Background:
It is an academic planning meeting in one of the schools of Udaipur with teachers. It was a three-day meeting of five hours each day. The focus of the discussion was how to give perceptive to planning for teaching in the new academic session. The report is formatted around questions and responses. It looked at the following issues:
- The Purpose of Teaching in Schools:
The purpose of teaching in schools revolves around how educators build upon students’ existing knowledge. The consensus among the teachers was that their role is to assist children in evolving their existing knowledge. Typically, this progression occurs from concrete concepts to more abstract ones. We explored the notion of transitioning from the concrete to the abstract and examined examples from various subjects.
In language, for instance, a child possesses a basic vocabulary and can communicate orally. However, upon entering school, they are introduced to language in a different form: writing. Writing involves encoding one’s thoughts, feelings, and perspectives using words and sentences. Simultaneously, it necessitates the ability to decode knowledge that has been encoded using the tools of language. This process encompasses phonology (language sounds), syntactic structure, and semantics (meaning-making). Semantics encompasses different levels, including metaphors within language. All of these aspects are governed by rules that children intuitively understand, but in school, they must learn to decipher these governing rules. By deciphering these rules, children improve their organizational skills and enhance their existing knowledge by learning to write. Writing enables children to extend the lifespan of their thoughts, broaden their reach, and allow others to read them in a timeless frame. It also contributes to the development of metacognition—the ability to think and reflect in various situations.
Likewise, the purpose of teaching mathematics is to progress from the concept of counting to understanding numbers, using numbers for calculations, exploring spatial concepts through numbers, and ultimately employing abstract mathematical calculations to solve problems (algebra). We also acknowledged that mathematics, unlike language, follows a hierarchical structure. One must grasp preceding concepts such as counting and numbers before advancing to algorithms. In language, however, meanings are dynamic—what we learned as “mouse” during childhood differs from the “mouse” we know in relation to computers.
Social science and environmental studies (EVS) also involve evolving concepts influenced by immediate cultural contexts. Terms like democracy, wind, or pollution have multiple interpretations that change within different cultural frameworks, often with certain defining characteristics associated with specific communities. In science, knowledge is both experimental and mathematical, with experimentation providing practical understanding and mathematics aiding in quantitative analysis.
2. How to Remain Motivated as Teachers:
How to stay motivated as a teacher: During our discussion, we also came to the realization that a teacher can maintain interest and motivation in their profession by continually engaging in learning. When a teacher stops learning, they may begin to perceive their teaching as burdensome. In today’s world, teachers can leverage their ongoing learning experiences to add value to their professional lives. One effective method is through regular blogging. Writing captivating content and sharing innovative ideas can attract readers and potentially bring economic benefits to individuals who are able to attract a substantial audience.
3. The Use and Misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI):
During our discussion, we delved into the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and explored both its advantages and limitations. The teachers acknowledged that AI is currently more proficient in handling repetitive tasks and recall-based activities rather than engaging in creative and evaluative thinking. To illustrate this point, we presented examples highlighting the constraints of AI when confronted with complex historical events or hypothetical scenarios that require nuanced thinking and contextual understanding. While AI has its benefits, it is important to recognize its current limitations in certain cognitive domains.
4. The Objective of Teaching Language:
During the meeting, all the language teachers had the opportunity to present the purpose of teaching English, Hindi, and Sanskrit. The focus was on the academic purpose of language instruction, separate from teaching moral values, as it was deemed important to allow children to draw their own moral lessons from stories. The primary objective of teaching language in school is to enable children to enhance their verbal and written articulation skills. It was emphasized that simply learning individual words or sentences does not contribute significantly to improving articulation; children need to learn to write coherently.
An illustrative example was shared to highlight the importance of maintaining context in writing. For instance, the sentence “I’m going for a meeting in Public school on academics” gains additional meaning and context when we consider its proximity to Fathesagar Lake in Udaipur. While those familiar with Udaipur and Public School can make the connection, it is crucial to provide information for outsiders to establish the relationship between the lake and the school. This emphasized the significance of keeping contextual connections intact when writing.
The discussion further explored how words and sentences can change their meaning based on context. The example of vegetables, such as tomatoes being considered both a vegetable and a fruit depending on the context, was discussed. Similarly, words like “sofa” and “chair” can have different meanings depending on the context. Sentences like “the door is open” were also examined, showcasing how multiple interpretations can arise. Hence, language learning extends beyond the study of grammar.
One suggested method for improving language skills was to encourage children to engage in original thinking and writing tasks. For instance, they could be asked to read a story and imagine what could have happened beyond the given narrative. An example from the textbook discussed during the meeting involved a story about a child receiving assistance from an angel to complete homework. Children could be tasked with writing about who and how someone helps them with their homework or prompted to create similar stories or summarize the existing text. They could also examine how coherence is built within a text by analyzing the treatment of the topic and observing the use of punctuation, thereby understanding how punctuation serves different purposes.
The purpose of teaching Sanskrit was also discussed. The Sanskrit teacher stated that the objective is to gain knowledge of ancient wisdom. In response, it was noted that Sanskrit instruction at the school level does not provide an in-depth understanding of ancient wisdom, as it would be impossible to encompass the entirety of knowledge across all disciplines in a single language. The purpose of teaching Sanskrit in school is to provide students with an additional perspective on how language knowledge is organized. Compared to English and Hindi, Sanskrit incorporates prepositions and post-positions within words in a sentence. An example sentence was shared to illustrate this point.
Overall, the purpose of teaching any subject in school is to enable students to grasp the concepts of that subject while also treating “thinking” as a subject in itself. This approach helps children learn how knowledge is organized across different disciplines.
5. Teaching of Social Science:
The teachers discussed the concept-based approach in teaching Social Science and the need to help students evolve their understanding of concepts. We highlighted the dynamic nature of concepts like infant mortality rate, literacy rate, and democracy, which can change with human culture. We also noted the overlap between social science skills and language comprehension.
6. Teaching of Maths:
Compared to other subjects, mathematics can be challenging and intricate. A child needs to learn counting before grasping the concept of numbers and understand algorithms before delving into complex numerical operations. Moreover, numbers themselves undergo a transformation as they become more abstract and sophisticated. Eventually, it becomes difficult to teach numbers solely through concrete examples.
Zero, for instance, presents a dual nature as both a null set and a value with positional significance. Teaching zero as “nothing” alone would not adequately prepare students for the concept of negative numbers. Additionally, the notion of multiplication as repeated addition and division as repeated subtraction does not hold true in the realm of fractions. Matters become further convoluted when considering how multiplying two negative numbers yields a positive result.
We acknowledge the complexity of these topics and agree to postpone a more in-depth discussion on multiplying negative numbers until the school reopens. In the meantime, we explored the concept of positional value by constructing a number system based on base 5. This exercise revealed the difficulty in comprehending such concepts, shedding light on why children may find it easier to count numbers after 50 but struggle before reaching that point.
We also emphasized the significance of practicing procedural mathematics frequently. Although initially, understanding the concepts may require considerable effort, once they are grasped, practice becomes essential for further improvement. Drawing parallels with activities like learning to cycle or swim, we believe that teaching children the underlying concepts of mathematics should be prioritized, rather than merely focusing on problem-solving techniques.
7. Teaching of Science:
Since there was not much discussion on science teaching, it was said that science is both mathematic model and experimental. The newtonian science is more of about experiments but the science proposed by Einstein is mathematical—gave example of particle, wave duality to understand it.
8. Teaching of EVS:
In addition to providing children with secondary information, it is important to give them opportunities to analyze and explore their immediate environment. By engaging children in activities such as collecting leaves and encouraging them to observe and infer from their findings, they can develop a deeper understanding of the world around them. For instance, examining the size of a tree based on the leaves collected can lead to discussions about the tree’s role in the environment and its significance.
Knowledge and experiential learning are fundamental aspects of teaching Environmental Studies (EVS). This subject closely aligns with language comprehension skills and the acquisition of conceptual knowledge. Through EVS, children not only learn about the environment, but they also develop language skills, critical thinking abilities, and a broader understanding of social sciences.
By incorporating experiential learning into EVS education, children can actively engage with their surroundings, make observations, draw conclusions, and expand their knowledge through hands-on experiences. This approach fosters a deeper connection between children and their environment, promoting a holistic understanding of the world they inhabit.
9. Teaching Children Reading:
There was lot of discussion around how book reading does not come natural to children these days due to digital distraction—also true for adults. For children to read, the adult who accompany them also need to read. One reason why we all don’t read is because we don’t get opportunity to talk about what we read. Create that opportunity through various planned actives like reading day. Also avoid giving reading task as part of classroom reading. None of us would like to be judged for our reading. If someone ask us to come after reading a book, we will not enjoy reading. Instead make context for children to learn. Ask them to watch star or talk about some political or social or science issues. Give children context to read about it. One example we discussed was reading book by mathematician G.H Hardy’s book— “A Mathematician’s Apology.” Published in 1940, it is not a technical mathematical text but rather a philosophical and autobiographical work. In this book, Hardy reflects on the beauty and significance of pure mathematics, explores the motivations and aesthetics behind mathematical research, and discusses the nature of mathematical genius. He also offers his personal thoughts on the decline of mathematical creativity and the role of mathematicians in society.
10. Teaching Through Creative Art:
Teaching through creative art and drama can be highly effective in engaging students and facilitating their understanding of different subjects. The recent circulation by the CBSE emphasizing the use of art form in teaching deserves careful consideration. By examining this circulation, teachers can identify why and how the current teaching methods may not adequately incorporate creative art.
It is important for teachers to analyze the circulation thoroughly in order to determine how artistic elements can be integrated into the teaching process. Lecturing by teachers, visualizing historical events or scientific concepts through pictures, and other similar approaches can indeed be considered art forms and can foster creativity in students.
Teachers are urged to distinguish between genuine educational practices and educational jargon. Terms like “joyful learning” and “activity-based learning” are often used in education, but they can sometimes lack clear definitions and explanations. It is advisable to avoid falling into the trap of
11. Syllabus Completion:
The teachers acknowledged that focusing solely on syllabus completion can turn teaching into a burden. We emphasized that the purpose of teaching is to impart subject knowledge and foster critical thinking in students. Completing the textbook should not be the primary goal.
