Whatever we go through in life is a learning experience. Then what is education?

By Seena Antony

Education is not just following a systematic process in preparation for it involves how one lives. How one adapts to around and how one uses the situations positively.

Education helps us gain knowledge about the world and develops our perspective, and builds opinions. “By age five, most children have acquired the ability to override their impulses, and put them on hold, in order to follow a request,” says Baker. “The ability to control impulses vital to children’s socialization, their ability to share and work in groups – and ultimately to be adaptable and well adjusted.”

This emphasizes the point we need to start educating a child as early as possible.

What product schools can produce depends on what kind of raw materials they get.

What should be the curriculum in schools ?

Curriculum should help children make deeper and fuller understanding of their own experience. - Lilian Katz.

The curriculum of a school refers to the total experience a child goes through during the process of education.

It involves the activities the teacher does in assignments planned, and after school. The field trips and have with parents, grandparents, or any resource adds value.

Education necessarily need not have to cater to what the syllabus contains but can be looked at from a wider perspective.

Simple doable experiences such as inviting a police man/ constable to school and asking them to interact with students, will help the child really understand rather than a teacher showing a picture of a police man and telling he maintains law and order.

 “You cannot make people learn. You can only provide the right conditions for learning to happen.” ~ Vince Gowmon.

Having a market scene with children dressed as vendors will make children develop their visual, logical, along with personal skills. Their interpersonal skills will bloom and stress of public speaking will be lost in front of a small group. The emotions of the role they are playing gives them an insight into life of different people in the society. Their confidence level improves drastically. They become better people.

Curriculum should be architecture to the social needs.

Example how to work in a group how to divide work and how to ask for help when required, are skills children group work with right guidance is emphasized.

“The best education does not happen at a desk, but rather engaged in everyday living – hands on, exploring, in active relationship with life.” ~ Vince Gowmon.

Just letting the child do chores will give them a sense of satisfaction and will help in for their age, rather than getting a remote controlled toy and having a maid do the chores.

Visiting a museum, planning which place to go for vacation along with children will be a good learning experience which will broaden their perspective.

“I believe that to teach them effectively you must touch their hearts long before you begin to teach their minds” ~ Vicki Savini, from Ignite The Light.

“What is so true in the science of human development is that it is an optimistic story,” Cantor says. “It tells a story that no matter what a child’s starting point is, that development is possible if it is intentionally encouraged in the experiences and relationships that children have.”

Its time schools understand the needs of the learner and society and have these skills hidden in the curriculum.

Life skills, hands on experience, learning by doing, play way are the highlights of today’s education. If one understands it and gives a meaningful learning will be lifelong.

Education, Curriculum, activities, Life skills, child development, learning.

Real life experience, hands on learning, role of schools, role of society in education.