It is common to think that Education is about teaching and learning. That is to say that "education = we teach + they learn". Naturally, much of the schooling is geared to make this formula work. There is grand edifice for making teachers teach (BEds/CTET etc) and another empire to make children learn (SSC/CBSE/Grades etc).
Even with this view of the education, lot more attention is paid to "we teach" part than is paid to "they learn" part. We evaluate teachers, enforce portions, mandate teacher-training workshops and tests etc. There is a lot of talk about how to teach better. The question - "Are you a good teacher ?" is like a hanging sword.
This has created a mind-set that "bad education" implies "bad teaching". If only we can improve teaching, the education of child will improve. This belief is confirmed every time we run into a bad teacher. 'My child is not learning because of bad teachers' - is commonly held view. This is no doubt true, but only half so.
We have neglected the "they learn" part of the equation, to the extent that students (and parents) don't realize that learning is also a responsibility. Yes, we do make exams, attendance and notes mandatory to ensures that the work is done. However work-is-done isn't same as learning is done. So we are kidding ourselves that, by making rules we will force children to learn.
If you were to believe in the formula "education = we teach + they learn" we need to accept that for a good education there has to be both, 50/50. That means we should see what is happening to "they learn" part. If the students are not learning, then parents and students themselves have some responsibility. Is that accepted ? Unless we look at both parts of education, it is unlikely that we will improve it.
PS : In the next post, I will suggest that this formula "education = we teach + they learn" is not quite correct either.
Even with this view of the education, lot more attention is paid to "we teach" part than is paid to "they learn" part. We evaluate teachers, enforce portions, mandate teacher-training workshops and tests etc. There is a lot of talk about how to teach better. The question - "Are you a good teacher ?" is like a hanging sword.
This has created a mind-set that "bad education" implies "bad teaching". If only we can improve teaching, the education of child will improve. This belief is confirmed every time we run into a bad teacher. 'My child is not learning because of bad teachers' - is commonly held view. This is no doubt true, but only half so.
We have neglected the "they learn" part of the equation, to the extent that students (and parents) don't realize that learning is also a responsibility. Yes, we do make exams, attendance and notes mandatory to ensures that the work is done. However work-is-done isn't same as learning is done. So we are kidding ourselves that, by making rules we will force children to learn.
If you were to believe in the formula "education = we teach + they learn" we need to accept that for a good education there has to be both, 50/50. That means we should see what is happening to "they learn" part. If the students are not learning, then parents and students themselves have some responsibility. Is that accepted ? Unless we look at both parts of education, it is unlikely that we will improve it.
PS : In the next post, I will suggest that this formula "education = we teach + they learn" is not quite correct either.
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