The other day, I happened to over hear a conversation between two young moms . They were discussing about school system. One of them said that the local schools here (Malaysian) are not that good and they don't encourage creativity in young children. The other one said the Australian school system is better where they encourage kids to improve their creative abilities. The other one quipped 'Yeah the Asian school system is bad'.
This sweeping statement about Asian system which inclueds Indian system set me into thinking.
I have some knowledge about the schooling system in US by interacting with Tejas who is here for his holidays. I had been with him while he attended school in USA. I have some basic knowledge about our school system. Of course I know that just by looking at one child I should not get into giving sweeping statements.
But I do have certain points to make .
I know creativity should be encouraged and it is very essential.
But I feel children need to be made to learn certain basic things by rote. For example I feel kids should learn the multiplication tables (upto certain numbers like how we did) by rote. When we learn this while young it will stay with our memory for ever. I have seen some teenaged kids stumble with basic calculations and search for calculator for even simple arithmetic. I don't think learning this by rote will hinder the creativeness in any child.
The second thing about which I strongly feel is about writing. Kids should be made to write a page or two of compostion everyday. I don't say that they should be burdened with lot of home work ala Indian school where they keep writing without even thinking. But writing a page or two will enable the kids to write neatly and faster. If children learn the way of writing English by joining letters (cursive way) it is better. In these days of computer they will have very little writing to do, but it is better not to depend on machines completely.
We have heard that any success story is 90 percent hard work and 10 percent talent. If the importance is given only for the creativity and talent when will the kids learn to do hard work.
I have seen that in America in the lower classes, they let the child do what they want without hindering other kids and the main aim is to see that the child is happy and they don't harm each other.
Well and good. But, parental guidance becomes very important to check if the kids have learnt the basics properly, in this system. I have read reports that many kids in US reach high school without even learning the basics of reading , writing and arithmetic properly. I have also read about Chinese and Indian children doing well in academics in schools. It is imbibed in us that education or studies or what ever you call it, is the most important thing and it is the bread and butter for every one of us. Naturally the Indian parents guide and help their children in academics at least in the lower classes till they understand the importance of studies. I am not saying here every child should become best in academics. I am talking here about learning basics properly even by compulsory methods, like learning by repetition and rote.
Any form of art also requires lot of practice. The children who are let to do what they want become bored very soon with what ever they are doing and tend not to have the patience and hard work which is needed to be successful in any field.
To a certain extent children should be made to do things cumplusorily so that they get into the habit of sitting and doing things consistently for a longer period.
I am reading in news items that many educators from abroad including US are coming and looking at Indian school system. They want to know how there are so many educated , brilliant youngsters in India and how we are achieving it.
I am not saying our school system is the best.
There should be a system, where enough importance is given to creativity as well as learning the basics well in Primary Schools.
4 comments:
The indian school system sucks big time. If you are looking at churning monkey brains ... sure its good ...
Most teachers who take up the job are most often the B-C grade students, and often frustrated with the job and have no real clue about teaching. Indian school system and parenting in general teaches a kid to be conservative, non-atheletic, show false-respect, and retarded. However, such an environment can also churn out an exact opposite character. I would'nt say that schools in India are the best environment for kids to grow up to a variety of opportunities. Opportunities are very very VERY limited...
Indian education system mostly churns out Lemmings^.
^ Lemmings:
Any of various small, thickset rodents, especially of the genus Lemmus, inhabiting northern regions and known for periodic mass migrations that sometimes end in drowning. Lemmings are known to follow one another blindly and aimlessly. So, one lemming jumps in a well and the whole population jumps in with it.
Well .. grades of teachers and their ability to teach/devotion might be different aspects. And I agree there is not a thumb rule that only A grades make good teachers. My point was more on the aspect of what/how things are taught and how they are stressed upon. Handful of schools have the right set of teachers/management and the appropriate means of communication and the right set of goals. Teachers and parents are more centered toward churning out 'job-ready' amigos instead of tapping students own natural inclination. Limited resources and huge population is a sorry excuse for the attitude/approach of the schooling even at college levels. I don't deny that this type of schooling often does good in creating plenty of monkey brains which can power the economy.
My whole point is Indian school system needs to encourage creativity . Western School system ( Sorry I am generalizing inspite of my very very limited knowledge about the American school system) should make kids learn certain basic things by 'rote' which will definitely help them later in life. The quality of teachers, their abilities to teach requires another blog I suppose.
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