Adah Arora: Educate to inspire, ignite and illuminate

School structures have evolved into infrastructural wonders but there is much that can be done to improve the learning experience for students.

Grandparents and parents have often regaled children with numerous anecdotes of their growing up years. From pranks played at school to the need to burn the metaphoric midnight oil, they claimed to have done it all. Children have a hearty laugh after each narration, even if it was the hundredth time they would have heard it, and moved on to other family memories. This is not an experience exclusive to a few children in the society and nostalgically recounting these memories is not the purpose of this writing. It is the need of the hour to shift the lens and look at education from a different perspective.

The pandemic has changed the face of learning.

While it is absolutely fine for three generations of a family to coincide in their ambitions, beliefs and goals, it is certainly not fine for them to coincide in the systems of education they have followed. What is referred to here is the same exaggerated importance given to examinations, the same pressure to excel academically, the same rat race of numbers and ranks. School structures have evolved into infrastructural wonders but there is much that can be done to improve the learning experience for students.

As a student committed to life-long learning, here are some suggestions:

1. Educate to inspire: The purpose of education is to motivate students to think, question and critically examine. To that end, schools must consider student-led activities that motivate higher-order thinking skills. Inspire thought through Socratic debates, asking viewpoint questions like ‘what do you think’ in place of the factual ‘what is’.

2. Educate to ignite: Modern students are multi-rooted individuals. Many are third culture kids who have a wide spectrum of experiences. Imagine the diversity this can bring to class discussions. Focus on igniting deliberations and ponderings rather than regurgitating facts. Differentiated learning is the key to allowing students to learn at their pace- both the slow learners as well as the gifted ones.

3. Educate to illuminate: An ancient Sanskrit shloka states, “Tamso-ma Jyotirgamaya” or “Lead us from darkness to light.” A learner’s mind is a lamp to be ignited to dispel the darkness of ignorance. This illumination is a right of every single learner irrespective of class and ethnicity. Education for all is a goal we must achieve. Scholarships to renowned schools will make room for inclusivity, which will help illuminate the lives and future of students of different backgrounds.

The pandemic has changed the face of learning. Many professions have unfortunately been forced to shut down during the pandemic but education is one of the few that not just survived, but also thrived. The adaptability displayed by schools, the selfless open-mindedness of the teaching community, the flexibility of the school schedule making room for asynchronous classes and the commendable use of technology has guaranteed that students do not miss a beat.

Scope for improvement is only an indication that this is a dynamic field that warrants constant attention. Like education has stood the test of the pandemic, it will continue to evolve with time.

Disclaimer: This is a company press release. No HT journalist is involved in creation of this content.