scaffolding integrity and mindmapping with numbers

The idea that logical thinking is a prerequisite for integrity was challenged when I tried my concept of scaffolding integrity using natural numbers and mindmapping. The child associated concepts with one and anavah, which means humble in Hebrew (humility,...). One exercise was to draw the number one in different sizes, from big to small. Then the child was free to draw whatever he wanted, and drew a war scene. A tank shooting at an individual. I asked him to write 'not modest' under it. He agreed.
We like to think children are unwritten sheets, but war may be in their mind.
Another child associated on bitachon, which means trust in Hebrew (relate,...). He drew a swann, because of the similarity of shape with the number 2, a road between two houses, two birds and a mirror. I didn't think of a mirror. It opened a thinking path for me. It made me think about the relationship with yourself as two.

integrity and numbers

Thinking about scaffolding integrity and mindmapping with numbers I resolved to write a booklet for children that combines both. I had pages in my head but am afraid to forget what I imagined. I should sit down and write. It gives children useful concepts.

scaffolding integrity and the unconscious

What do you mean by unconscious, my husband asked this morning. The unconscious is not one thing. One is not homogenic, I thought, thinking of the complexity of an organism or a society. I think about integrity and ways to teach children about it when my unconscious gives topics that I don't associate with children like war. The unconscious is the realm of repressed feelings and thought and I'm busy with a spiritual make-over? So I started out trying to teach and find my own conscience on the way. First, how is it that we can communicate with each other? that we have a world of ideas to begin with. Are we not that discrete?
I try to understand how music can have meaning as if I was a child and it was explained to me for the first time.
The music is analogical to a story, music expresses or offers a projection screen for thought or visualisation.
In dreams and prethinking, themes arise, food for integrity. What choices have I made or will I make? Am I living up to my wishes of integrity in my fantasy? Or am I going in opposite directions. A plait consists of opposite directions and is nevertheless a unity. Is music a pleasant model for the building of integrity? Like perfume and belief systems?
Meanwhile a lesson synthesised itself in my mind. Maybe it helps to be artistic to show integrity.

scaffolding integrity

How can we practically scaffold ethics for children? is a question that lives in my conscience for a few years already. One of my posts tries to give an example of how to scaffold à la Vygotsky, this is to find the zone of proximal development and to elevate thinking accordingly. For a few years I have tried to work this on myself. My challenge was to translate a Mussar (Jewish ethics) course to Dutch and at the same time teach it to someone else. This way of keeping busy with ethics had a profound impact on myself. For every word I had to think if the meaning is what I think it is. It is interesting that in different languages different ideas exist because of language. Integrity doesn't have an adjective in English, it has in Dutch. Does this imply the Dutch percieve integrity as a quality someone can own whereas English percieve it as a state? On the site Integrious a new adjective is proposed : integrious.
Then I tried to teach my children, which is difficult because my own children are more sceptical towards me than children of others. The best result for getting their attention is to naturally blend it into other activities, such as walking & cooking. Another way is to discuss concepts. "What is integrity? Why is it important?" and give them the right books wich provide historical knowledge at the level that is just above their reasoning skills. For my dyslectic son this means I don't look at his technical level of reading but at his level of understanding spoken language and interest. He simply reads it slower. The younger children I explain what integrity is with an example and ask if they think it is good how someone acts, also when we watch television. I get the best result when I have joy doing it. But I keep observing that scaffolding integrity needs construction of logical thinking as well. How to divide sweets in a integrious way needs being able to divide numbers in equal parts. Letting children play with buttons or stones to learn about amounts may be a prerequisite for a more ethical society. The mindmapping of numbertheory is not that distant from scaffolding ethics, nor is playing with buttons and puppets.