Saturday 31 July 2021

Nooo! I won’t teach you! That is not my job! - INSIGHT #5

 

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

“No! I won’t teach you! That is not my job!”

INSIGHT #5

That night, Prachana went to bed with tremendous satisfaction because her parents told her they were proud of her since she was becoming wiser day by day! She knew it was all because of Sarvaa. She wished Sarvaa would remain her teacher forever. She glanced at the three cards kept on the table and remembered the previous rendezvous with Sarvaa.

She woke up suddenly in shock hearing Sarvaa’s voice. He was standing near her bed but facing the door. The room was brightened, but flickering.

“No! I won’t teach you! That is not my job!”

Confused Prachana slowly stood up and walked to him and peeped to see his face. As he was much taller than her, she had to look up quite high. She noticed that his face looked very angry.

“Sarvaa, why are you angry?” He was still looking away and didn’t respond. She felt bad and confused. She slowly walked back towards the bed. Sarvaa was smiling slightly and slowly turned towards her who was standing near the bed looking into darkness through the window. The room slowly glowed again!

“My child!” said Sarvaa. Hearing this, Prachana turned quickly to see a smiling Sarvaa. Relieved, she also smiled.

She asked “Sarvaa, why did you say you were not going to teach me? How can that be deliberate?”

Sarvaa made her sit on the bed holding her shoulder and he also sat beside her.

He explained.

“Look, Child. If your intention is to get educated, someone teaching you everything is not a solution because the term education is primarily an achievement term. But it is not entirely so. It is a series of activities that educate you.

The activities, which have certain restrictions. How much ever the goal seems to be, certain morally objectionable activities cannot be justified.”

Now Prachana’s mind filled with a million questions. She didn’t know which one to ask first. 

Sarvaa continued “Education does not necessarily mean a deliberate attempt by someone to initiate another into the world of knowledge, understanding, and practice.”

Prachanaa felt relaxed. She was sure that Sarvaa has not completed. She listened to him carefully.

She asked feeling a little low “Do you mean that you are not going to teach me anything, Sarvaa?”

Sarvaa said smiling “No. I will be only initiating you. The rest is for you to explore and find out yourself.”

Prachanaa sat on the bed comfortably folding her legs. A happy Sarvaa continued.

“Imagine you acquiring knowledge and understanding without someone deliberately squeezing into your mind!

Imagine getting all knowledge and wisdom as naturally as osmosis, without any effort, just by being in the proximity of those in the know! ”. Isn't that amazing?

He paused for a moment and looked at Prachana’s eyes to know whether she was getting it.

Though Prachana’s eyes we already big, it grew larger in excitement hearing Sarvaa’s words.

“Yessss. That would be amazing!” Prachana was thrilled.

“Yes, my child! The initiation or process doesn’t matter once you understand the three criteria of education.”

He stopped talking and looked towards Prachana's table. Prachana glanced at the three cards.

She asked pointing towards the cards “Again Three? Like those?”

“No. These are different. You can store those earlier cards in your drawer and look forward to getting three new cards. The three Criteria Cards!”

Saying this Sarvaa flashed three brightly coloured Cards and got up to leave. Suddenly, Prachanaa got up and hugged him saying.

“Sarvaa, please don’t tell no for being here for me. I will be devastated!”

“My dear, I cannot go anywhere because I am within you. It is just that I am manifesting you to guide you. And that is because, you are full of questions, which is a good problem to have. So, don’t worry!”

Sarvaa vanished and the glow in the room fades away too. Prachana goes to sleep. The moonlight revealed her smiling face.

End of Insight #5

Reference : R S Peter’s Analysis of ‘Education’.

#learning_from_my_child

#philosophy_of_education

#education

Thursday 22 July 2021

Enlightenment in Education? Are you joking? - INSIGHT #4


PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

Enlightenment in Education?! Are you joking?!

INSIGHT #4

After dinner, Prachana tried to tell her parents what she learned recently about the Sociological and Institutional use of the term Education. She said to them that there seems to be a third one which is very different from these two and asked them if they knew what it was. They listened to her patiently and motivated her to think and explore more and find out about the third.

Her mother smiled and said “If only I could answer to you. Dear, you should explore and find that out. Then you will never forget.”

Prachana had kept both the ‘Use Cards’ side by side on her table and drew a rectangle for the third.

In sleep, she felt a familiar fragrance in the room. She slowly opened and looked through the corner of her right eye; she looked towards the door hoping to find Sarvaa. The room was still dark. The fragrance was strong. She slowly got up, sat on the bed, and waited in anticipation. She looked at the table for the third card in the moonlight that was falling there. But the rectangle was still vacant.

“Looking for the third use?” Sarvaa’s deep voice reverberated in the room. Any child would have been scared to death. But Prachana was cool.

“Do you have any friends who go to regular Schools or who mingle in the society?” Sarvaa’s voice again.

Prachana thought for a moment and said “I have a couple of them. One goes to a fancy college 20 miles away and the other in Government College near here. But I don’t enjoy their company much. They are weird.”

Sarvaa appeared just near her like a genie with a fake astonished expression and asked “Why!? What is your problem with them?”

Prachana got a shock and almost got thrown on the bed. But she was laughing as though Sarvaa tickled her. She settled on her bed and started talking as though telling a long story.

“One, the girl said, (Acting like an introvert girl) ‘I go to college regularly without fail. But I am still confused. I don’t feel confident that I am even educated!’ The other, who is a happy-go-lucky boy, who rarely attends any classes, is happy and content saying (Acting animatedly like a proud boy) ‘I get what I want by talking around and reading my own selection of books. I am not really happy with the pomp in the college. Neither have I felt that I understand what they teach’. Such responses didn’t make any sense. So I normally keep away from them.”

Sarvaa was amused seeing her acting skills. He chuckled and after a beat, she asked “Do you think you are getting educated?”

She said “Yes. But not as I want. I always feel wanting.”

“Now, listen to me. You are doing good studying by home-schooling. But that is not enough. You should not be closed from others. You have something or the other to learn from every other person or thing around you. Look for it.”

A confused Prachana asked “You were supposed to tell me the third use today. You are talking something else.” She bowed her head and sat quietly.

A smiling Sarvaa went near her, lifted her chin up and gazed into her eyes.

“That is exactly what I am going to tell you today, my child! I am happy to take your 'not so great friends' as examples. The girl thought education comes from her teachers and books alone. While the boy thought learning is everywhere. What you learn from books or teachers is superficial. The moment you give depth and understanding to them, it becomes an achievement which the most valuable and general development of your mind.”

Prachana’s eyes widened and Sarvaa could see her body automatically straighten. Then he magically took out a card and placed it in the rectangle she had drawn on the table. A happy Prachana picked it up and looked at it. It was written “The General Enlightenment Use of the term 'Education' ”. On the other side, it had a picture of Sarvaa holding a large crystal ball in which she could see some purple colour electric spark activity happening.

Sarvaa said “Next we will learn about the ‘Criteria to understand the Concept of Education”. Before Prachana could fully understand what she heard, Sarvaa vanished into the Card she was still holding in her hand!

Once again the room got dark after Sarvaa’s exit, she tucked herself under the blanket but still holding the card as though she is holding Sarvaa himself with care.

End of Insight #4

#learning_from_my_child

#philosophy_of_education

#education

Thursday 15 July 2021

System & Education!? What!? - INSIGHT #3

 


PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

 System & Education?! What?!

 INSIGHT #3

Though Prachana was happy that she is being homeschooled, she was oblivious to other possibilities. She thought “Can there be one as good as mine?”

Though she planned to keep awake and wait for Sarvaa, she didn’t realise that she was asleep till she was woken up by a long bell. She thought it was an alarm bell from her parents’ room; weirdly it sounded different. She never remembers herself using any alarm clock ever. Normally she automatically wakes up or her mother used to wake her up if she overslept.

She rubbed her eyes seeing Sarvaa holding a big brass disc hanging in a thread and on the other hand, he had a short iron rod. He was all smiling. As soon as she was awake she stretched herself to get water from the table nearby. Suddenly Sarvaa moved swiftly and gave her a glass of water. Then he sat on the bed till she finished drinking the water.

Sarvaa asked “My child, you have never heard such kind of a bell before, right?”.

She nodded in affirmative. Now she is sitting cross-legged and all ears.

Sarvaa said, “That was the sound of a School Bell that rings when a class starts.”

Prachana knew where he is heading to. She said “Tell me, Sarvaa! Other than the Sociological use for the term Education you told me there are two more. I am eager.”

Sarvaa lovingly looked at Prachanaa and continued “My child, as you will be called a home-schooled child most of the children out there are called schooled and they learn things in a very different way.”

Prachana got curious “What is the difference? Is that better?”

Sarvaa caught off-hand with that question but he thought for a moment and said “Both are education. But the method is different. You explore and learn at your pace. There, a bunch of kids like you, are taught and guided systematically as decided by a group of people. An educational system is created. It is all timed in months and years and as subjects. And that is called 'The Institutional Use of Education'. There is no right and wrong in any method for getting educated. Likewise, there is no good and bad in the method of acquiring knowledge as well. It is all the question of what and how you do it. And of course how you use that acquired knowledge.”

Prachanaa is amazed at the thought of how a whole bunch of kids studies together in the same way at the same pace. She got a little confused, how was that possible. Sarvaa sensed this.

Sarvaa said “Child, don’t get confused. As I told you, there is no….” Prachana interrupted and continued “right or wrong in the method and all that matters is what the result is. I understood.”

A happy Sarvaa stood up to leave. Suddenly Prachana also jumped up and asked “What about the third use? I have not forgotten, you see?”

Sarvaa said “I have not forgotten. Now you go to sleep. The time is already 4 AM. Remember. I will not come and ring the School Bell to wake you up. Because next use is all about the unconventional method.”

As usual, Sarvaa left. The room went dark and Prachana tugged herself under the blanket.

The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes the next morning was the second card partly visible from under her pillow. It read “The Institutional Use of Education”. On the other side, it had a picture of Sarvaa holding a large brass disc and the short Iron Rod exactly as she saw last night.

End of Insight #3

#learning_from_my_child

#philosophy_of_education

#education


Thursday 8 July 2021

Education? For What? - INSIGHT #2


PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION 

"Education? For What?"

INSIGHT #2

The term ‘education’ was always a mystery to Prachana. She has read the same word in many contexts. She asked her father about it. But he lovingly told. 

“Ask your Sarvaa. He will tell you”. 

Prachana got a little upset but thought it was a good idea. Her father was always right. He always tried to make her think and find the answers. But she was not sure whether Sarvaa would come again. With that thought, she slowly slipped into sleep.

Exactly at 3 O’clock in the early morning, the room brightened and she saw Sarvaa sitting on her study chair. He seemed to have shrunk his massive body frame with the heavy cloak attached with a lot of paraphernalia to fit into her chair. This time, she noticed his long white beard and his pony-tailed long butter white hair.

“My Child, why are you so confused about the term ‘education’?” 

Prachana looked at him with her big round eyes in wonderment.

“OMG, Really? You came again?” She ran to him and hugged him. He smiled, picked her up like a child, and sat her on her study table. 

She could see him holding three cards close to his chest through the beard.

Pointing to the Cards she asked curiously “What are you hiding behind your beard?”

Sarvaa said “These are three magical cards which will be revealed to you one by one”

“Sarvaa!” She stopped suddenly and after a beat, she continued with great care   “Can I call you like that?”. 

Sarvaa smiled and nodded in affirmative and said "Absolutely! I have many names. This name is exclusive to you. Feel free!" 

A happy Prachanaa continued “Sarvaa. I am indeed confused because everybody is using that word left, right and center. Some say it is only for students, some say it is for anyone, anything, and everything. That's why I am confused. I am all ears”. 

She smiled and sat comfortably on the table crossing her legs like a kindergarten kid waiting to hear a story from a storyteller.

Sarvaa said, “Listen! You must have heard the usage broadly in three different contexts. Understand that, education need not be always related to schools or colleges alone. Like, you are home-schooled by your parents, your acquaintances, nature, and life itself. You don't go to any school. Yet you are getting educated, right?”

Prachana’s eyes got widened when her name was mentioned. 

“It is all about getting prepared to live in a society and be useful. The society that includes your friends and family or even strangers. That is called ‘The Sociological Use of Education’. There are two more types of uses for the word ‘education’. But you need to understand this one in more detail. Then only you will know the difference”.

She was wide awake now and jumped to the bed and sat on it. “Sarvaa, tell me more about it”.

Sarvaa replied, “Beta, be patient. This is only a start. The world is not going to end. We will go step by step. Otherwise, this will be overwhelming and you will wish you had never met me. Now sleep”.

The room went dark. She slept. In the morning, she saw a card revealed on her table which read “The Sociological Use of Education”. The card had the picture of Sarvaa on the backside. She got excited and carefully kept it inside her precious diary. 

End of Insight #2

 #learning_from_my_child

#philosophy_of_education

#education

 

Friday 2 July 2021

The Arrival of The Philosopher - INSIGHT #1

 

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

The Arrival of The Philosopher

INSIGHT #1

PRACHANA, the ever-inquisitive 20-year-old, the home-schooled girl is very tired after reading large volumes of her textbooks.
Lying on her narrow mattress, she thought “What has Philosophy got to do with education? That’s for the enlightened, right?”. She slept off and didn’t even know when she got transported to her own space.
SARVAA, an ageless sage-like person comes into her room through the wall. He looked like a combination of an Indian Saint and a Greek Philosopher. He has a large frame with long hair and a beard. He wore a shining white silky cloak. His countenance, which radiated wisdom, is always at peace and smiling. His large eyes are oozing with love and care. While anybody could have been scared of the sudden appearance of a strange-looking stranger in her room, Prachana is pleasantly surprised.
“You are the Philosopher of Education, right?” Prachana asked in wonder.
“Yes, Prachana! I am Sarvaa, your Mentor”. His deep and divine voice cannot be matched with any living men’s voice.
“How does he know my name?” Prachana wondered silently!
“Yes. I knew you from the moment you thought I am irrelevant for education. Don’t worry. I am here to answer all your questions” Sarvaa said.
Amused Prachana is wide awake now and thrilled. She could feel goosebumps all over. “Oh! My God! This guy can even read my thoughts!” She sits up on her bed in one swift move in the pose of an obedient attentive Mentee with all ears to hear from Sarvaa.
“My Child, now you go back to sleep. I know you have tons of questions. I will know when you need me. I will help you whenever you need me. So relax!” he disappeared into the wall.
Suddenly he reappeared and said "By the way, as per the definition accepted by scholars in your mortal world, 'Philosophy is the critical study of the basic principles and concepts of a particular branch of knowledge, especially with a view to improving or reconstituting them. Like the Philosophy of Education. Clear? Now sleep".
The brilliance that came with Sarvaa in the room vanishes when he left. It was silent that she could hear the crickets. She slowly slips to deep sleep.

End of Insight #1

“My Ideal School! Is it possible, Sarvaa?” - INSIGHT #15

  PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION   “My Ideal School! Is it possible, Sarvaa?”   INSIGHT #15   All through dinner, Prachana was deep in though...