At times, I keep reflecting on our education system and the kind of skills/ideals it has imbibed in me. I am positive that this education system is a failure.
The list can go on and on... The only thing that this education system has perhaps given me is a way to earn by bread and butter. Of course, this is no mean achievement in today's times. But, at times I do feel that I am not fully prepared to face this world. The only thing I find solace in is the fact that learning is lifelong... The biggest fear, however, is that my learning on these issues will now be through experience, through making mistakes in this stage of life... which may prove to be too costly at times, and will be a very slow process...
The most startling example of the way rote learning is imbibed to us comes to me in the form of something I was taught in primary school. We were being taught different possible English constructs/questions that can be asked and were being given answers to all of them. One of them I remember... we were taught that the answer to "How are you?" should be "Fine, Thank You"... as if I should never answer anything else... For a very long time, I used to wonder whether this "Fine, Thank You" was a construct which was supposed to be an answer to this questions always. It was only as I grew up that I understood the fallacy...
-Mohit
- - It does not teach us how to lead our lives
- - It does not teach us how to handle failure
- - It does not teach us how to handle conflicts in principles
- - It does not teach us how to face complex and mind-boggling situations
- - It does not teach us that we need to be aware of the city/state/country and its problems
- - ....
- - It does not teach us that we need to stand up and contribute...
The list can go on and on... The only thing that this education system has perhaps given me is a way to earn by bread and butter. Of course, this is no mean achievement in today's times. But, at times I do feel that I am not fully prepared to face this world. The only thing I find solace in is the fact that learning is lifelong... The biggest fear, however, is that my learning on these issues will now be through experience, through making mistakes in this stage of life... which may prove to be too costly at times, and will be a very slow process...
The most startling example of the way rote learning is imbibed to us comes to me in the form of something I was taught in primary school. We were being taught different possible English constructs/questions that can be asked and were being given answers to all of them. One of them I remember... we were taught that the answer to "How are you?" should be "Fine, Thank You"... as if I should never answer anything else... For a very long time, I used to wonder whether this "Fine, Thank You" was a construct which was supposed to be an answer to this questions always. It was only as I grew up that I understood the fallacy...
"I never let schooling interfere with my education" -- Mark Twain
-Mohit
3 comments:
Well, is it like "I was born intelligent,Education ruined me"? When i think of it seriously, Life is not a game of chess, we are taught of the rules to play it, but playing it is in our hands. So, as far as "Fine, Thank you" goes, i think it comes in handy, not to put strain on the brain.
I agree with mohit...I also think our schools are 'cookie cutters'..expressions of the self are not given importance..a child might turn out to be a 'useful' element for society, but that does not automatically imply self-fulfilment or a blossoming of an individual's inherent potential. However, there ARE schools which have dared to follow a differnt path, with amazing results...
Yes... there are progressive education schools which do provide a much better education to the child. However, they somehow remain out of the mainstream and I do not see children usually going there to study...
Moreover, most of them are very expensive and out of the reach of the common man.
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