Where It Begins: The Early Stage
You see, there were moments in my life when I had to bend to the will of others because I was just a kid. You know, growing up, you are taught to listen to the advice of your parents and the elderly in the community. As a kid, I could never say otherwise and was no exception; neither was I any more special than other kids. Growing up, I have come to learn a few things. Is reading in public that bad?
I still remember that very sunny day when I was sitting on the lawn in front of my mum's friend's restaurant. I wasn't doing anything bad but just reading. All of a sudden, there was a sharp, loud voice: "Put that book away. Do you want someone to steal your intelligence?" That was my mum talking, and I seriously wondered whether someone's intelligence, given to them by God, could be stolen from them. Well, don't make the wrong decision yet.
Growing up in an African community, a continent known for its rich tradition and its own wisdom, let me just tell you this: reading in public was considered dangerous. Do not conclude, thinking it was because of the traffic in our communities or due to distractions. But as kids, we were told someone with supernatural powers would steal our intelligence by looking at us and whispering some magic words.
As a child, I didn’t question it. In my parents home, I was always reminded that being obedient was better than sacrifice. But years later when I studied and furthered my education in psychology and being a pupils teacher, I have come to know, that our parents were not saying that to just put fear in us but protect us. That is very real and very costly, and since we can't waste all the time only reading stories, let us get into the rest of this personal encounter and what we can learn from it.
Where Did These Beliefs Stem From?
I was born in the 90s, actually. Those days when the African myth was not diluted by radios and TVs. . Many of us grew up with rules that sounded like spiritual warnings, but in a way, they were just lessons being taught us. It was in our Religious and Moral Education textbooks, and we had to learn them because it will come in our exams. And if you were also born in the age I was born, or may have even heard the stories, you may recognize a few:
- Do not sweep at night-you'll sweep your good days away
- Do not look in the mirror at night - In fact, a spirit will appear behind you
- Do not cut your nails in the evening-you will be inviting bad luck into your life
These were the myths we were being told, and we believed them. What I found out later on after many years, was that these myths were there to actually save us from getting into trouble. You know, let us take cutting your nails at night as an example. Because it will be dark at night, using the blade to trim your nails in the evening might cause harm to you and for that particular reason, our forefathers had to instil that fear.
These “don’ts” were passed down orally, reinforced by stories, and rarely questioned.
What Are The Effects of these Rumours on Childhood Learning
Here’s where the joke stops being funny.
As someone who later became an educator, I saw the damage firsthand. Not just in myself, but in countless children. And imagine all the people who had to suffer it and not realize it. Below are some of the effects:
The Psychological and Educational Effect
Growing up, I got to know that there is always something interesting about kids. You know, because I was young, naive, and did not know much about the world, I easily believed everything I was told. Whether I was being lied to or not, I just had to believe. The myths and rumours about reading in public from my own experience had a lot of effect on me. You know
- There was panic and fear in me anytime I tried to read in an open space.'
- I did not have the courage to stand in the midst of people to read out loud to their hearing
- I will tend to keep quiet even when I know the answer to a question being asked in class
- I developed the habit of reading silently all the time.
There is a popular saying of a Ghanaian famous writer, "Ama Atta Aidoo," which says
When intelligence becomes something one should hide rather than share, then societies lose generations of knowledge.
When I finally read this saying while in my final year in the Senior High School, I began to imagine the years of damage I caused to both my society and the people around me. I just couldn't imagine it, the amount of knowledge I kept and ideas I kept in my head due to fear that any moment I share them, I would lose my intelligence.
What Does Science Say About Reading in Public
Reading has always been my thing. And having the chance to read an article published by Harvard Graduate School of Education and Edutopia, here is what I found about reading aloud and learning in public
- Reading aloud or learning in public helps improve a person's memory
- It helps build confidence in a person
- One becomes fluent in the language they read and speak in
In other words, these facts are the exact opposite of what we were warned about.
How I Reclaimed My Voice and Relearned Confidence
You can't be born in Africa without a culture or a belief system. There is something you will have to believe in. Ghana, being one of the African countries that uphold their cultural values with high esteem, I couldn't escape the net of cultural rumours and beliefs.
But here is what helped me, and what I now recommend to students:
- Understanding where the belief came from without being ashamed of myself
- Overcoming the fear by learning more and with evidence
- Joining groups that partake in discussions and debates
- Teaching others, especially classmates and juniors in school.
