JOYOUS PARENTING
Episode 6
THE TRIAD OF SCHOOL LEARNING
Text Books:
“Children should be taught how to learn, and not what to learn!
They should be taught how to think, and not what to think!”
Experiential Based Integrated Curriculum (EBIC) is the need of the hour…
What is EBIC?
We know that each textbook caters to only one subject, for example: Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Civics, English, etc., In the present scenario, Maths and Science are placed above all other subjects. A section of students will not get more of their favourite subjects. A student will be gifted in Maths and he grasps the concepts quickly, while an other student will be interested in English or Civics, but have aversion towards Maths or Science. This will result in “Rote Learning” or average overall performance, due to our Assessment system.
A child’s full potential is not utilized. Mental capabilities do not match the grade level challenges. Curriculum and Text books demand learning based on Physical age and not on Mental capacity. Also, subjects are often treated separately.
Experiential Based Integrated Curriculum helps a child in “Divergent Thinking”
What is that?
A True story:
A 14 year old girl, Tejaswini Priyadharshini from Rourkela visited a bicycle repair shop and what she saw, changed her life.
She observed a Air-gun, a tool, being used by cycle mechanic to remove the knots in tyres. Fascinated, she worked on applying the same principle of using compressed air for running a bicycle. With limited resources, she invented an Air-Bike, a vehicle with no pedals.
https://youtu.be/matYhEyjdls
The vehicle could run for 60km with just 10 kg of compressed air. It was of immense help to the physically handicapped people. The girl’s invention won many awards in International Science Fairs and is considered path-breaking as an environmental friendly solution.
She got her thinking to take a simple scientific principle to a field of an environmental problem. This is “Divergent Thinking” The method used to generate creative ideas by exploring new possible solutions. Children will learn to integrate thoughts, when they are taught in an integrated approach.
Recently, Finland announced that they are doing away with Subjects in the Education system. They are moving towards integration of subjects towards “Inter-disciplinary studies”, thereby introducing the concept of “phenomenon-based teaching”.
We need to equip our children with natural understanding of how their talents will fit in the emerging environment, they grow up. “Out of the Box” or “Lateral thinking” cannot happen when information is dumped from external sources on children.
Constantly telling our children, on “what to think” and “what to learn” will dampen the child’s independent thinking.
Children must be taught “how to think and learn”. They should be encouraged to learn on their own to look for the right answers.