Monday 16 July 2012

The Child



The Background: Azim Premji Foundation’s induction program for the inductees of the 2012 batch is a month-long program. After the first week at the Wipro Learning Centre, the next two weeks of the program are being conducted at the Azim Premji University. This part of the induction program seeks to introduce the inductees with the concepts of ‘education’ and ‘development’.
Besides workshops by other academics, this part of the program has also included workshops by eminent educationist Dr Hriday Kant Dewan, aka Hardy. Following his discussion on education policy on Day 3, Dr Dewan conducted an interesting activity on Day 4. This activity sought to bring out a child’s learning capabilities at the age of 5 – the age the child generally starts going to a government school. The activity was conducted by dividing the batch into 6 groups, and each group was assigned to discuss on the topic for about 10 minutes and prepare a presentation on their findings. Later the groups were also assigned to discuss and present on a child’s learning capabilities after 5 years of education or at the age of 10. The capabilities were to be grouped as understanding of ‘mathematics’, ‘language’, and ‘environmental studies’, after categorizing them as ‘knowledge’, ‘skills’, and ‘values’. 

The Deliberation: It is a commonly-held notion that every child is unique in his/her learning capabilities. But, a holistic look at 5-year old children’s learning abilities brings out certain common features. As far as knowledge is concerned, a 5-year old child, when s/he normally starts going to a government school, starts acquiring knowledge on academic subjects like mathematics, science, social science, language, etc. Bedsides academic knowledge, s/he also develops rudimentary sense of reasoning. The child also develops certain skills, in very limited proportion, such as reading, writing, oration, recitation, counting, logical reasoning, series formation, differentiation, imitation, crisis management, self-defence, sporting skills, etc. As for values, the child develops senses of mental security, respect, morality, curiosity, eagerness, likes and dislikes, love for parents, siblings, friends, etc.
These three categories can again be re-grouped under three academic subjects – mathematics, language, and environmental studies. Skills like counting, logical reasoning, series formation, etc can be grouped as mathematical understanding. Skills and values like reading, writing, recitation, oration, imitation, etc can be grouped as language understanding. The rest of the skills and values, such as, crisis management, self-defence, differentiation, mental security, respect, morality, curiosity, eagerness, likes and dislikes, love for parents, siblings, friends, etc can be grouped as environmental studies understanding.
This division and categorization can be extended to children who have completed 5 years of education or to 10-year old children. Children who have completed 5 years of education in a government school develop higher level of knowledge, skills and values. S/he also develops additional knowledge like general knowledge, an additional language, etc. As for skills s/he acquires additional skills like leadership, rudimentary techabilities, dressing sense, etc. S/he also develops advanced values like spirituality, religiosity, friendship, groupism, attraction towards the opposite sex, etc.

The Conclusion: Moulding the future of the country depends on moulding the kind of primary education imparted to the children. Children, till the age of 10, remain most vulnerable, and hence are most mouldable into better citizens. The features presented above are mostly general in nature. The knowledge, skills, and values that children acquire depend on respective familial and social environment they are brought up in. It is upto the relevant government authorities, voluntary organizations, and teachers to identify the learning potential of the children and impart holistic quality education in a favourable environment.   

Friday 13 July 2012

The Helplessness of Writing the First Post


Having to write something when you are asked to is always difficult. Writing for me has always come when I am without any deadline at the back of my mind. This is the first serious post in my blog. I had no intention of writing anything on my blog till now. It is only after getting a verbal push from the instructor, and after seeing some other batchmates write long theses on their blogs that I mustered the will to write something in my humble blog.

Like my other batchmates, I have been asked to write on the part of the induction program that is being held at APU. This part of the program has so far covered various concepts, practices, institutions, and structures related to primary education through various discussions, presentations and activities. There have many arguments on topics like the quality-equality dichotomy, the nature- nurture dichotomy etc.

Even as I am writing this post, I am wondering how I am going to make it at least half as long as some others have made theirs….. However, with the steady reduction of my wakeful state and seductive calling of my bed and pillow, I decide to end my first post in my blog here.  Wishing you a nightmare-free sleep, I’m signing off. See you later, with better ideas, hopefully…..