Kurt Hahn once said, “I regard the foremost task of education to ensure the survival of these qualities: an enterprising curiosity, an undefeatable spirit, tenacity in the pursuit, readiness of sensible self-denial, and above all, compassion.”

If we consider ourselves lifelong learners, and our experiences our education, then how can we ensure the survival of these essential qualities now, as our cities begin to re-open?

Photo by Rachel Veale

Enterprising Curiosity

We’ve done a good job of upholding an enterprising curiosity throughout our respective shelter-in-place orders by finding new and engaging ways to carry on with our everyday lives.

For some, that means using resources to provide food for their families each day; others it means coming up with creative ways to teach their young children from the living room while working from home; to some it means getting inventive with the ways in which they connect with people—it might be a virtual trivia night or a socially distant first date on a local walking trail. Whatever it is, it’s new and possibly exciting or nerve wracking.

As we transition from quarantine to phased re-openings throughout the country, we will need to uphold an enterprising curiosity yet again as it pertains to things like travel in the outdoors, going to restaurants and adhering to local guidelines. It’s all uncharted territory that requires an open mind.

We also demonstrate an enterprising curiosity if we’re thinking about the future of our society and wondering how it will change moving forward. Will more people continue to work remotely? Will children experience long-term implications from their lack of peer socialization at a critical time in their development? Will public spaces as we know them still exist?

These questions may leave us feeling uneasy, but an enterprising curiosity rarely comes without an undefeatable spirit.

Undefeatable Spirit

We maintain an undefeatable spirit day in and day out by adapting to new norms. While many of us are actively grieving the loss of many things and people and experiences, it’s important to recognize that grief is not defeat. On the contrary, grief is an essential and beautiful mechanism for accepting change.

A student and Instructor bond on course in the Delaware Water Gap. Photo by Michael DePrima.

An undefeatable spirit is one that is resilient. It rises over and over again in the face of setbacks. As stated in the poem, “The Invitation,” it’s one that will “get up after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone and do what needs to be done to feed the children.”

Not only does that mean continuing to do the work that needs to be done, but if one can do so with a positive mindset, then they are truly undefeatable.

Tenacity in the Pursuit

We demonstrate tenacity in the pursuit of education by seeking information that can shift what and who we choose to support and why we choose to support them. We’re passionately taking to our news outlets, social media channels and communities in pursuit of information that helps us to think more deeply and act more intentionally.

Seeking out reliable information may take thoroughness and patience, but by doing so we may realize the world has changed and so have society’s standards. We’re remaining thoughtful about our own biases and choosing to support the businesses and organizations we can confidently stand with.

For example, if and when we opt to stimulate the economy, we may focus on the local economy. We buy a coffee from the mom and pop cafe in town that’s donating a portion of its proceeds to hospitals and healthcare facilities.

As the world outside of our homes reopens, we can continue to tenaciously pursue information and education.

Sensible Self-Denial

On our courses, each crew practices sensible self-denial in many ways. For example, we deny ourselves modern technology, like a smartphone, and forge ahead in our expeditions the hard way—with a map and compass. We deny ourselves certain luxuries, like flush toilets and comfy beds, for the sake of having a true expedition experience, where we only carry what fits inside of our backpacks or boats.

Now, in the time of a pandemic, we’ve experienced sensible self-denial constantly, by denying ourselves non-essential consumerism, physical touch and proximity to other people. There’s a lot of self-denial in play currently—and will remain for awhile—for the sake of the greater good.

Even as organizations and businesses continue to reopen, there’s still a need for sensible self-denial. For example, we forgo some ease and comfort by choosing to wear masks in public. Our choices to practice self-denial are unselfish ones. They’re acts of service. Choices rooted in compassion.

Compassion

We practice compassion for ourselves each time we approach our stress with patience. Throughout the ebbs and flows of my personal quarantine journey, I’ve experienced days of both greater and lesser self-compassion.

When I daydream nostalgically about the courses I instructed, I often think back to one-on-one moments I shared with students. Being on a wilderness expedition is a wonderful, albeit stress-inducing experience, so I’m well-versed in having conversations with students who are at their breaking points on a course, feeling extremely overwhelmed, incapable and defeated.

In those conversations, I, as the listener, feel unconditional positive regard, empathy and respect for the person who is in a vulnerable state. I know what they’re feeling is valid, as I, too, have felt that way. I know what they’re feeling will pass, as feelings always do. And I know they’re capable of handling the challenge, because I know each of us is capable of more than we know.

When I come back from my daydream, I realize that I’m the overwhelmed student, and I need to regard myself with the same empathy and respect that I would have for a stressed out student on course. When I do that, I practice self-compassion.

We also experience compassion for others with a vigor we may not have felt before—we’re appreciating the underrated employees, putting other people’s health and livelihoods before our own wants and fighting for the oppressed because our flawed systems are exposed.

The sense of compassion we have for those around us is essential to our survival.

The Foremost Task of Education

Without the survival of these qualities, “an enterprising curiosity, an undefeatable spirit, tenacity in pursuit, readiness of sensible self-denial, and above all, compassion,” the education of individuals seeking growth and happiness, can’t survive either.

Consider what you’re doing now to ensure these qualities are a part of your COVID-19 experience, so that we can continue learning and growing.

Photo by Theo Theobald

About the Author

Elizabeth Bowling is a field Instructor for the North Carolina Outward Bound School. She is based at the Scottsmoor, Florida basecamp and primarily instructs flat-water canoeing courses for at-risk youth which focus on behavior management. Elizabeth has a degree in journalism and international studies from the University of Connecticut.