NEW SCHOOLS FOR A NEW AGE

 Dr. I.B.S. Yadav (hand cross)

By Dr. I.B.S Yadav:

 The world is changing at an ever accelerating pace. Traditional boundaries are collapsing and new entities are being formed in all spheres of human consciousness .Jobs are disappearing at an unprecedented rate and at the same time, new opportunities are getting created. Children at school can no longer confidently plan and prepare themselves for careers that life for five or six years ahead because knowledge that is growing exponentially is deleting old redundant and obsolete portions at an increasing rate.

Galloping to a future without enjoying the present and the work at hand will often make one lose both. In this new circumstances, it is important to redefine the role of teachers as professionals, though it is quite difficult to draw clinical parameters that would prescribe professionalism among teaches. In the emerging scenario, the qualities that could be expected from a teacher in future will be … a wonderful human being, a high degree of technological sensitive, a great motivator, should be able to take learning beyond classrooms, and should not have a pre- set notion.

   Now we, human beings have realized that world is no longer stable or predictable as it was before. Surely this realization is going to effect educational sector also. So what will be the future of new schools? How will schools look like? How can schools prepare children for this new world? The present schools are like train. They have been asked to go faster and faster, to become more efficient and effective, to add more compartments to carry more and more load but in general , parents and society have failed to do their assigned duties regarding this.

Enchey School

We need to look at education through the lens of emerging technologies. The future education will not be confined to a single place, to a specific time, to human teachers only, to paper based information, to memorization, in controlling learners. We must define the gap between where we are and where we need to be. We must start by helping others to understand that it is a new world out there and change is absolutely essential to make and keep schools relevant. To do this, we must rethink about schools, classrooms, curriculum and educational management & administration. We have to redefine success. We have to rethink about what learning means & what it means to be educated in the light of the modern changing world.

   We need new schools for this new age. The skills, behaviors and knowledge that these future students need to function effectively in this changing world should also be redefined. These new schools of this new age should be able to inculcate new mind set skills in our students like: development of problem solving and critical thinking abilities, communication skills, technical reading and writing, reasoning skills, self motivators, self learners and self assessors, goal setting, time management, stress management, team work, self marketing, presentation making, financial management, negotiation skill, integrating skills.

These new schools should be named as “THINKING SCHOOLS”. These thinking schools must practice questioning and inquiry based learning. This provides a process of HOT (High Order of Thinking) and deep understanding. It requires a strong commitment to lifelong learning and the teachers may have to shed many of their pre-conceptions about the method in which teaching and learning should happen. The school and educational administrators need to work as team.

       Today the world has become small and our vision is enlarged. We must, if we are to prepare ourselves for a new world which is on the horizon, rid ourselves of racial pride, religious intolerance, regionalism, narrow mindness and of that deep seated lust for powers. Civilizations are not built of machines but of values. The progress of civilization depends not only on intellect or creativeness but on the moral qualities of gentleness and compassion. It is therefore, imperatively important that our children, through education, develop these moral qualities in this new world.

    In the context of SIKKIM state, there should be one “ THINKING SCHOOL” at each sub division or should be  based upon the population of students  enrolled. A comprehensive training module should be framed for the teachers of Sikkim state. The motto of the training module should be “TEACH FOR SIKKIM”. It should be taken as a movement for betterment of education system as well as, to imbibe the concept of quality education. It will surely help the teaching professionals of our state to remove inequality in education. Surely it will be going to bring innovation in teaching sector.

     Champions are not supernatural; they just fight one more second when everyone else quits. The teachers of these thinking schools  should not teach a student as a single student but he/she should  be considered as three in one as--- One he thinks he is --- The one which others think that  he is --- The one which he really is. The teachers appointed in these schools should have higher professional as well as academic qualification, should have diversified experience working along the students, should have mental toughness to achieve the target irrespective of circumstances and should be aged below 50 years.

    When Sikkim state is preparing for the fullest utilization of its wealth in Human Resources for a targeted economic growth, we, teachers must equip ourselves for these changes taking place in this changing world. We must develop a strong conviction amongst Sikkimese students that they are born in this world to do something great. This strong conviction can be easily developed through these schools and it will provide social power to our Sikkimese students to transform this state into a model state as cherished by our honourable Chief Minister Dr. Pawan Chamling.

The journey towards establishment of “Thinking Schools” is a very challenging and exciting.There will be many twists and turns in the present school scenario to transform them into thinking schools. It will take time, talk and careful planning. These thinking schools will surely help the students to become effective thinkers and which is considered as an immediate goal of education.