Listen and Learn to Learn to Listen

Isn’t education a wonderful thing! Literacy teaches a combination of listening and speaking. It develops the skill at being able to take turns in talking, develops reasoning and the ability to win a debate. Here is a powerful example.

I was party to a private phone call. I had no intention of eavesdropping, but the speaker was of the brigade who shouts at his mobile phone. We, the customers in the coffee shop had no option but to hear as the volume evicted all other thought.

The phone owner was involved in a debate of ever increasing angst with a lady. We learnt her name to be Janet and she had a brother, Noah. He admonished Janet; “I’ve told you not to call me at work” (perhaps it was a business meeting in the coffee shop) and explained at length he was clearly fed up with her attitude and disposition that had caused her brother such anguish. Her attitude was completely unacceptable.

We discovered the lady was five years old and was in for some retribution when Daddy got home if her errant ways were not amended immediately.

Janet is obviously a determined soul and capable of holding her own. Daddy became increasingly frustrated. “YOU ARE BEHAVING LIKE A LITTLE SHIT” he boomed! Then silence. The table had turned. Daddy was on the back foot. A stream of responses followed;

“Yes Daddy did call you a shit but I didn’t mean to, I was very angry”
“Yes I know it’s a naughty word”
“Yes of course I am extremely sorry”
“No Dear I don’t think we need to tell Mummy”
“Yes dear, perhaps it is Noah who is the little shit”
“No dear I really do think you are right”
“Listen Daddy has to go now, but thank you for calling”

Posted on Saturday, June 6th, 2009 at 8:03 am and is filed under News.