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Quo Vadis Education?
Part IV
page 1 2
Educated vs Literate Society
In the name of improving the quality of education, we either go for an onslaught on illiteracy (which is desirable) or change the syllabus contents,introduce new education councils, boards etc. As long as the taught is not able to comprehend and respect the indispensability of what he/she learns, the process of educating an individual remains incomplete. The obsession on howmuch to be taught has to give way for a discussion on what to be taught and howbest that can be taught. There are two ways to get rid of the present afflictions. Either we can go for a new education system or make the present system function effectively so as to be objective and focused. The committee headed by the former UGC Chairman Prof. Yash Pal was entrusted to evolve a new education system and one does not know the status of this effort (anyone who has an update of this committee's actions/recommendations, kindly post them on this site). The second route is less cumbersome and more meaningful but the will is lacking. There are a few imperative things that are to be taught during school education in order to make our children really educated rather than making them mere literates.Art of Listening
Process of Learning
A proper education must not only teach how to speak and write but also should concentrate on improving the communication skills. The much needed communication skill does become a virtue of a person by three important things.One, through the habit of wide and in-depth reading of books. The wonder of books in seeking knowledge has to be taught. As knowledge is something to be sought, it is essential that one must be taught how to search and seek knowledge rather than simply dumping information. The second one is by way of keenly observing things and inferring the nuances, niceties, and subtleties.The third important thing is the art of listening. It is the powerful amongst all the learning components but it is not trivial as it is perceived. Attentive listening needs a lot of effort, and one has to work hard and expend energy to focus one's attention while listening. In school the habit of "True attentive listening" is to be inculcated in the young minds. The well known psychotherapist Dr. Scott Peck exhorts the teachers to give some instruction in the process of learning and he adds that it is not just to make the process of learning easy but to make the children understand how difficult it is to listen well. Even in the group discussions and debates, it is the one who listens well contributes to the outcome of discussions and not the one who talks continuously with superior command over language without bothering to hear what others say. In such exercises, listening skills to be given utmost importance.
Total identification of Taught and the Teacher
A teacher must know well about his/her students and teach in those ways which the students would like to listen. It becomes a pathetic situation when a teacher treats the students as captive audience. If the teacher knowsthe students well, the teaching becomes more interesting and if the teaching becomes interesting the students listening interest goes up and there would be aperfect resonance on the subject discussed. The total identification of the taught with the teacher is the real success behind the effective transfer of knowledge; a noteworthy character of the Guru Kula method of education. This element is totally absent in the modern system. Also to succeed in the game of teaching, one must use tricks like kindling the interest of the students and making them involved in the subject.
Importance for Teaching Profession
The process cannot succeed unless the tools are good. One of the important reasons for the downslide in our standards is the scarce resource in the form of dedicated teachers. The scant regard for the teaching profession by the society and consequent commercialisation of education has brought the system to this disastrous state. The teaching profession must be made lucarative to attract bright people to the profession and not only the noble midned people. In Tamil, there is a saying that "Pokku Katru Koduppavan Vathiyar". This got distorted to"Pokkatravanukku Vaathiyar Thozhil". A real teacher must not only impart knowledge but should be capable of "lighting" ones' path. The respect for this profession must be retrived.
A boring lecture creates a vicious downward cycle and a good combination of teaching and listening ends up in a creative upward cycle of evolution andgrowth of the taught, and sometimes even the growth of the teacher. In the present system of training the teachers, these components are miserably missing. At the primary level education, the system must present suitable and relevant material which should enhance the interest and involvement in listening and interaction.