Dr. T.K. Jayalakshmi
Director, R.V. Educational Consortium, Bangalore
Need for value based Teacher Education:
Today we are in a technological world where things are happening fast. Parents and teachers would like to be getting results fast. India has kept pace in science and technology with forward nations BUT we have shown slower pace in our value system even when we have a strong heritage of human values. India was quoted by great visionaries and saints as a punya bhumi. Swami Vivekananda reiterated in his powerful words: " If there is any land on this earth that can lay claim to be the blessed punya bhumi,to be land to which souls on this earth must come to account for karma,the land to which every soul is wending its way Godward must come to attain its lost home, the land where humanity has attained its highest towards gentleness,towards generosity, towards purity,toward s calmness, above all, The land of introspection and of spirituality-It is India." Thus value Education has been elucidated by swamiji. From such a state , we are in the Pythonic Grip of deepening Value crisis. How unfortunate it is!!!
How can we overcome this? When can we become Capable of training the young citizens to be the carriers of the noble human resources?What Value,Value has changed to? Present Scenario and surroundings Looms large with terroristic acts, VIOLENCE, Negative thoughts,anti-social acts,many an immoral qualities are all seen every where and the world looks A BIG BOOMING , BUZZING confusion . Such is the case in all fields .Braving such conditions the wise men of our counttry has been trying to put forth issues like a National System of EDUCATION AND a National Policy of Education which should FOCUS & BRIDGE the GAPS that are widening .
The NPE(*86) and subsequently the POA's have been emphasising the faith in vidya dadati vinayam ,vinayat yati patratam,patratwat dhanamapnoti,dhanat dharmam tataha sukham- It is learning and knowledge that gives capability to earn, and earning the ability to do dharma for a noble cause and this results in gaining peace. The analysts and educationists of our country have consciously changed the curriculum and prioritised Universalisation of Primary Ed, the girl child education, and inculcating value-based education in their recent policy recommendations like - the Ishwarbhai Patel's; ; Ramamurthy commission; Prof .Yashpal's commission and the present focus on the same issues.through the National curriculum framework. All these commissions, reports and recommendations have ONE thing in Common and that is, Changing Curriculum at different levels for capacity building among teachers. Further, recent studies and analysis of evaluation of achievements at different levels have clearly shown the QUALITY concerns and that TEACHER factor and his /her performance is poor but his responsibilities are more and there is need to train teachers in several of the new techniques & bring him to the frontline in this task of building a national system of education with a focus on Value Education. Thus educating the whole child and developing values assumed importance in recent years. What then is the meaning of
Value education and teacher:
We are aware of the Importance and relevance of value Education.It is interesting to note that the term 'Value' is a borrowed word from latin VALERE via old french.The meaning as per the Oxford Dictionary ranges from a sense of estimation,comparison with something,consideration of the worth, merit etc.Semantically the meaning of the word is taken from english weorden which is equivalent to worth.The educational perspective of this has a
philosophical overtone of the ethical,moral,social & spiritual.dimensio.n. Hence there is need for considering value education in a broader and more comprehensive way.NCERT Curriculum framework(2000) have explicitly mentioned that --:"Value education and education about religions would not form a separate subject of study or examination at any stage of the curriculum.These would be so judiciously integrated with all the subjects of study in the scholastic areas and all the activities and programmes in the co-scholastic areas to achieve the objectives ." Thus values would be essential component of any curriculum. It was swami Vivekananda whose vision it was to educate the Whole man. "Education is manifestation of perfection already in man. Again it was Swamiji who spelt this idea as "man-making and character Building Education." These thoughts of the darsanic clearly gives the direction to the reconstruction of the curriculum at several stages of education. These ideas also reflected in the Principles of curriculum.
The Principles of curriculum:
A cursive glance at the criterion/principles of curriculum construction shows Objectives OR A Clear Vision forms the First principle. This is followed by the needs of the Individual then needs of the society. Principles are: thus based on 3 Questions basic in constructing a curriculum at any level of learning. They are :For whom is the curriculum?What curriculum for that age & Country ? then What steps to follow in curriculum framing? The curriculum thus lends itself for several steps to be technically followed. Trained teachers do know these steps .However for an understanding of differentiation between the curriculum & Syllabus the folowing list of steps in curriculum construction is given
1. Vision statements of the course of curriculum
2. Clear idea about the Age,and mental maturity of the clientele of curriculum.
3. Selection of appropriate subjects,activities,programmes & Projects necessary to achieve the objectives.
4. Duration for which course content should be studied
5. Formulation of the detailed specific objectives ,content Units,nature of treatment for each subject chosen at 3.
6. Spelling to the details of each Unit in every subject based on the needs of the individual and society.
7. Organising these Units meaningfully- concentric way or Linear
8. Indicating the manner in which values attained can be assessed(Evaluation)
9. Discusssing with parents and community about the feasibility of the curriculum
10. Modifying the Curriculum based on the step 9 and finalisation.
(Here the steps5,6,7,8. Form the syllabus.)
These discussions on the construction details about the curriculum unfolds the true cause of the Value factor"s deterioration in the school education. The questions to be reflected upon are: Did we have clear visions while preparing curriculum? If so, did we transact the curriculum the way it should be done? Is focussing on morals and positive thoughts not emphasised? Where are those roots which anchored education in yester years? -These and similar thoughts come to the minds of every citizen and an academic answer to these is an acceptance of teacher's responsibility in building our children. To become excellent citizens by first building ourselves to be one. Accept this responsibility for the children and move on things would take care of themselves says Swami Ranganathanandaji . He has time and again given very clear direction about the role and responsibility of teachers in building up the nation. The teacher according to him must have the ideals and ideal involvement and dedication. Education plays the greatest part in Democracy. It is the se thoughts that should
guide teachers in day to day transactions. It is sad to note that the teachers to-day often are "unmindful" of the tremendous responsibility they have but feel contented with covering the curriculum and producing the certificate holders year after year But Not Humans. In this context it is enough to reflect on what we could not do and we have to do as teachers in building the curriculum & transacting it meaningfully. Gurudev Rabindranath's remarks that A Lamp cannot light another unless it is lighted from within. The DO's for the teachers cannot be put in a better way than what Swamiji (Ranganathananda) has spoken and so, I reproduce the extract: " I often tell our teachers in various parts of India that, when you enter the classroom,the first thing you must do is to have a look at the class, just glance round the students in front, greet them with a winning smile and ask yourself silently the question: who are these children in front of me? What am I to do here? These children drawn from various levels of our society are in search of knowledge and our constitution promises education and the GOOD life to every child in our nation and I am here to communicate the best of knowledge and inspiration to these children should be the answer you get. With this attitude, when you open your mouth to speak, every word will stimulate the children in front. You then cease to be a mere individual, a mere self-centered paid employee or mercenary but become a true educator, an enlightened citizen, a full person. I have just now used two words which you will find of great significance in your own development, apart from what you do to your students-an individual and a person. As an Individual, you are a genetically limited entity, confined to your own likes and dislikes, your own desires, your own ambitions. But as soon as you become a person, you expand, you are able to enter into the life of other people and also get response from other people. That is the difference between Individuality and Personality. Personality is a richer word than individuality. Individuality itself, according to vedanta, is the first step in spiritual growth. it rescues man from submergence in the collectivity and installs him/her on the throne of freedom and dignity. This sense of individuality appears in every child from the age of 2 onwards. And the first education of a human child, upto the age of five is the strengthening of ego or individuality. And thereafter, it must be educated to steadily grow into personality, by orienting it to serve others, to find a place for others in its scheme of living and working. So child is initiated to grow steadily from individuality to Personality. We can use two words from sanskrit vyaktitva for individuality and vikasita vyaktitva for personality.A child is first a vyakti and the grows into a vikasita vyaktitva. Thus the first step vyaktitva is important in early life and ifthe second aspect of developing personality is not taken care ,the child will be a problem child,liable to accumulate traumas and complexes and unable to establish happy relations with others…. At present we do not have high team work or full National integration because we are mostly individuals and not persons." The National ideals of India are renunciation and service. Intensify her in those channels and the rest will take care of itself "said swami vivekananda. This message energised India and taught her, and continues to teacher to forsake the path of exploitation of man by man and follow the path of service…This is a uniquely human capacity, revealing in human nature, a higher dimension of nature than what is revealed in external physical nature. When our children are able to live in peace with other children, work with others, love and serve others then they have become persons vikasita vyaktis. This type of spiritual growth from vyaktitva to vikasita vyaktitva, must first come to all our teachers. They must strive for it and achieve it and then help their students to achieve it. This is the very soul of value-oriented education, of human resource development: this is learning to be,added to the current learning to do. Vivekananda ha expresssed this same idea beautifully in his brief utterance "Be and Make." This shall be our mootto".
National curriculum
To realise and act in a mindful manner thus would be the sankalpam we have to make .In reality to achieve and prepare a curriculum and transact and endeavour towards building vikasitavyaktitva we should provide a broad based curriculum where methods of reflections dhyana,yoga are also integrated side by side with the curricular contents on different subjects. All
these background can be seen in the national curricular framework. In order to awaken the teachers from the routine of preparing for examination, an experiment has been made by group of teachers both at primary and secondary levels, in the art of infusing values during the classsroom teaching. .To do this teachers had to process teaching points and match the appropriate human values core values as suggested by the NPE(86).This also meant teaching contextually. This was followed by periodic "reflection on one's own teaching" and share the thoughts with fellow- teachers. This small exercise gave tremendous energy and enthusiasm to teachers and students and the exercise is being continued. Thus currriculum in Value education can be :
a segregated specially prepared (prescriptive model OR
1. the Integrative approach of high lighting and flagging the human values through every lesson. - (Built-in Model)or
2. Add -on Model having an additional paper and focus on value education (RIMSE) or
3. An eclectic model of a combination of Hands on & built in model .
4. Or Innovative model- trainee driven curriculum like Anweshana of Banasthali Vidyapitha,,Rajasthan .Ultimately the model we select depends on the vision of teacher .Education curriculum .
Finally it is the Teacher who should Perceive Information selectively transform Information to Knowledge and to Wisdom side by side helping adolescent to develop love of knowledge and try to transform him to become a person a good citizen of this great land This happens only by raising oneself through one's own self for ,self is his friend or foe. Udhareth atmanatmanam na atmanamavasadayet,atmeivahi atmanah bandhuhu atmaiva hi atmasya ripuhu- gita. One of the creative chat sessions while browsing the internet just few days before got me the following storyline. This suggests how at this hour common man and parent are worried about their children and change values meaningfully .Remember the following story is not written by a teacher but by child and parent at somebody's request. It is random and I find this appropriate Read & enjoy .This also brings out the fact that technology helps in getting quick feed back circumstantially and suggests its use in sharing ideas..
Mr. R.K. writes:
If Aesop Wrote His Fable Today
A hare and a tortoise live in Ahmedabad. They are good friends and like all good friends, sometimes have a dig at each other. One day, in a light mood the hare ridiculed the tortoise for his slow pace. The tortoise reacted by challenging the hare for a race between Paldi to Navarangpura. On the appointed day and time the two assemble at the starting line and start the race. The hare dashes off the start line like a flash. After crossing the midway mark , he feels that a short nap would do no harm. The short nap turned out to be a bit too long. Meanwhile the tortoise crosses the hare and reaches the destination. The hare wakes from the slumber, oblivious of the time, and dashes off towards the finish. To his dismay he finds the tortoise having a nap at the finish line.
The moral of the story is "Slow and steady wins the race"
The story does not end here.....
The hare goes home and soon understands that complacency and overconfidence were the reasons of his defeat. He vows not to repeat the mistake again. He then invites the tortoise for another race. The tortoise agrees to his friend's request. They meet at the appointed day and time at the starting point. The race starts. This time the hare dashes off to the finishing line without taking a break and wins the race comfortably.
The moral of the story is "Fast and steady wins the race"
The story does not end here....
The tortoise goes home and thinks hard. He was aware that the hare cannot be defeated in speed. He then ponders over his core competence. At last he finds a solution and invites the hare to another race. This time the course is changed. It is from Paldi to Airport. The hare agrees. At the appointed day and time the two meet at the start line and the race begins. The hare dashes off like a flash. Soon he arrives at the banks of river Sabarmati and is overwhelmed by a sense of dejection as he did not know how to swim. The tortoise comes to the bank , looks at the hare with sympathy and coolly gets into the water. He swims to the other side goes to the airport and comes back.
The moral of the story is "Core competence wins the race"
But, the story does not end here.....
Both the friends decide it was enough of racing against each other. Why not think hard and find a way by which they together could travel from Paldi to airport at the minimum possible time. At the end of a brain storming session they come out with a solution and decide to try out the next morning. At the appointed time they meet at the starting line. The tortoise sits on the back of the hare. The hare dashes off form Paldi to the banks of Sabarmati. There the hare gets on the back of the tortoise and the tortoise swiftly crosses the river. On reaching the other side the tortoise again sits on the back of the hare. The hare runs as fast as he can to the airport.
Thus they both reach airport in the fastest possible time.
The moral of the story is "Innovation and Team Work wins the race"
Chances are there to add more creative thoughts.
Our Endeavours:
Efforts are made at the National level both at school education and teacher education levels in developing and transacting value-oriented education. The National curriculum frame work for school education by NCERT, Teacher as a Transformer - a package prepared by National Council of Teacher Education, Self- learning Modules on Human rights and National Values by NCTE are all being used since 1999-2000.
An attempt is made in developing Man Making and Character Building (MMCB) Curriculum at School Education level and Teacher education consequently. Suggested model is as follows:
Sri. Ramakrishna Vidya Kendra, Shivanahalli has the following vision and are endeavouring to bring about meaningful education.
What research says: (OHP)
M M C B Model
Map of Vision and Linkages
Concentrated efforts by all concerned to made to bring about the needed change. Unless efforts and struggle is made the results cannot be seen. So let us as teachers lean to act and not to preach alone. Verily it is said that - sukharti tyajate vidyam, vidyarthi tyajate sukham; sukharthinaha kuto vidya, kuto vidyarthinaha sukham: meaning if you are after luxury and easy going then forget the to secure knowledge, if you are desirous of getting knowledge then do not go after luxury during studentship; There is no chance of gaining knowledge to those who are after luxury so also there is no scope to be luxurious and easy going for those desirous of acquiring knowledge.
May good thoughts come to us from all sides May right deeds prevail and May we grow professionally and go beyond curriculum and mould ourselves into vikasitavyaktitva Om! Shanthithi! Shanthithi! Shanthithi!.