THERE is no denying the fact that education is the key to development. The progress of societies and nations greatly hinges on it. Scores of research, surveys and studies done in various countries have established a direct relation and relevance between education and progress. Curriculum, teaching methods and assessment systems have evolved over the years and they will continue to evolve. While the curriculum and syllabi set up by different nations and educational bodies may not be a major source of concern, the manner in which education is being imparted and the way students are being evaluated require a thorough study and analysis in light of changing social values and economic trends.
The starting point of any argument should revolve around the question: “What is the main objective of education and schooling?” Of course, in general terms, the basic purpose of education is to make our children literate and help them understand the essence of life. Moreover, education should also help them or rather enable them to take up an occupation or practice a profession. The changing trends in industry, trade and services which have created new avenues and opportunities also deserve attention.
However, a careful study of methods of teaching and assessment must be made to determine whether the amount of stress which students are being made to bear by parents and teachers is right and conducive for learning.
Educationists, academicians, intellectuals and scholars hold different view on this matter. Although, they believe that teaching methods and assessment systems need to be changed radically and quickly, there is no clear consensus among them in this respect.
As far as the Indian education system is concerned, it is positioned upon performance and comparison and students are nothing more than byproducts of the invariable insistence on comparative evaluation in everything they do. This stifles the growth of the child and results in stunted self-esteem.
Jaya Nair, an expert on child development and multiple intelligence, has asserted that learning, memory and intelligence should not be perceived as separate elements and no one should underestimate the capabilities of young children to learn. She added that children are known to be overconfident about their meta-cognition and that such “misplaced optimism” is useful and consequential in building positive self image.
She advises that children should not have stressful school years; the schooling should rather be a fascinating journey of experiential learning and discovery. It is high time we changed the strong link which society has made between a particular definition of intelligence –as measured by IQ tests - and begin to appreciate the values of a person as a human being. Motivation is a natural human quality with immeasurable educational value and school is the perfect place to allow this to develop.
Nair said that the move from an emphasis on performance and ability to learning and effort must not be seen as simply “a better way of motivating our children; but it should be accepted as opening doors to new questions, newer challenges and of course frustrations.” In short, tests and assessments should not be viewed as measuring performance but should be aimed at measuring competence.
Partha Banerjee, an Indian intellectual and reformer based in the US, has written about the influence teachers have on students. They play a pivotal role in shaping the lives of students. Banerjee narrates several exceptional qualities of teachers. Among them is the respect by teachers for their students and the need to do away with the old mindset that a teacher must only demand respect from his students and that this respect is never reciprocal.
Another good attribute of a teacher is encouragement. A small word of appreciation and encouragement instills confidence in a student and increases his desire to learn. It is common to see teachers paying more attention to students who are clever and intelligent without realizing that this breeds an inferiority complex among the weaker students and that it can spell disaster for them not only in one particular class but in their entire academic life. The teacher should also have the ability to accept contrary views from students and in fact, should inspire students to think and challenge his thoughts and analysis.
Banerjee advocates the practice of using real life and practical examples to teach even the most abstract subjects. This is being adopted by many educational bodies and institutions in India and elsewhere.
There is a great need to start with a firm belief that students have a strong desire to learn and that their minds are like blotting paper or like a soft piece of clay. It is up to teachers to decide if they want to mold this clay artistically or turn it into a black, hard lump which is unable to absorb anything. The teacher who has mastered the craft of molding with care, love and respect to instill imagination and confidence into the soul which is yearning to learn is the greatest teacher.
Safi H. Jannaty,
Dammam
