Learning to Introspect

As times have changed, so has parenting. Unlike mothers of yesteryears who were preoccupied with catering to large families and a never ending series of house-hold tasks, mothers in modern times have clear cut priorities. 

Raising a ‘perfect’ child seems to be the unspoken ambition for them. Mothers of toddlers are seen in a frenzy of buying picture books, educational CDs and toys. Mothers of five to eight year olds hunt desperately for the ideal activity class to bring out their child’s hidden talent. The more the child grows, the more parents become excited and anxious to go that extra mile to bring him/her up perfectly. What the child needs is often asked but seldom understood.

At the same time parents are anxious to instil the right values in their child. The child is made to learn the 'good behaviour' norms almost as quickly as he/she is encouraged to learn the multiplication tables! The rigour with which this is enforced can make a Marshal proud. 

Inspire believes that along with exhibiting these aspirations and expectations for the child, parents must consider giving the child the ‘space’ he/she deserves. This space eventually helps to accentuate emotional and intellectual growth in the child. 

Here we would like to share Arun’s story with you. 

Arun shared a special relationship with his mother. Every morning she would drop him to school in their Maruti 800. For some years the arrangement went on well. As Arun entered teenage he developed a sense of self-consciousness. He began to compare their Maruti 800 to all the big and fancy cars that streamed in to the school entrance each morning. One day, he casually told his mother, “You don’t have to drive all the way in mother. You can park the car a little before the main entrance and I can comfortably walk to school from there.” 

What do you think the mother did?

She could have indulged in morality talk and lectured the boy on being content with what they had. She could advise him to stop comparing and look at himself with dignity. She could even go ahead to prove that owning a Maruti 800 did not in any way make her or her son inferior.

Arun’s mother, however, did none of this. Instead, she did exactly as her son had asked her to do. In doing so she honoured the state of mind her son was in. She gave him the space he needed to think and realise his feelings. Although she wanted her son to be happy and proud of what he was, she drew a line and did not rub her own values and thoughts on to him.

Six months later, Arun brought up the topic again. This time he said, “I am fine with it mother, you can drop me right in. I think it is just fine.” His mother smiled with pride and warmth. She knew her son had come around. 

During the six months that her child went through a confusion of identity, she resisted the temptation more than once to ‘help out’. She chose to give him the space and independence to develop his own sense of self. 

The question that arises here is, - 'Will a child always make the right decision? Will a firm value system evolve if children are always allowed their space and freedom?'

If the focus shifts away from trying to raise a perfect child, this is definitely achievable. We will need to trust our children and give them the opportunity to figure things out for themselves. 

As one of the first steps in building a sense of self worth in children, we do not have to immerse the six year old in days packed with back-to-back activity schedules. He/She should be able to appreciate learning things instead of running against time to complete his/her karate- skating-swimming-drawing- dancing routine. The value of learning increases manifold when the child understands that he/she does not need to do all of this, but he/she may like to do some of them. 

Similarly the child should find it natural to make a few minor mistakes or errors of judgement without bringing forth a strong reaction from the parents. These mistakes will help him/her explore choices, experiment, and eventually pick the right one. 

* Inspire does not claim copyright of this image

Nothing in the world can work better than this to boost the child’s self-worth and confidence.

Socialising Over the Net

The journey of our young students from socialising to social networking has been a rather quick one. LinkedIn, Netlog, Friendster, Classmates.com are some of the popular sites that help in keeping friends ‘connected’. But Facebook is the one social network site that seems to be rocking. 

Inspire asked people across age groups what Facebook meant to them.

Well, social networking is all this and perhaps more. Networking sites provide a medium that has global reach and yet is personalised. It connects countless people to each other. Yet when you are logged on, it speaks to you alone. To top it all it is free. 

Children, preteens, teenagers and even adults seem to be thriving in this ‘Net Connect’. The pictures that we get to see on these social networking sites have created a revolution of sorts. Bizarre hairdos and wacky tattoos; pouted lips and blowing kisses; cool clothes and funky gear; hugs and goodbyes; hills and flowers; cakes and cookies; cars and cell phones...you name it and you’ll see it. 

‘Chatting’ consists of all subjects one can think of under the sun. Social network mania is not just affecting the upbeat metro children and youth. People from small towns and cities are equally under its influence with phones and sms. The chatting lingo is a hit with all. All feelings, expressions, thoughts—find a place in the little space of the chatting window. New found confidence is kicking in everyone. There is also a great deal of exhibitionism seen emerging from this addictive habit.

One wonders why a twelve year old schedules his evening hours to catch up on the Net assured that his tennis and guitar practice can wait. Schools and parents are in the blame-game mood. The child’s over-indulgence in social-networking is the discussion point of many meetings. 

Inspire feels, parents, teachers and older siblings have to play the role of moderators for young children. These children are growing up in a digital age, where they see the parent responding to an sms before responding to the doorbell. If the parent is more relaxed that the child is ‘happy and safe indoors’ even if he is for hours on the Net, then the child will surely find ways and means to thrill himself through that channel. Then again, telling the child – “You cannot go online”- may be less effective than connecting with the child on a personal level and explaining how they should also try ‘offline’ things like playing a game of football or painting perhaps. 

Social networking can be fun and useful, as long as it does not get addictive; does not hamper studies; does not become a source of temptation; does not lead to overpowering fantasies; and does not eat into one’s time for work and other interests. 

It is a matter of concern if it comes in the way of real-life socialising. There are people experiencing healthy and meaningful friendships online, though their actual flesh and blood friendships and associations are going through a dip. This can be alarming as the virtual world is after all not absolutely real. 

The High-Tech Factor

As Inspire explores ‘change’ in a student’s everyday life, the magnum of it seems vast and almost infinite. We delve into the different facets of change through a series of articles. The first of this is on technology. 

Today we focus on digital media and its repercussions on students. Educational CDs, online portals, computer games, the very popular PS3, specialised educational digital boards are all different avatars of digital media, that have become an integral part of a student’s life.

Gone are the days when getting to know the happenings in the school involved reading notes from the child’s School Diary or scheduling a meeting with the Class Teacher. Today, school portals have it all accessible for students and their parents within a few clicks, sitting in the comforts of their homes. The class lists, class schedules, events, competitions, breakthroughs, results, loads and loads of pictures- you name it and it is there. So schools are on an all-time communication high thanks to digital media. This at any rate does not seem to affect the student’s performance or level of interest in academics. 

Specialised educational digital boards, on the other hand, are innovative teaching and learning tools. The blend of interesting visuals complemented with audio keeps students engaged. It facilitates the teacher to present otherwise mundane topics in interesting ways.

The amazing popularity received by ‘Hole in the Wall’ (where NIIT made breakthroughs in taking technology and education to the neglected strata of society) speaks volumes about the power of digital media. 

The wow factor however takes a u-turn when we look at some other aspects of digital media. Take for example the PS3, Kinect or Nintendo games - that have half the current generation of children glued to them. Look at educational and interactive CDs that are marketed by the dozens to over indulgent parents for their ‘tech savvy’ children. The publishers of such ‘educational’ games and CDs have a limitless market. So they have enough reasons to smile. 

The virtual world of social networking sites (with the likes of games like Farmville on Facebook) demands so much of a child’s attention that he forgets to connect with the real world outside. Infact, when did you last hear a child say – “The sky looks so beautiful today.” Or, “The rain feels so fragrant and cool.” At this rate, that day is not far when a cricket expert will mean someone who is an expert in digital cricket!

The proficiency of digital media is in fact gearing up to challenge the entire system of teaching. 

At Inspire, we find this alarming - for the child, for the student, for the teacher and for the entire system of education. Imagine the epitome of a tech-savvy class for a four year old. A self sufficient specialised educational digital board backed by perfect audio, teaching the child a nursery rhyme; or perhaps the sound made by ‘b’. Sounds astonishing, but it is not very far into the future.

Teaching, however, is so much more than a pre-recorded flawless voice, attractive visuals and overload of information. For children in formative years, it is the compassion, affection and the human factor that brings the classroom to life. Teaching is reaching out to the child, knowing him and helping him learn and evolve; something that digital technology can not supplant. Like any other place, here too we cannot assume a ‘one size fits all’ approach. Different children may respond differently to this technology.

E-books, online education and projects are all very welcome, provided the teacher is there to mentor and scaffold a child’s learning. Digital media - as a stand-alone mode of education is an impersonal and soul-less style of education for our children, even though its opportunists may say otherwise.

After all tele-factor and online friends that are ‘soul-connects’ for children don’t have souls, do they? 

Feel the Change

Progress is impossible without change; and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything - George Bernard Shaw

Change is inevitable, change is constant and change is a necessity. The 80s, 90s followed by the turn of the century have left us all elated and puffed up with ‘change’. It sure is a great feeling to be ‘updated’ versions of what we would have otherwise been. The ‘generation next’ is indeed a progeny of this process of change. 

However, there is another perspective of ‘change’ that is happening alongside. These are the intangibles that are either changing, or getting influenced by the elaborate progress that is happening all around us. From talking about sundry things with the unassuming kiryana wala bhaiya to getting greeted by a somewhat English speaking attendant at a big store - has not our approach towards shopping changed? 

How are relationships today – within homes, amongst friends and most importantly at school? Does the sanctity that marked a teacher-child relationship remain still? Or are we experiencing a change there just in many of the other things?

One look at schools, arty classrooms – and you can say that ‘we have changed’. Preschools today look bright, pretty and all done up. At a senior school level, ‘digital media’ is infusing newer techniques into the teaching and learning process. With technology, consumerism, exposure, media, the change is happening at express speed. What we see as a result of this is – a student who belongs to the ‘generation next’.

Inspire is all set to explore this phenomenon of ‘change’ and its impact on the child today. We question - are we changing with a direction and purpose? Is change getting transferred in to a teaching and learning style where rote learning ceases to exist? Is change happening in the teachers approach towards the over informed child of today? 


Are we ready for the change we are inviting? 

Beyond the Curricula

At Inspire, our commitment towards the cause of education is paramount. Over the past half year since we launched the blog, we have covered a broad spectrum of issues that touch upon education in its different manifestations. 

The child being the ‘inspiration’ behind Inspire, we have shared how varying levels of ability, diverse reading habits, different approaches towards textbooks and even examinations have had an impact on our education system and the children who are part of this. We reiterate that we view ourselves as facilitators creating relevant learning experiences that will help children to gather, examine, validate, modify and extend knowledge. 

In this drive towards education, there is yet another perspective that crops up. This takes us beyond the curricula and brings us face to face with some pertinent questions. Is the educated generation reaching where it ought to? What about the not-so-lucky ones who have not had the opportunity to complete their formal schooling? Can the onus of their development simply be left to fate? At Inspire we strive to make a difference there as well. Today, we share with you - Maya’s Story.

Coming from a small town in Nepal, with a responsibility to support herself and also send money back home, Maya was just another girl struggling to survive in the big city. Trained in a parlour, her meagre salary was barely enough to make both ends meet. At Inspire we realised that Maya could do much better for herself if she became functionally literate. 

She underwent a ‘Functional Literacy Makeover’, with Inspire under our ‘Empowered to Share’ initiative. We supplemented her education as per her needs. Maya, who had decided to be a ‘beautician at your door step’ needed support with language skills to begin with. She needed to look and talk like the businesswoman that she was becoming. Above all she needed to build her network with ladies who belong to the ‘sms’ and email-cult. So Inspire guided her through the stepwise process – where the concept of her beauty services business was formed; next we made her aware about work culture and ethics; in parallel we helped her design the collaterals and refine her communication skills; finally we taught her nuances of operations, budgeting and accounting. 

Today we see a new Maya sporting a business card-with the brand name ‘Arshia’, dressed in a crisp uniform, and making conversation confidently. Her ‘education’ also comprises of maintaining her ‘Customer Database’ which she is now beginning to do in MS Excel, and learning to write business emails and sms. 

Maya is now a confident young lady, who has a business partner, Krishna. She is inspiring many others like her to adopt functional literacy, to create a better position in life.

There are people from all strata of society, with distinct skill-sets and different aspirations. For education to become holistic, they all have to be guided within the circumference of modern and practical education. The amazing part is, it is people like Maya, who tell us, “We are eager to learn, provided you teach us what we really need to learn.” That is precisely how functional literacy can be successful. 

As educationists we need to identify what education needs to provide. Whether we ‘teach’ children, adults or skilled commoners, it is education that is ‘worthwhile’ that really matters in the end. 

Progression of Textbooks

Textbooks have an indelible influence in the lives of children, such that that it is almost impossible to imagine a school scene without simultaneously thinking of chalkboards, chalk, notebooks and textbooks. 

For a very long time textbooks were the only teaching- learning aid in the classroom. Typical to any demand-supply scenario, they changed character based on the needs of the education system. 
In olden days, the teacher was the head of the classroom. He was the mentor – who guided students with his words and wisdom accompanied by the writings in the textbooks. The textbooks were mostly ‘reference material’. 

However for the past many decades, the purpose of teaching became simply to ‘complete the syllabus,’ prescribed in the text book rather than focusing on knowledge gain for the students. This system relied less on the teacher’s competency and more on the textbooks. Teachers merely read out from the textbooks; students learnt to memorise the words and reproduce them exactly in their examinations. 

In this system it was easy for publishers to develop textbooks. New text was really regurgitated material from books written ages ago. Old content was sold under a new cover. This worked very well to save development costs. More students and schools meant higher volumes of sales. A combination of these two gave publishers enormous margins. The books had little to engage a child and cater to his interest. A by-product of this system was a generation of students who ‘learnt’ by rote - including the answers for a published list of questions, and promptly forgot what they had learnt once their exams were over. 

Fortunately the wheel has begun to take a turn. There have been significant changes made in the education system – NCERT being a pioneer in this. Teachers now enjoy a higher status, including more pay and benefits. This has led them to move beyond just reading the books out to their class. Emphasis has gradually begun shifting from rote learning to one that is based on experiencing, thinking and applying. As a consequence to this change in demand, the character of textbooks has begun undergoing changes. Books are being designed to be engaging and containing text that is relevant for modern-day students. They are interactive and provide many hands-on activities for students to apply their learning. 

Textbooks continue to form an integral part of this ‘collaborative’ learning process. The influence of technology has helped give them a fresh lease of life since the medium is now no longer only print, but digital and mobile as well. Research has shown the necessity of including support or supplementary learning material alongside the text books. This material like the textbook not only helps in classroom teaching, it also makes learning easier and more interesting for students. 

With rapid changes in technology, it is hard to imagine what form textbooks will take in future. One thing can be said however – just like a good teacher is irreplaceable in the life of a student, a good textbook is non-pareil. 

To ensure that all children benefit from the current ‘revolution’ in textbooks, it must reach schools and students across different strata of society. Moreover focused effort needs to be given to research; content needs to be reviewed and upgraded periodically and feedback from actual classrooms needs to be incorporated in order to make these books most effective. 

Just like a favourite storybook, a textbook should hold a special place in the heart of a student.

Bring on the Reading!

Eleven year old Sabina loves to read. Even at the breakfast table she has a book propped open in one hand. Sanjit’s mother makes it a point to buy books for him regularly, but he rarely gets beyond the first few pages of a book. 

As educationists, we have thought for a good reason to this phenomenon - why some children read and others don’t? We find that in an average class, perhaps 10 out of 30 children read habitually, while the rest seem to shy away from books. They are all taught in the same classroom, exposed to the same texts and teachers. So what could possibly cause some to befriend books while their classmates show no such inclination? 

The reason we found is quite simple. 

Children in classrooms have varying levels of ability and interest in Language. Just like their performance in school, their extracurricular reading is also influenced by this. Thus some children develop an interest in the literature prescribed at school, and also like reading similar books outside school. The majority, on the other hand just about complete their prescribed readings at school. 

To make all children read with interest, we need to answer - what are the books that most of them would find appealing? 

Everything in our children’s lives has gone through dynamic changes over time. Supplementary reading lists remain the same as they were thirty years ago. We cannot expect modern children to naturally relate to texts from a bygone era. The language of the books, the flavour of the characters, the settings and contexts are very different from what they are familiar with. Contemporary languages, particularly English have evolved so much over the years that it is hard to understand the language of a book written hundred years ago. Most of the books are presented with limited or no illustrations making them even less attractive. 

In earlier times, children loved to hear or read stories of fairies and dwarves and princesses. A few decades ago Enid Blyton was the reigning author for children. She created a world of boarding schools, full of adventure and pranks. Children from today’s age of technology find it difficult to relate to the adventures of the Famous Five and the Secret Seven. It was for this reason that Harry Potter became a global hit. The series came at a time when writing for children was going through a lull, and reintroduced children to the world of magic and fairies; only this time the context was modern. A world of Playstations and computers. Harry Potter gave children the gift of imagination without taking them back in time.

Comic books also hold a special place in the hearts of children. They are attractive and do not contain too much text, thus engaging even struggling readers. The graphics help children better visualise the story. While this is not to say that all comics are good, they can certainly be used to gradually build children’s interest in books and help them enter the fascinating world of literature. 

So why aren’t these alternative reading materials referred to at school? Why do we leave it to the children to bump into these by accident, that too beyond the purview of scholastic activities? After all, the purpose of introducing children to literature at school is to ensure that they read. Why can we not tell them about Tintin and Potter at school? Why can we not get them to discover Nancy Drew and Wimpy Kid in school? These texts do classify as popular literature. They use decent language and manage to hook the children’s interest. They encourage children to use their minds and give wings to their imagination. 

Why then, can they not be part of school reading? That is a question to ponder upon.