Educating both the heart and the mind is equally important, but only one brings true meaning to the education of children and young people. “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” Although this quote is often (and perhaps inaccurately) attributed to Aristotle, it holds a deep truth: education is not merely about the transmission of knowledge; it does not target the intellect alone, but must reach the core of the person. We could say that to educate is not simply to “teach”, but to help “form” each person into the best version of themselves.
The educational community is well aware of this, and for some time now, efforts have been made to develop students not only through the acquisition of knowledge but also through the development of competences. In this way, what a student is capable of doing becomes as important as what they know. Thus, education is no longer directed solely at the mind, but also at action.
However, one essential element is still missing from the equation, as a person consists of “head, heart and hands”. True education happens when coherence is achieved between intellect, heart and action, all directed towards the good of the individual.
How can we educate the hearts of our children and young people?
First and foremost, we must understand that the heart is the driving force behind human action. No matter how clearly we understand something intellectually, if there is no genuine desire, the path towards that goal will be arduous and difficult. Conversely, when desire is strong, the heart may cloud the mind and lead to irrational behaviour.
Perhaps for this reason, the heart is the first thing that should be educated, aiming for emotional balance that allows both the spirit and action to reach their full potential. At the same time, educating the heart lays the foundation for the education of virtues, since good habits, in order to be truly virtuous, must not be a mere repetition of actions but an active pursuit of the good—because one genuinely desires that good.
For example, if we aim to form a child in the virtue of order, it is not enough to repeatedly ask them to tidy their room. They will acquire the virtue of order when they truly want to be orderly, because they see it as good and appealing. Only then will the act of tidying their room make sense to them.
Thus, education should begin with the education of desire—helping children connect with all that brings goodness, beauty and truth into their lives. Emotionally aligning with values that are seen as good is key for those values to become virtues through action.
Learning to understand what lies within the heart
Educating the heart does not mean merely seeking what makes us feel good, but learning to see what is truly best for us, to desire it sincerely and to strive for it. It means learning to make good decisions by aligning what we think, feel and want, in order to live meaningfully and find genuine happiness.
This requires learning to recognise what is in our own heart: our desires, fears, priorities and values, and at the same time becoming aware of how we react to the world around us, as revealed through our emotions and feelings. Emotional education, in this sense, is immensely helpful for learning to regulate our inner world, focusing the heart’s energy on what can truly make us happy.
A good starting point for educating the heart is to awaken great desires in children and young people. Desire arises when there is a gap between what one longs to have and the lack one feels.
Sometimes we encounter young people who seem to have everything, yet live in a kind of apathy, devoid of true desire: bored young people who have it all and want nothing. That is why helping them to desire realities and values that can give meaning to their lives—and to fight for them—as well as experiencing the value of effort in achieving what they want, will help them grow, to “form” within themselves the best person they can be, and to enjoy a more fulfilling life.
María Gimeno
Project Manager of Character Education Programmes