The Sixth International Day of Education, as proclaimed by The United Nations and UNESCO, is celebrated annually on January 24, and highlights universal principles about the needs for and benefits of education around the world. ALOHA’s mission is to help parents unlock the genius within their child. In some places around the world gaining access to an education can be a true struggle, especially during times of conflict. ALOHA specializes in teaching students Math and Reading and Writing; subjects which are crucial for so many reasons. Thinking about these topics in an international framework adds a deeper understanding of their value for all of us.

Did You Know: The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 24 January as International Day of Education, for the first time in 2018, each year the theme is in celebration of the role of education for peace and development.

The Importance of Math & Language Arts – Reading and Writing

While ALOHA US handles ALOHA education centers in the United States, there is also a separate international ALOHA organization with over 4,000 ALOHA centers around the world. By exploring the essential roles of math, reading, and writing in education, we can see their importance in shaping individuals’ lives and in fostering their overall development. By understanding the significance of these subjects, we can appreciate the value they bring to our daily lives and advocate for quality education worldwide.

Mathematics Teaches Critical Thinking as Well as Math Skills

Mathematics is a universal topic transcending language boundaries with universally accepted principles. However, access to learning math is not always available in all areas of the world, especially during times of conflict. Scientific inquiry is built on a foundation of mathematics. Although we often take a study of math as “a given” here in the U.S., not every child around the world has the same options. A strong foundation in math can help a child learn critical thinking, which underpins many other types of learning, and can help individuals grow to their potential. A populace that learns critical thinking and mathematical principles in turn helps a society grow to its potential.

Did You Know: ALOHA, an acronym for Abacus Learning of Higher Arithmetic, is the pioneer for mental arithmetic, founded in Malaysia in 1993. Growing internationally with over 4000 locations, ALOHA was established in the United States as ALOHA Mind Math in 2006. While ALOHA in the U.S. started with math education as our primary subject, ALOHA U.S. has expanded our offerings to two other crucial learning subjects, that of developing students’ reading and writing skills. To find out more about our math, reading and writing programs for children ages 3-12 in the U.S., please check our website, or click our location finder to find an ALOHA Education Center near you/.

The Importance of Language Arts: Reading and Writing

As a Parent, I am sure that you recognize the importance of the educational disciplines of reading and writing. Language, both spoken and written, is a building block upon which all other learning is based. Language learning begins at home from the time a child begins to have an awareness of things outside themselves and continues to be developed both at home and in school. As a child grows, reading helps the individual learn other subjects. Reading can also open access to whole other worlds when a child reads about another location, culture, or about history. Fiction can open the mind’s imagination as well. Books can connect us not just to the immediate world round us, but also to an awareness of far-flung places and learning subjects that we might never otherwise have encountered. By encouraging your child to read, helps a child gain an awareness of the world around them and of connecting with others. Reading can also help us learn about subjects like math, science and much more.

Learning to write in school also helps a child develop problem-solving and critical thinking. A student learns how to organize information in such a way that another person can understand their thought process. So often we focus on the mechanics of writing: grammar, punctuation, and spelling, but in a larger context, writing is a tool of communication which again helps a child grow to their potential. This is a crucial skill when a student grows to adulthood and joins the larger world around us with powerful language arts tools in their personal “toolbox.”

According to the U.N. and UNESOC Education as a Basic Human Right is Crucial During Times of Conflict Around the World

According to the International Day of Education information Learning for Lasting Peace: “A well-resourced education system can be an effective long-term preventative tool that protects, builds and sustains peace before, during and after conflict. Such an education can lay the preventative foundations by helping all learners realize their fundamental human right to accessible and equitable quality education.” International Day of Education principles are listed below:

1. Education is a human right

It’s as simple as that. Education is a human right. To deprive someone of this right is tragic, as it can make the difference between a turbulent or prosperous future.

2. Education is the key to sustainable development

Without education, there cannot be persistent development. It is essential for helping societies evolve and develop.

3. Empowering individuals

At the core of it, educating an individual means empowering them. It empowers them to think, generate ideas, set goals, and have a purpose.

Did You Know: that UNESCO stands for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. For more information see UNESCO’s World Education Day page.

 Written by Cathy Larkin, a freelance writer and social media coordinator, who has been a part of the ALOHA Mind Math team for several years.