Is this time to Act?

Waiting for inspiration, sirji!

By GURCHARAN DAS (in Time of India..Mumabi Edition 9^th June 2013...page no 20)

“We have got so used to blaming governance and the institutions of the law that we forget that our pathetic education system is also responsible. And yes, parents too are guilty, for the home is the crucible of the moral life. However, one inspiring teacher can make all the difference in moulding the values of young human beings.”

“Obviously, we cannot wait for an inspiring teacher to fall from heaven. Neither is there any point in complaining about corruption in high places. The moral foundation is laid at home and parents must take responsibility to teach moral reasoning to their kids.”

“About 20% of India’s children today receive a decent education, but for the rest it is a depressing story. On the positive side, 97% of children do enter school. However, after a year only 43% can recognize letters. By class 5, half the children cannot read a class 2 textbook and three quarters cannot do simple division. By class 10, Indian children rank second last, above Kyrgyzstan, in a test recently given by the Program for International Student Assessment in 74 countries.”

Read full article “Waiting for inspiration, sirji!”

Great...but how do you expect from him when working with lowest possible minimum salary?????????

Child centered curriculum???

Around the year 2000, or earlier, there was booming announcements by education boards about introduction of ‘child centered curriculum’, based on  outcomes of immense educational studies and research, with a promise of simplifying  student’s burden of education and to make education enjoyable for kids.

Then came methodologies, old and new, how they are useful and how they are implemented.
Around the same time was the technology implementation in class rooms. Many players came into this filed to make real time implementations. (education filed, as a public ground, anyone can do anything), and training programs for teachers on new methods.

All training program, with in my little observations, are how to use, how to present, never on the ‘why’? 
Then almost after 15 years teachers, many of them are not familiar with back ground knowledge, are trying to know tips and tricks and the students are their subjects.

Whenever, new process is implemented, majority of training programs are what is expected by the teachers to do in the class rooms, what type of evidences has to be produced, how to fill the forms to show case teaching is done effectively.

At the end, we spent  much of amount of cash and time, on teacher training, and  on infrastructure.

However present statistics are showing 50 to 60 % of students  in a class, don’t have basic knowledge to understand in higher level concepts. 

With in my opinion, what is going on in the class rooms is not the teacher centered or students centered education, but curriculum driven teaching and learning process.

When entire education is an ‘enabling process’ of next generation, why all these other factors are taking a major role?

Is not time to speak out, dear teachers?

After all, this is a matter of family issue of teachers and students, please speak out your opinions.

Teacher Training.

Require changes??

After attending many teacher training programs and conducting few, i like share to my views.

There is no need to emphasise that every class room is different and go into the details.

Many of the training programs focus only on ‘how’ to do and ‘what’ to do, missing factor of ‘why’. 
Teaching is unique profession.  In my opinion, they must know both ‘science and engineering’ relatively more than techniques, tricks and tips. 

For example, if training is focused on how to ride a motorcycle, and ride only on one wheel and how to make 180 turn on single wheel, YES, excitement and satisfaction.

In my opinion, taking the professional needs of teachers and necessities, teachers must have a greater understanding on 'how a moving motorcycle is able to disobey gravitational pull  scientifically. 

Just like practicing and perfecting great 'yoga' postures, without knowing any thing other than that, wont allow teachers to design a new method. 

Teacher training programs should be designed with practices along with clear theories. This may enable teachers to design their own methods as per the requirement of students they are attending in the class rooms.

please take a sincere  note from me, i am NOT against yoga as i know the benefits of it, here i am bring this example only to encourage teachers for their won creations depending on their class room conditions and to get desired outcomes.

Teachers training programs, in my belief, should be designed and associated to encourage teachers to come out of their own methods, instead of looking for available resources on what they are trained.

Today humans are looking at the surroundings of Mars on their lap tops, not because of new sciences and engineering principles, but as they know today how to use these two to achieve.

What do you say?

Your feedback please.........