Counterintuitively, today I am not here to descant about why our education system is a corpse factory as I have already delineated it in an earlier blog (In case you haven't perused that one, I'll be appending a link for the same down in the study materials and you can check it out later after perusing over this one).
Since we have already dealt with the WHYs of the equation, today I am going to ponder upon the HOWs. For that matter, from the research and studies done over a centuries upon the subject by distinguished people and institutions, I have excogitated my own model of how an ideal and progressive education system should be like.
Of course this is going to be a heavily opionanated blog so kindly don't count upon me for that matter as it's just a crafted suggestion out of my curious and unstable mind. I'd love to see your opinions/criticisms about how better/worse my model of education can potentially be. Anyways, let's cut the mustard.
REFORM IN MINDSET AND PRINCIPLES
Our education system operates on a narrow-minded superiority complex. It exalts one specific type of intelligence while deeming every other talent as reserved for those of limited and inferior potential. For instance, there must be moments when a stultifying polarization took place either intentionally or unintentionally when some bright students were tagged "the best" and some unfortunate lads we deemed as "the worst." But here's the catch. If you are the "best" or "worst" in a setting than you are in the wrong setting. Because the comparison in school is hinged on a biased metric which our education system has inherited back from the Industrial Age. Point of revelation is that there is not just one type of intelligence but actually multiple. The idea of this "multiple intelligence" comes from the renowned psychologist Howard Gardener. With his works based on ample of scientific research, he excerpted out that there are at least 12(or even more) types of intelligence that have equal relevance in their respective realms. Let's cover them in a shot.
1.) Linguistic Intelligence:- This is the type of intelligence to which we are familiar with, courtesy of our education system. It refers to a special sensitivity to verbal or written language. Those who possess this are adept at channelling complex emotions and thoughts into words of resonance with splendid precision. They are broadly great at writing essays or poems and communicating and enjoy solving word games. For example, William Shakespeare or Mark Twain.
2.) Logical-Mathematical Intelligence:- Another school familiar intelligence. This type of intelligence refers to analyze problems rationally and perform scientific operations. These people use abstract and symbolic thinking and can reason systematically. These people enjoy solving puzzles and reasoning based analogies/equations. Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton had this type of intelligence.
3.) Spatial Intelligence:- This type of intelligence implies the ability to apprehend and manipulate patterns and objects in a wide space as well as those in more confined areas. People who have it think in three dimensions and have an exceptional ability to apprehend and manipulate explicit and large scale spatial images and possess an active imagination. They are adept at using their hands and legs with respect to their surroundings to perform activities meticulously. Painters, craftsmen, chess players, surgeons, pilots and cooks have this type of intelligence. Examples include Leonardo da Vinci and Vishvanathanan Anand.
4.) Body-kinesthetic Intelligence:- This type of intelligence implies the ability to coordinate the whole body and mind in harmony to solve problems or ceate products. These type of people exhibit deep body-mind bond to procure commanding control of automatic and voluntary movements. Dancers, athletes, army personnels and fitness/fashion models possess this type of intelligence. Examples include Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan and Michael Jackson.
5.) Musical Intelligence:- This type of intelligence implies the expertise of the skills of interpretation, composition and imitation of musical patterns. People with this type of intelligence have the ability to apprehend and engender musical tones, rythms and timbres and excel at playing musical instruments and can easily detect incorrect pitches or tunes that might go unnoticed by others. Though this type of intelligence depends much upon genetics but definitely just like other intelligences, precision in it can be developed with the right practice and the right mindset. Examples include Mozart or Ed Shereen.
6.) Interpersonal Intelligence:- This type of intelligence implies the precision of effective verbal and non verbal communication. These people can spot the differences between one another and their intentions, motivations and desires and then use them to assertively engage with them. They are sensitive to others' moods and are adept at managing different perspectives from an empathic posture. These type of people are vigilant leaders and can handle conflicts/disagreements harmoniously to channel teamwork for attaining bigger and astounder goals. Examples include Martin Luther King Jr., Jack Welch and Greg Poppowich.
7.) Intrapersonal Intelligence:- This type of intelligence implies the ability to understand oneself—one's thoughts, desires, feelings and fears and then use those information to better manage one's life or solve problems. These type of people have vigilance in their meta cognitive abilities and are better alert of their inner state and thus are able to take deliberate decisions. This is one of those intelligences which is important for everyone for a fulfilling life.
8.) Naturalistic Intelligence:- This type of intelligence is the ability to perceive the relationships, differences and similarities between different species. They can apprehend and classify groups or species of Flora and fauna with relative ease and enjoy being connected and nature. For example Salim Ali, Charles Darwin, Greta Thunberg and Neil deGrasse Tyson.
9.) Emotional Intelligence:- This type of intelligence can be reputed the conjunction between interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligences. It implies the ability to apprehend and regulate one's own emotions and other people's emotions. It is composed of 5 components:- emotional self-awareness, emotional self control, self motivation, empathy and social skills. These people are adept at knowing their moods and nurturing their emotions and of those around them with great precision. This type of intelligence in another one which equally pivotal for everyone ( and even more so now in this ever toxic world) for a healthy and fulfilling life. In fact, this is the most important of all and if you'd also like to develop this paramount intelligence then I would commends you a must-read on the subject and that's "Emotions Intelligence" by Daniel Goleman. I'll appending a link for the same at last in the study materials.
10.) Existential Intelligence:- Howard Gardener defined this as "The ability to locate oneself with respect to the cosmos and tell existential features of the human conditions such as the meaning of life and death, the final destination of the physical and psychological word in deep experiences like love for another person."
Brain paralyzing definition right? Let's comprehend it. These people have abstract thinking and reflect upon the meaning of perplexing ideas. They have a ephemeral spiritual life and possess lethal critical thinking due to the habit of questioning everything. Examples include Aristotle, Plato, Socrates, Neitzche and Nassim Taleb Nicholas.
11.) Creative Intelligence:- This type of intelligence is the ability to think out if the box to solve problems. These people are able to visualize and imagine answers and solutions that have not yet been materialized to come up with novel, innovative or even revolutionary solutions. Like Nikola Tesla, Steve Jobs and Wright Brothers, just to name a few.
12.) Collaborative Intelligence:- With the advent of organizational and social media environment, a new type of intelligence has fallen off the closet. This type of intelligence refers to the ability to work in team with cohesion to attain common goals by using the shared knowledge and resources. These type of people find getting along with people a cup of tea and are comfortable and open in collaborative settings. Examples include researchers like Daniel Kahneman, Sigmund Freud and Howard Gardener (Yes the same freak who coined this theory of multiple intelligences!), content creators like Zach King, Mr. Beast and the Vox and even e-sports gamers like Pew Die Pie, Shroud and Ninja!
Each child has its own predominance in one or few of these intelligences with also weak points in one or few. The point of education should be to leverage and capitalize upon both the strengths and weaknesses ( some schools have commenced to do the same by a curriculum called spectrum, which was initiated by again the same freak, Howard Gardener). This way each child will have the opportunity of being and creating anything.
After we have accentuated values and growth for every type of intelligence, there is another obsolete module which needs to be defenestrated right away. In the current education pattern, memorization is the biggest virtue a child can have for academic success. And I guess this is one of those things we all would concur upon that the entire paradigm of education, from textbooks to assignments and exams to curriculum, is principally hinged upon memorization. Remember how we are impelled to do the parroting of concepts and vomit it on paper, or how we had to memorize a whole poem and scribble it on paper. Neither did it make any sense nor did I ever like it! The fact that we are living in an age were information is just a click away makes everything which is based on memorization futile. I can Google whatever shit I want to know at any time.
Thirdly, education should be pragmatic and moulded for future problem solving that would aid the students to engender their mark in the world. By pragmatic, I imply the applications of every lesson being taught. For instance, the practical implications of every notion should not just be discussed but also be conceptualized with practical activities. I have studied in school both theoretically and practically with the same teacher. Yet I have greater clarity in that which I did practically.
This begs the question that how can this type of curriculum be fabricated which brings me to the next reform in the model.
Reform in SUBJECTS and CURRICULUM
Disappointing it is, but school is not preparing us for the real world. It has no correspondence with the advancing demands of the present and the future. In my ideal model, each and every aspect of the curriculum should cater to the fundamental requirements of the realm.
I suppose the purpose of language subjects is to breed communication skills and personality. Therefore they should be centered majorly on aspects like tone, pitch, fluency, vocabulary, confidence, etc. Basic grammar is cardinal for a grip in the art of communication. For personality bulid-up, attributes like posture, body language, expressions, gestures and character lessons should be indoctrinated.
Furthermore, literature is also a pivotal aspect which develops comprehension skills and vouchsafe a leverage for other components in the subject altogether. Because end of the day, your personality and precision of getting your message across will redound the most for your endeavors.
Secondly, I have huge criticisms for other subjects too. I don't know what kind of headache maths is. If you still believe that the formulas of maths were the equipment in arsenal for all the major leaps the civilization has taken from space venture to scientific revolution then I am sorry to say you have been bilked. I acknowledge that maths can portend the trajectory of space travel but it can only do it one paper and not when shit gets real. I know many successful personalities from a miscellany of spheres but literally nobody, not even the most nerd-type, uses sin, cos, alpha, beta, tan,etc. to perform even a single professional or personal task. Why is it even taught!
(a+b)²= (a²+b²+2ab). Literally everyone knows this formula and has solved piles of questions upon this. But God only knows what is the use of it. So my basic argument is that most of the lessons, algebra, quadratic equations, volume and surface areas, constructions, you name it, have nothing to do with real life and everything to do with what is to be buried under paper. However basic maths is foundational for life. By basic maths, I proffer simple calculations, percentage, conversion and the like because it wouldn't be compelling if you are in a shopping mall and have the best deals right in front of you but are unable to calculate the net cost amid a foundational vacuity.
Third of all, what an agony chemistry is. First of all we learned Dalton's model of an atom. As soon as we grasped it, we were told a disappointing truth. It was wrong. Then came Rutherford's model. Coincidentally, it also happened to be wrong. Finally came Bohr's model. By some twist of fate, it happened to be correct. When something was wrong, why was it even taught. Are we a joke? I always cursed chemistry for it. And what tautology is formula writing and balancing equations? Counter argument might be that chemical bonding and structure of elements help us know a bounty of crucial information that had aided us in living in a age we are. Well, that's as veracious as something can be. But only if someone aspires to be in the field of medicine or like. For other people it is just as useful as the wings in a penguin. Because there is not even a single person on the planet, who while buying detergent, soap or toothpaste commences to scribble on the paper the valencies and chemical bonding of the ingredients. As already there's no inherent flaw in teaching the valencies and formula bonding because it is a constant in the equation of those who aspire to pursue the like sphere. Because it wouldn't be the bellwether of a healthy civilization if a medical practitioner would give us AIDS pills when what we have is asthma. But as we know, one size never fits all so it is of little use for others to do the parroting of periodic table only to be a scamp in any real life use. In fact, my mother can commingle different items like vinegar, soda and citric components, etc. in kitchen while I stand dumb and dead-eyed as a zombie gazing and wondering why she did what she did. My mother knows more chemistry than me! As it turns out, it is about practical skills and not the mere parroting.
With all of my criticisms, I repute to be confident of a conclusion that anything in a subject which is not future oriented should be expurgated right away. And subjects that hold greater significance for future should be instigated into the curriculum. That begs a foundational question that what are the needs of the future and the factors that govern those key areas.
Fundamentally every individual had 3 needs:- physical, mental and emotional. If either of the need are not satisfied, it is a bellwether of a breach in the total well-being. And that is what education should be; a medium to cater to the fundamental needs so that every single one of us can coruscate the charisma within and reach our greatest potential.
PHYSICAL NEEDS
Physical needs incorporate those needs such as food, shelter, clothing, money, lifestyle and other materialistic stuffs. These needs must be familiar because they are the most embalmed and valorized ones. In the current world, most of the physical needs stipulate a common medium to be slaked. That is money. And at the end of the day when we are adults, one of the most confining challenges we will face is of finance management. Yet there is no faculty in our education that educates us about this pivotal aspect. In fact money is reputed such a taboo that if you ask someone about how to make abundant money, you get a response like, "C'mon don't be a greedy pig. You should not run after money instead focus on your studies and make a bright future. Money is for brats!" Well if that is it, then we all are "greedy pigs" since whatever we eat or whatever we grind for in our profession is either a product of money, or money itself! And the piquant fact is that what kind of hypocritical society we are that can discuss aspects like caste which is a division of human race itself while dining and on the other hand scorning to discuss about money!
We only have to be adept of our finances because what future holds no one knows. The pension plan in India has already been withdrawn and the 401(k) retirement plan in U.S. is hinged upon a Ponzi scheme and might get exhausted. And believe me if the world's greatest superpower won't be able to provide for its citizens then there is no hope but only pity for others.
Therefore financial education is paramount. By financial education, I proffer how money works in the real world, how to budget for a surplus, how to attain financial freedom, the cost and factors of leverage, how to use the money laws and tax codes in the favor of both your and nation's interest.
Also if you are zealous for bagging financial freedom in your life, I exhort you to read a book by the name "Rich Dad Poor Dad." Of course I'll be appending a link for the same down in the study materials.
MENTAL NEEDS
Aspects such as mental health, intellect, character, activities that give you fun, essence of development, flow and the like come under mental needs. According to Aristotle, the role of the education is to develop character. Therefore in our new model, no test paper or grade shall be the criteria for virtue. Only character shall be.
Activities that vouchsafe you flow and enjoyment should never be stigmatized because every single one of us have own preferences and deserve equal chance to attain our apex potential. Remember how our games period used to be terminated and maths teacher used to take over? That is why India is so terrible in sports. How can the someone prosper in an aspect when he/she lives in a culture where the aspect itself is considered secondary?
Mental health should be valorized and given equal, if not more, care and importance. Students should be educated about their thoughts, metacognition and information processing structure of brain rather than dismissing mental health problems as irrelevant and only for maniacs.
EMOTIONAL NEEDS
These incorporate aspects like love, joy, compassion, understanding, social acceptance, security, cohesion, respect and the like. These are the most inalienable yet often neglected needs. To cater to these emitional needs, the 5 pivotal components of emitional intelligence, which are self awareness, self regulations, self motivation empathy and social skills, should be indoctrinated into the minds of the learners. A culture where students are educated to be accept and validate their emotions, nurture them settle differences, disagree without disrespect and not getting indulged or obsessed with trivial or unnecessary aspects of life, should be engendered.
REFORM IN POLITICS
The last reform which I proffer to fabricate into our new model is apropos a very underlying nodus. It is about the beurocracy and politics of the system. The above image is a perfect and limpid manifestation of the scenario. Since I have already opined from a student's standpoint, now I intend to go a step further. Our education system doesn't have respect for teachers. And I know that by my writing of this manuscript, it might have been an indication that I am despising my teachers and recanting their ethos. But, God forbid me if that kind of iniquity ever endured in my mind, for whatever I am, as much intellect and skills I've acquired, or hope to be/aquire, I owe it all to my educaters. All of my teachers are proficient at their job and fact that I can solve large quadratic equations and calculate the mass and velocity of celestial bodies, makes them successful in inculcating virtue of their knowledge in me. I am only repugnant of the system.
Teachers are heavily underpaid and undervalued in our system which is a cardinal factor why India's best teachers leave the country. Faculties are terrible. The sure shot solution of this is for the budget spending on education to be increased and by spending on education I advocate solely for education and not on other aspects like advertisement, polarizing campaigns, etc. Another major impediment which is the corrupt and inimical beurocratic system that gulps all the money, should be deracinated in the earliest convenience.
And last but certainly not the least, the apex executive of education which are the ministers should be educated and progressive to embody the same spirit ideal for the future of the youth of the civilization. Because apropos the current situation, we don't need education ministers. We need education for ministers.
With that, I aspire to put up a dent in the Indian education system and consecrate my venerance for a better future. Thank you so much for reading through to the end and I'll see you in the next.....waaaittttt!!!!! I almost forgot something of the most typical nature. What should be the name of our new model of education? For that matter, whenever I think of my model of education, I only apprehend one impulse. And for that reason, I opt to name it "a system that we deserved but never had."
STUDY MATERIALS
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Make sure to lemme know you opinion/criticisms upon this one🤓...It will mean a lot💝
ReplyDeleteAnd ya, I would be inactive from blogging for a while amid final exams... Pardon me for that😅
ReplyDeleteBTW, how prepared are you all for the upcoming finals?😬
ReplyDeleteJust tryin' to complete the syllabus, brother.
DeleteWhat about you?
Me also same...Just trying but syllabus seems to be killing me🤒
DeleteOnly 2days left till finals😬🤯🏳️
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