This is a
conversation during my FDP Programme among the students and academician of IGNOU
on teaching and teachers at NIFT, is worth a read.
A Teacher Question and Answer…
The class were sitting around the table
discussing teaching pedagogy and modern day learning aids.
.
Professor from IGNOU, decided to explain the problem with? Education. He
argued, “What’s a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option
in life was to become a teacher?” or something else??
To stress his point he asked again the class;
“You’re the future faculties, Manish? Be honest. What was your learning
experience throughout of your life?”
Manish, who had a reputation for honesty
and frankness in class replied,
“You want to know what I learned and how
I learned.” (I paused for few second, and then began…)
Well, journey of my learning started
from a place where learning means memorising. I born in a small village and
began learning to a small Hindi medium school, There were very few schools in
that place and it was best among all of them.
Unquestionably, u must be thinking about,
wasn’t there any English medium school? Definitely there was but almost 20-22
km far from the village. Transportation or commuting has always been hurdle in
most of their lives in such places. Even, I studied and grew up along with the
Zameendar’s children’s of village. As my father was among the educated people
or can say only one with master’s degree till 1990. He was only government
officer authorised to attest the documents, though my mother is also regular
B.A in arts, but she choose to be house wife and taught me after schools.
“Well, Mummy Dady make me work harder
than they could and reasonably i was among those three people out of 300 who
appeared in 12th and continued their education.
Vikrant (cousin) was selected in IIT, I
chose NIFT, even after scoring 44th rank in DCE exam and Ashish Gupta, choose
BBA and then MBA from IMT, Nagpur.
But whenever we met or discussed we
found that we could have done much better if our foundation of learning would
made of understanding.
We were never criticised before collage
for our pronunciation, extra influence in words, improper accent for English
and Hindi were reason I felt blue, but accepting the fact I am in routine to improve
since last 7 year, As it is the only area which have scope the of improvisation
always.
Similarly everybody in class was in full
swing with their story, and after listening each of them I found myself alone
knowing the fact i m the one different to them but gave me proud feeling too,
that even after having such surroundings, I am of equal competence.
Class start sharing their views on
modern day learning aids, Web Medium, use of computers, power point
presentation, working live/demonstration of theories and concept with
animation.
With such question and answer, class
proceeds and I raised a point to IGNOU-Professor.
You have been in academics since very
long, u got big reputation and you are also the committee member of Indian
Education Council, is it worth to have big issues, I still found no change in
the education system of India.
Big Institution like NIFT and etc don’t
have good faculties, Most of professor/Asst Professor are not regular graduated
or post graduated, either from distance learning or correspondence Do, they
worth of teaching in institutes or collages??
What you have Done Professor and how do
you treat you students?? Kind of question related to his integrity, he wouldn’t
have ever expected.
So, IGNOU-Professor
replied with pugnacious way internally.
Manish, I make students
sit through 40 minutes of class time when their
parents can’t make them sit for 5 without an I Pod,
Game Cube or movie rental.
You want to know what I
make?. (He paused again and looked
at each and every person at the table)
I make students wonder.
I make them question.
I make them apologize
and mean it.
I make them have
respect and take responsibility for their actions.
I teach them how to
write and then I make them write. Keyboarding isn’t everything.
I make them read, read,
read.
I make them show all
their work in math. They use their God
given brain, not the man-made calculator.
I make my students from
other countries learn everything
they need to know while preserving their
unique cultural identity.
I make my classroom a
place where all my students feel safe.
At least, IGNOU bring
that awareness people to self-learning, people who were feared of books,
teachers, who will beat them on uncompleted home work. I bring awareness to
write and read, provide a hope to those govt. Employees who were not promoted
since because of unmatched qualification.
I MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Everybody went silent
and satisfied.
A profound answer!!!
This was the reply from
a Handicapped person, and such people are needed to our developing. Though, I was Unsatisfied, because he didn’t reply to few questions
of mine about faculties in institute, qualification and processes. I do
not doubt his integrity but....accepting the fact that we all have become
habitual in corruption and reply to this can ignite the blaze.
Teachers make societies
and change can only be brought if your mentor is conscious and well educated.
And still many of bits and pieces in developing India need to be taken care,
without this any development, change is not functional at all.....
I am not making any conclusion or slogan to this
conversation, as i personally feel slogans and conclusion are for uneducated
people.
