PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
“The final criterion for 'Education'!”
INSIGHT #8
Prachana has been reading the books she got from the library all day long, sitting, standing, walking, hanging upside down, she never kept them down! She felt overwhelmed by reading all those books and was not getting enough of any of them. Her mother had to drag her out to eat food!
By night, though she was tired, she stacked all the books
neatly on her table before lying down. The orange ‘Book of Knowledge’ was kept
facing the bed so that she could fall asleep watching it, secretly hoping
knowledge could be transferred to the mind by air!
She woke up hearing some noise. She saw Sarvaa sitting at
the edge of her chair and hurriedly shuffling all the books trying to put them
in some order. He looked thoroughly confused. In between, he picked up the Book
of Knowledge and stared at it, and then kept it back. He continued shuffling
the books like a pack of playing cards with his huge palms. Prachana didn’t
notice that he was looking at her through the corner of his eye and chuckling
internally.
Prachana, lifting herself, asked Sarvaa in a tired tone
“What are you doing with my books, Sarvaa!? And, why do you look so confused!?”
The books flew in the air and collapsed on the floor from
Sarvaa's hand when he heard her voice.
Prachana quickly jumped out of the bed and started picking up the books.
She stacked it all again neatly on the table. Sarvaa, who was sitting calm,
handed over the Book of Knowledge with a smile. Prachana was annoyed and stood
akimbo staring at Sarvaa demanding to know why he has made such a mess today.
Sarvaa acted as though he was terrified. A few moments passed in awkward
silence. The chair Sarvaa sat in squealed when he leaned back away from an
adorably angry little Prachana. The noise made both laugh out loud. Prachana,
without any warning, hugged Sarvaa. Sarvaa affectionately patted her back,
stood up, and made her sit on the chair.
Sarvaa said, “You look very tired, Child... I can
understand. You were very eager to learn everything and could not learn
anything. Right?”
Prachana’s smile vanished. She felt embarrassed,
disappointed, and sad. Not being able to face him, she just nodded. Sarvaa sat
beside her and lifted her chin up and smiled.
Sarvaa said “My child, you are not the first one to get
overwhelmed seeing the wealth of Value and Knowledge available to you to
achieve what you want to achieve.” Prachana’s expression changed from that of
sadness to curiosity.
Sarvaa continued “And for that, you need to do certain
tasks in a certain way.”
Though those words from Sarvaa didn’t sink in well for
Prachana , her expression changed as though telling Sarvaa “I am all ears”. She
pulled up her feet and sat cross-legged as a disciple sits in front of a Guru.
Sarvaa said, “Relax! You can’t achieve everything before
the sunrise. So, listen to me calmly and carefully.” Prachana instantly shook
her head in agreement.
Sarvaa continued “Listen. Now you know you need to
achieve two things. Value and Knowledge. And for that, you need to go through a
procedure and there are many. The first step is to understand what you want to
achieve. Then the procedure you choose has to help you achieve that. Did you
understand?”
Prachana already started counting the processes she knew
with her fingers saying, “I have heard, in schools and colleges, they teach,
instruct and they pass exams. With that, they achieve what they want. Right?”
Sarvaa answered in a doubtful tone “You are right, but…”
He paused for a moment.
Prachana asked, “But… ?”
Sarvaa continued “Such activities, or processes are
legion. You cannot name them all. Almost anything can be counted as a procedure
as long as…” Again Sarvaa stopped to see whether Prachana is attentive enough
to understand.
“As long as? Tell me, Sarvaa!” Prachana was impatient.
Sarvaa said “As long as you ensure that, the procedure
helps get the educationally valuable achievement. And…” Sarvaa paused again
which made Prachana even more impatient. She got up and stood in front of
Sarvaa as though demanding an answer.
Sarvaa continued “and… that needs to be voluntary. Never
to be forced upon the learner. But yes, there are situations wherein a learner
is conditioned or indoctrinated, or even brainwashed so that the learner cannot
resists coercion.”Prachana felt sad even imagining such a scenario. Sarvaa
looked at her straight in her eyes and told very seriously “They are not
educational procedures at all. So this criterion tells us only what is not
permitted.”
Prachana responded, “I understand, Sarvaa!”
Sarvaa continued “Now that you know that there is a
procedure of education to achieve the Value and Knowledge, I will put that in
one sentence. Listen and follow me carefully, sentence by sentence.”
He prepared himself and started.
“Education is the achievement of a desirable state of
mind…” he paused in anticipation for Prachana’s expression of understanding and
then continued.
“…characterised by knowledge and understanding in breadth
and depth with cognitive perspective and…” he looked at her again. She nodded.
And he continued.
“…by corresponding appropriate emotions and attitudes,
these brought about, deliberately,…” Sarvaa paused and asked, “Are you
following?” Prachana in intense concentration and recording everything in her
mind said, “Yes”.
Sarvaa “…brought about deliberately in a manner not to
infringe upon the voluntariness and willingness…”
Prachana closed Sarvaa’s mouth with her hand and said
loud “…on the part of the learner. Right?”.
A very happy Sarvaa stood up and said “You got it! You
are very smart. Now you should ensure that the other learners like you also
understand this important rule in education.”
As she kept looking at Sarvaa with great love, affection,
and respect, the room went dark. It was time for her to go back to sleep and
wake up with a crystal clear mind.
End of Insight #8
Reference : R S Peter’s Analysis of ‘Education’
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