If you want to become
without doing anything and whole, let yourself be partial.
If you want to become
teaches without saying straight, let yourself be
anything. Things arise and she crooked. If you want to
lets them come; things become full, let yourself be
disappear and she lets them empty. If you want to be
reborn, let yourself die. If you
go. She has but doesn’t
want to be given everything,
possess, acts but doesn’t give everything up.”
expect. When her work is
done, she forgets it. That is
why it lasts forever.”
3. LABELS AND EGOTISTICAL DESIRES
WILL NEVER GRANT YOU THE PLEASURE
OF TRULY KNOWING YOURSELF.

– “He who defines himself – “He who has power over

can’t know who he really others can’t empower
is.” himself.”
4. EVIL NATURALLY CRUMBLES AWAY
WHEN YOU PAY NO ATTENTION TO IT.

– “Give evil nothing to

oppose and it will
disappear by itself.”
5. KINDNESS AND COMPASSION FOR
OTHERS WILL ALWAYS WIN IN THE END,
NO MATTER HOW LONG EVIL REIGNS.

– “Treat those who are good – “Kindness in words creates

with goodness, and also confidence. Kindness in
treat those who are not thinking creates
good with goodness. Thus profoundness. Kindness in
goodness is attained. Be giving creates love.”
honest to those who are
honest, and be also honest
to those who are not
honest. Thus honesty is
attained.”
6. HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO BE
YOURSELF WITHOUT CARING WHAT
OTHERS THINK.

– “Care about people’s – “When you are content to

approval and you will be be simply yourself and
their prisoner.” don’t compare or
compete, everybody will
respect you.”
7. WISDOM AND STRENGTH COME
FROM REMAINING HUMBLE.

– “The wise man is one who, – “All streams flow to the sea
knows, what he does not because it is lower than
know.” they are. Humility gives it
its power.”
8. CHANGE IS INEVITABLE, SO
EMBRACE IT, EVEN IF IT SEEMS
UNCOMFORTABLE.
– “If you realize that all – “New beginnings are often
things change, there is disguised as painful
nothing you will try to hold endings.”
on to. If you are not afraid
of dying, there is nothing
you cannot achieve.”
9. A GREAT LEADER REALIZES HE IS
NOT ABOVE HIS FOLLOWERS; HIS IS
MERELY ONE OF THEM.

– “The wicked leader is he – “If you want to govern the

who the people despise.
The good leader is he who
the people revere. The
great leader is he who the
people say, ‘We did it
ourselves.”
people, you must place
yourself below them. If
you want to lead the
people, you must learn
how to follow them.”
10. STRIVE TO DO NOTHING AND
BE NOTHING; HERE, YOU WILL
FIND TRUE HAPPINESS.
– “When nothing is done, – “Health is the greatest
nothing is left undone.” possession. Contentment
is the greatest treasure.
Confidence is the greatest
friend. Non-being is the
greatest joy.”