The Educational Process in India, as observed thus far, seems to compliment that of the United States in only a couple of ways. Both countries have the luxury of adapting our Educational system to that of British Influence. There is a proper grading system, standardized testing, and a goal to reach college and a post-graduate degree. We could both learn from each other in many ways. I can see that our cultural differences have influenced our Education System's respectively. Here are a few things to ponder as we have observed thus far...
· Indians seem to achieve post graduate degrees much more than Americans. It seems that everyone we meet is either working on their Masters Degree or they have completed their post graduate. Most 10 year olds we meet already know what subject they want to get their post graduate degree in. Due to the Developing Nation status that India still holds there is a lot of competition; Competition for jobs, education, industry, and the like. With all this competition, it creates lower wages and better accommodations. This is one of the reasons for their superior Health Care System.
· There is a competitive nature in the classrooms of some of the schools observed; similar to that in the movie Harry Potter. Children are meant to be competitive from a very young age. They fight for the best grades, and there is a lot of pressure put on them as soon as they enter the System.
· Indians go to school 6 days a week, and many of the middle class students get tutored for 1.5 hours every day, 6 days a week. This has both positive and negative attributes. The students have much more time for additional electives within the school, which provides for a more well-rounded student, but on the other end of the spectrum, there is tremendous pressure on the students, and this sets the stage for the rest of their lives. Most Indians go on to working 70-80 hours per week on average. They have a strong value towards family and work. When I asked a local in Indore what he did for fun, he answered..."What do you mean"? "What do you mean by Fun"? Our culture has the opportunity to go fishing, skiing, golfing, etc. Indians spend most of their time at family functions, or at work. To put it simply, we have a lot more LEISURE TIME...
· In India, children go to school from 8pm-3pm. At 3pm, extracurricular activities commence and go until 5pm. This would seem to fit well in our system if we were able to implement this. Doesn’t this seem convenient for “pickup and delivery”. If the average American works from 9-5, then there wouldn’t be any anxiety on what to do with our children when school gets out. They would be letting out of their extracurricular’s at the same time we get out of work. "After School Programs" could turn into Artistic Outlets and Sports Practice. Not as an elective, but as part of the curriculum. If we can make it part of the curriculum, then we will produce more well-rounded children.
· There is also an overwhelming poverty level that needs to be addressed. Madya Pradesh seems to be averaging a 25% poverty level. There are many schools that function in a “third world” atmosphere. How can this change? Will the government step in? Maybe. Will there be a mass global effort to see that developing countries have a proper infrastructure and running water? I think not. There is a DEFINITE NEED TO IMPROVE THE OVERALL LITERACY RATE, IN ADDITION TO IMPROVING THE CONDITIONS OF THE SCHOOLS OVERALL. There is a large gap between the classes. The lower class suffers from neglect in both of these areas. The scary part is that the amount of people in the lower class is so overwhelming and ever increasing.
We have way too many issues facing our nation that we need to handle. For example, standardized testing is a widely debated topic that may be standing in the way of our future progress. Like the economy has been in a recession for the past 2 years, so has our educational system. Education as a whole seems to have been regressing for the past decade or so. Budget cuts, Program cuts, and the eminent demise of proper Physical Education and Art. How can these issues be handled? Can we extend the curriculum? It will cost more money, but isn't THE FUTURE OF AMERICA worth it? Just as the Indian culture practices Naturopathy and Yoga as preventative medicine for their body; won't this be a PRO-ACTIVE way to enrich our children, and provide for our Future?
· Both cultures can benefit from Yoga in the classroom. It is a MUST to increase the correct teaching of Yoga to students in the States. Breathing Exercises alone can help children learn how to control their emotions, and possibly reduce the amount of children being diagnosed with ADHD. This can lead to proper MEDITATION, and the many other benefits of Yoga. I will not go into all the detail now, but Yoga is a proper outlet to teach our children about themselves and understanding others.
Overall, we can learn a lot from each other as long as we take ACTION... Whether we are talking about India, America, Nigeria, or Ireland, I feel that we focus too much on the problem, and not enough on the solution. Most people will dwell on a "Challenge" in their life or a "Crisis" they have come into. What we don't see is 'PRO-ACTIVE" approaches. It would be great to see an "Opportunity" arise instead of a "Problem". These are just some thoughts put together from 2 weeks of observations and 29 years of Education. I am not claiming to have the "Answers" to our "Problems", but I am committed to "Creating Lasting Change" at every "Opportunity" I get... Please keep in mind that we are only experiencing the top 10% of the Socio-Economic ladder in India. This in no way, reflects the entire population of India.
No comments:
Post a Comment