A Note Of Thankssss.....

Sorry friends....I'm on a vacation to my Home town Kerala...so couldn't update this space.Anyways...i have got a glad news to share with the visitors of this site...
Two years ago,a close friend of mine...lead me to this beautiful world of blogging.. Today,i'm proud to say that,this hobby has fetched me an opening!!

The glad news is that,last month my article on teaching appeared in Indian Express site under the section blogs..here goes the link for that article.

http://blogs.expressindia.com/showblogdetails.php?contentid=335850

My personal history has been published in latest Tehelka(issue dated aug 16th 2008)
link to that essay

http://www.tehelka.com/story_main40.asp?filename=hub160808talentand_creativity.asp

My friend Shaan's constant support and encouragement made me to explore, think...and scribble!I'm Thankful to him..There are few others who expresses their opinion and support through mails...and i'm indebted to them too...

I feel lucky to have such wonderful people around me for my profession!

Teaching-Redefined

A synthesis of imperfections!thats how I describe Indian education system.Business minded schools,imperfect teachers,obsolete method of teaching,syllabus failing to spurt analytical thinking and rote learning.Ironically,the ongoing furious debate on our education revolves around only one aspect that is the rote learning.All other fundamental factors are ignored while discussing the flaws of education system.Perhaps,the word 'education' itself is applied in a narrow sense..rather it is always used as synonymous to 'academics'.

Of all the fundamental factors ,Teacher assumes a greater role in building the future of a kid and I have always felt that ,teacher is the most appropriate person who can take a child to greater heights.A revered individual with an amalgamation of originality,distinctive ideas,ability to mend a child through the process of continuous interaction and mentoring.But how many number of parents can agree with the foresaid role of a teacher?Indian society jog on to live under a notion that teacher is a professional who sermonizes text book contents to the student mind!

Teacher – Foster Parent?

Accentuating the pivotal role of teachers as foster parents in school arises because, it is here, where the mental development of a child takes place.More deeper the teacher-student bond,,greater are the possibilities of miracles!Each and every student yearn for a Sosaku kobayashi(centre character in the book toto chan,who changed the lives of many students)in his or her teacher.

Paradoxically, subservient teachers(subservient to school management)takes a dictatorial role with students,and this has attributed to a wide gap in the teacher –student relation.Voice,needs and expectations of students thus goes unheard! Friendly gestures coupled with a bit of strictness and preaching is sufficient enough to mould a child particularly during the adolescent stage.Its obvious that the 'cane work' of a teacher at this juncture could prove disastrous.

Why students carry a 'prejudiced' view about teachers and teaching?What makes a teacher 'great'? why students are 'fond' of particular teachers?The answer lies within the classroom itself!Those teachers who mend the child to lead a good life are admired by the students,even though they lack teaching skills.A teacher who takes the child out of the 'locked world' is always remembered.Those teachers who can relate text book theories with real life and world are revered forever.A teacher who understands and develops the qualities of children is loved eternally!

Teaching Standards

The ability of a teacher to convince the students,their talent to deliver electrifying lectures thereby making the classes lively,their skills to motivate the children are considered secondary and often enough irrelevant for teaching purposes in our country.

When there are no proper yardstick(at present B ed is the only criterion),where there exists unethical practices in the appointment of teachers(Private schools demanding lump sum from prospective candidates)is it possible to find great teachers?.In government schools, no attempt is made to check the teaching skills.Furthermore absence of a proper system to evaluate the teaching standards and periodical performance of teachers in our country has resulted in an unsatisfactory educational environment.Even though our society considers teachers as a catalysts of change,there are no regular orientation course to elevate their teaching skills.The pathetic and poignant state with respect to the evaluation and orientation of teaching skills has reduced the quality of education .In the context of these cluttered background,how can we address teachers as 'catalysts of change'?

Only very few are passionate about this noble profession.Vast majority choose this profession in order to transfer the atrocities they were subjected to during their school days..For some others,failure to land up in a suitable job,directs them towards teaching.Teaching is not a lucrative job.Unlike other professions,the opportunity for growth is less..And yet,this is the noblest of all profession!

What Can Be Done?

Let us not forget that the teacher is the nucleus of education.Teaching must cut across all the barriers-there arises the need to redefine teaching and the role of a teacher.First step towards this is vesting limitless freedom or in other words,no lines of demarcation should be drawn for the purpose of carrying out teaching….so that teachers too can explore,learn and experiment.why can't they ignite themselves before nurturing young minds?The more they teach,the more they learn!Learning is a continuous process….it has no border.At the end of the day,after all these exploring,learning and experimenting,they can also grow,thereby we can make teaching profession more attractive.Besides these,we need teachers who can change the perception of teaching.

What the education system desperately needs is an efficient promising mentors,who are not addicted to monologue teaching or who does not impose brutal punishments in the name of discipline.Schools should build a core team of zealous mentors who can very well connect to the children.Every profession has undergone transformation over the last few decades.Unfortunately,teaching and related methodologies are yet to embrace the change.School is a place where a child grows mentally..there teachers takes the role of parents.Possibly,a redefined Teacher-Student relation and a new horizon to teaching can produce wonders not only in the student lives,but also in the society as a whole.

The Cheerless

The launch of IPL tournament has kicked off to a stretchable debate on the issue of cheerleaders..But do cricket really need cheerleaders?Or why only this kind of cheer leaders?India,is not short of any culture and arts.Perhaps,worlds most respected country in the matter of tradition,culture and diversities!But with the ‘installation’ of these cheerleaders,aren’t we diluting those treasured traditions?

First of all, a game like twenty twenty itself is an entertainment for the spectators.So why unnecessarily making the cheerleaders as an essential part of these matches?

Secondly, if at all the spectators need any sort of entertainment ,why can’t the IPL proudly present other Indian folklore or any other art forms instead of promoting the obscenity?

Finally..where are our women organisations?..who constantly makes hue and cry over petty issues? Where is our minister who is obsessed with targeting men and roaring in volumes?aren’t these a part of commercializing and exploiting women?

In short its all about hypocracy!One side delivering rambling speeches on stage about rural development,Protection of women…on the other side promoting luxury,commercialization and extravaganzas! who is going to care even if millions of people die in poverty and hunger?the promoters cum politicians will be 'busy' in applauding the twenty twenty 'cheerleaders'..isn't it?

Reader's Response To Taking Stress Out Of Schools

Our education system lay too much emphasis on theoretical approach to studies,thus ignoring practical aspect completely.This has lead to the deterioration in the quality of our education..Reforms should not end up with mere revamping or rewriting the text books and syllabus.It has to be something beyond..Institutions make much ado of cent percent results,as a result of which teachers put too much pressure on the students..At home the parents push their kids to become topper in the class,ignoring the child's aptitude.Hence the children are jam packed between these internal and external forces.All these have resulted in their lack of creativity and originality ..Even today our schools follow the obsolete method of monologue approach for teaching.Classrooms should serve as a platform for discussions on various subjects and it will mould the children to develop interest and enhance knowledge in the concerned subjects.Taking the stress out of schools is a collective effort and participation ,Schools,Teachers and Parents.

Reading-Relics Of a Departed Era?

Victor Hugo once quoted " To learn to read is to light a fire;every syllable that is spelled out is a spark"-It has become need of the hour to ignite the mind of today's children and youth.This is because,there has been a gradual decline in the reading habit among children and youth since 1980.With the internet growing popular among teenagers,reading has lost its charm, has sunk in oblivion and thus it has become a dreams of the past.If viewed from a wider perspective,reading is the bridge that connects a child with the outside world.A fusion of enhanced knowledge,rational thinking,clarity of thought,convincing power and cultured mind are possible only through reading.

Books Enlighten;Knowledge Delights..this was the theme of this year's International Children's Book Day"(ICBD)Every Year ,on April 2nd(Hans Christian Andersen's Birthday)ICBD is celebrated with the purpose of inspiring the children to explore and read books.

In olden days,listening to stories was the first step towards reading.Children gets motivated by the stories of moral and ethical values. .Today,television and Computers have replaced the story telling sessions and books. Youngsters lament on time for serious reading..its ironical that the same people while away endless hours in front of television ,watching Award nights and Reality Shows. Spending incessant hours in front of computers which have become a part of modern life style is leading to the indifferent attitude of teenagers towards reading. Growing popularity of social networking culture has made the situation more pathetic!

The inevitability of newspaper in the development of an individual cannot be ignored because,it is through this medium a person is connected to the outside world.The columns,editorials,and other scholarly articles appearing in the dailies are propitious for students ranging from high school section to research scholars.With the advent of visual media there has been a drastic degeneration in the news paper reading habit particularly among youth.Print media can influence any age group in a more constructive manner than any other medium.Introduction of a separate accompaniment , with the objective of meliorating and promoting the young talent is a laudable effort taken by the print media.

Unfortunate to notice that,in most of the schools,library hours are hijacked by teachers for extra classes and revision..which means that accepting reading as an integral part of our academic education has a long way to go.By the time the child is in upper primary section,newspaper reading can be made as a part of classroom sessions.Similarly, discussions on a wide range of topics,based on newspaper supplement,would be a positive step towards amplifying a student's debating skills and logical thinking.Any creative attempt in making the children to read,write synopsis,passages,poems...can help the student in wiping out the mugging up habit completely.Having thus identified penchant of a student towards different subjects,classroom sessions becomes more lively and interesting.Conducive are the classroom discussions in the matter of group interaction and socialisation skills.

It is pertinent to note that,our grand parents were just matriculates or graduates.Today, a long list of qualifications supersede our surnames.Nonetheless their avid reading helped them in extemporizing on any topic with ease and perfection.Status of modern generation in this respect is very pitiable.Compiling a sentence without any error rarely happens among present day school and college going students.

"A home without books is a body without soul"
At home, parents squeeze the children for entrance coaching and related academics.Children should be taught about the necessity of reading at a very young age.Regrettable to say , it has become the need of the hour to illuminate the elders, with respect to the priceless power of reading.

Margaret Fuller remarked-"Today a reader,tomorrow a leader"..the communication and socialisation skills,the sense of self esteem and confidence attained through reading and discussions are imperative for a good leader.Analytical mind is nurtured through reading.like differentiating good from bad,right from wrong,truth from myth.By removing darkness,reading leads an individual to the path of knowledge,truth and wisdom.In conclusion,reading is ineludible for the overall development of an individual. Only a collated step from elders and print media can create a difference. Elders should lead the youth to the wonderful world of reading .The print media,which stood as a beacon during our pre independence era,got to inspire the youth.Simultaneously,the young blood must be given a platform to express themselves.Any conducive measure taken by them can reduce the calamitous situation and it will definitely rejuvenate the reading habit of children and youth.

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Very delighted to see the commendable initiative taken by The Hindu with regard to the Timely publishing of Subramania Bharati's letter.Bharati was popularly known as Tamil Poet,hence his proficiency in English language went unnoticed.His writings were true reflections of his mind towards various social issues including colonialism that prevailed during his period.The inspiring letters will definitely bestow thoughts upon today's youth,to cultivate a sense of nationalism.During our pre-independence era as well as in early 50's, besides Bharati,there were many other visionaries,who contributed articles and letters in dailies.Their writings were a manifestations of their constructive thoughts and love for our country..It would be a worthwhile effort,if The Hindu take steps in publishing those letters and articles,in the interest of the nation.

Savitri-A Woman Of Substance!

"A Book has one voice,but it does not instruct everyone alike"

Any mythology or epic can influence us in so many ways.Even great men are inspired by charcters in the epic to face the trials with faith and intensity..Savitri is one such character drawn by Vyasa..The anecdote of Savitri and Satyavan is about their love and relieving satyavan from the clutches of yama by Savitri.The story gives an insight to Savitri’s multi faceted role as well..as an affectionate daughter,a dedicated and loving daughter in law,a determined and devoted wife..Above all she was a woman with a blend of wisdom,faith,fortitude,&confidence.Definitely these attributes makes her unique.

Even though she was the daughter of a Great King,she decided to choose satyavan at her will(knowing that he was pennyless)..Not only that she followed satyavan to the forest,but also she took care of satyavan’s parents.These actions of savitri substaniates her love accompanied by humbleness.When yama took satyavan ,she ran after him and won the battle.It depicts her faith,confidence and courage!

In this era of gender war,mythological character like savitri assumes a lot of significance.Her mind was flushed with wisdom,courage,faith and confidence.Yet she never intervert from her path of her love for Satyavan,duty bound mind….Women can imbibe a lot from the role of Savitri..Even in this 21^st century ,we all make a hue and cry over the legends of Sita and Draupadi..It is true that Sita was pushed to Agnipareeksha..and Draupadi became the victim in the fight between Pandavas and Kauravas,but the same mythology has rendered on Savitri.But her parables remain unsaid,hence we continue to sob along the tales of Sita and Draupadi.Stories of Ubhayabharathi,Savitri,Kannaki…personifies the unlimited Wisdom,endurance,Courage of women…women are yet to explore the same..so our weakness continues to be more visible than our strength.

Women should remain as a Pillar of Strength…and that makes a woman ideal. Savitri is one such rare character of mythology.The greatness of Savitri deserves to be preached and practised among women.Truly she is a woman of substance!