Learning is Epigenetic: Epigenetic Principle states that anything that grows has a ground plan from which various parts arise with each part having its own time of arrival until every part has arisen to form a functional whole.

Learning is Epigenetic

Epigenetic Principle states that anything that grows has a ground plan from which various parts arise with each part having its own time of arrival until every part has arisen to form a functional whole. The sum of a child’s learning achievement is based on three things like a tripod stand; one goes to the teacher, one goes to the parents and one goes to the child. Any deficiency in any of the stands has the potential of impeding the child’s development.
Every child is always eventually tired of the womb and wants to come and learn new things in our planet. The mother brings him and later sends him to the teacher. The teacher teaches him, gives him class work and supervises him and then sends him back home to the parents with homework. The child does his homework while his parents supervise. As this teaching-learning process is going on, there are academic growth and development that are taking place that may be too trivial for that fundamental stage which if taken for granted will or may cause a major setback for the child in the future.
Based on Epigenetic Principle (speaking like a layman), the parents cannot go to school to teach the child unless they are members of staff in that school and the teacher cannot go home to teach the child unless hired by the parents. But one thing is certain, the child can learn anywhere. Hence, a child only educated at school is an uneducated child (George Santayana). A teacher is fond of telling his learners this, “You can only be taught by your teachers; while only you can teach yourself.” The parents’ and teacher’s work on the child will in due course become a past tense but the child’s work upon himself will forever be in the present continuous tense.

We see the child’s growth when he is able to do the right things when guided by the teacher or parents, while the child displays development if he is able to do the right things under little or no supervision. If the child shows the former, teachers and parents are happy because after all, their efforts are not in vain. If the child shows the latter, teachers and parents are happier because the latter shows that all hands are on deck in the creation of a united, strong and self-reliant nation as stated in Section 1, Paragraph 5(c) of our National Policy on Education (2013).
Based on Epigenetic Principle, the child’s growth and development are not limited only to academics. Other areas are equally important and are based on the same principle. These areas may be biological, psychological, philosophical, spiritual or physical. All these must be watched and mindful of by the builders (teachers and parents), else they may turn the future (the child) into a frustrated present (troubled individual)! This is simply due to the fact that Learning is a relatively enduring or permanent change in behaviour that occurs as a result of experience.

Whether a parent, teacher or a ripe learner, do not mess with Epigenetic Principle because it’s like a tripod stand which connects the past, present and future times together. None of these times does any harm to the human growth or development unless one clicks on delay or fast-forward. To this end, watch and mind what you click on, because Learning is simply Epigenetic.

Ajayi Joshua Morakinyo's View…….