Reimaging Education In Indian Schools

In the era of digital and smart education, digital natives i.e. children and digital immigrants i.e. teachers are going through a holistic transformation both in terms of teaching and learning. While teachers are struggling to cope up with the fast-paced technology, learning in a classroom has changed its main focus from being teacher-centric to learner-centric.

During a session at BW School Leaders Conclave organized by BW Education, Principles of different schools discussed the need for the change in pedagogy in schools. Chairing the session, Dr Neeru Madhuri Parti, Head, Lakshmipat Singhania Education Foundation initiated the discussion by inviting comments on the state of affairs in different school pedagogy. Participating in the discussion Aditi Mishra, Principal, Delhi Public School, Gurgaon said, “While schools play an important role, a child of today’s generation likes to learn experientially.” 

As the discussion moved towards points in favour of improving the curriculum and moving beyond the traditional rote-learning methods, Jyoti Gupta, Principal, Delhi Public School, Ghaziabad said, “Nowadays, content is not important but competency to make it more interesting and experiential plays a pivotal role. Technological intervention along with amalgamation or inclusion of sports, arts or any other co-curricular subject is significant now.”

Talking about the inception of the education system in the country, Annie Williams, Principal, St Thomas School, said, “Pedagogy should be changed in a way wherein it facilitates integrated and liberal learning. A child should be given enough choices which help him/her to explore different options.”

 While learning of a child happens at its own pace, is the current change in pedagogy sufficient, asked Parti? Williams said, “Children should be given a stimulating and an engaging environment wherein they enjoy while learning as they learn better through experience.”

Changing Gears

Nowadays, as children become more practical with respect to learning, do teachers need to change their teaching methods? The old method of just vomiting the facts has to change for the betterment of this new-age child who wants to enjoy while learning, said Williams. “A child should be taught to accept and deal with the changes wherein he/she can adapt to it and move on,” she said.

Gupta said pointed to the earlier times when the pedagogical leadership wasn’t there. “However, teachers now have to be conscious enough to keep changing with the new innovative pedagogy and teaching methods. Assessments play a vital role in learning. It helps to test the capability of the child. But it should be done in a way to keep the child motivated in a subject,” said Gupta.

With entrepreneurship seeping into child learning, the formula of E3 should be implemented i.e. ‘enter, evolve and exit’, said Shyma Vinod, Principal, Bloom Public School. “Teachers should also teach financial literacy to students to impart entrepreneurial skills,” she said.