What did you discover at school today?
Have you felt that strange surprise at the first ‘nothing much’ reply?
As parents we can either live with this response or get worried enough to meet the teacher. Then what?
Schools and parents focus on ‘academic excellence is the passport to a better future’, especially in India. There is a huge disconnect between what’s taught at schools and the life-skills children need in a rapidly changing world.
Worse, the sense of wonder and discovery which makes childhood a lifetime memory fades pretty quickly under the demands of school work!
So I’ve put together a wish list of the ‘discovery opportunities’ we could bring to our children during school life. Please do add your wish-list and share this with friends.
MUSIC / ART
Music lessons twice a week – different instruments every year
Art appreciation
Theatre
Dance: Modern and traditional/ folk dances
SPORT
At least one hour of sport every day for all kids, not just the athletic ones
This could fun stuff such as flying kites and even traditional sport such as the Indian kalaripayattu which is the oldest martial art form.
EXPERIMENT
Fridays devoted to ‘practical’s i.e. doing experiments about stuff that’s studied over the week
Understanding science by experimenting
Spending a night outdoors under the stars to understand astronomy & the interconnectedness of all things
INSPIRE
Interactive sessions [guest lectures] from alumni who have ‘made it’ in different fields
Children studying in private schools ‘friend’ an underprivileged child
Reward inspiring teachers –all this won’t be possible without inspiring teachers
WONDER
Field trips to local wildlife sanctuaries/ animal rescue centres
Watching a match – cricket/ hockey/ football
Magic tricks
Now, I’d like your views on:
Will these activities over-burden the child?
I don’t advocate over-programming a child’s life, over-burdening teachers or pushing children to ‘perform’ at these activities! Exploring a forest or making sand-castles on a beach are exciting too!
Should these activities be evaluated in some way?
Can these be tests? How can you measure curiosity? Or the charming memories a child carries into adulthood.
Classmates or parents: what’s better?
While many of these activities take place outside schools, my personal view is that children find the whole experience more exciting when its with classmates, when they’re more likely to act independently and not expect to be ‘babied’ as they would with parents! What do you think?
Who’s responsible?
These activities can be done over a calendar year, if they are planned together by the school, teachers and parents. As parents, it’s convenient for us to think it’s the school’s responsibility to organise everything. The truth is, no school, however well-endowed can do this alone. Parents have to respond and collaborate with schools, for the magic to unfold!
In case you’re wondering, what’s bothering me?
As a parent I am concerned. Our children are at risk of losing a sense of wonder, while negotiating the rigors of modern education. It is the urge to discover things that I seek to foster by making available varied opportunity. A fertile mind, I believe, is better prepared to explore life’s challenges with confidence.
This post came about after several conversations with friends who have school-going kids and share this concern. The immediate trigger was reading Leo Babauta’s ‘Education Needs to Be Turned on Its Head’ http://bit.ly/xHido [do check out the post and reader comments].
These thoughts are still evolving. I am taking a bit of a risk here by sharing a construct that’s a work-in-progress, which I hope will grow and sharpen in dialogue with you.
I intend to share this with as many school principals, teachers and educators – everyone who is willing to listen and help create change!
For small changes often herald big movements.
A gentle reminder: Please do add your wish-list and share this note with friends, bring more people into the discussion.
