WHAT IS TO BE DONE?
Making of a teacher differs significantly from making, say, of an advocate or a surgeon. The teacher is more than a mere skilled performer in a branch of his profession. Of course, he must have the best of skill in accustoming the pupil to the austere joy of mastering a difficult theme, be it quadratic equation or the equation E=MC2 or any other theme. But, in the end, when the frontiers of knowledge change, the importance and even the validity of what is learnt may not survive. What survives is the discipline of learning and the values acquired in the process. Whatever be the topic the teacher teaches, the ultimate values of his professional endeavour bear on the habits of living and thinking and enjoying life – the art of life – on what the pupil loves and cares for. Thus, the teacher inspires the life of the pupil – which is the one single theme of all of education. Skills in teaching are, no doubt, important but they do not take the teacher far. An otherwise unashamedly dissolute teacher may teach effectively; he also influences lives of the pupils no less, but sadly. Contact with great and good teachers as also with great ideas is the foundation of moral and spiritual education. The most effective weapon of a teacher is the silent power of example; it matters in the end and always. It is, therefore, necessary that teacher education should aim not at merely cultivation of professional skills but in making of man – a man of higher character and noble vision. This consideration brings to teacher-education a very different purpose and responsibility which are not equally relevant to other professional education.
It is this concern which influences in suggesting a unique type of organisation which will necessarily perform functions analogous to those of the professional bodies such as the Indian Council of Medical Education and Bar Council, but which, in addition, will be vested with responsibility of stimulating an organised thinking on the fundamental problems relating to philosophy and practice of education and their bearing on the problems of human values as well as those of national development and international solidarity.
We should not minimize the magnitude of the problem of teacher education; consider, for example, the large number of teachers that need training of different kinds and different levels (including the university level) and at different periods in their career. The entire process has to be viewed as a whole in a well conceived and integrated fashion and with sensitiveness to the intellectual and human values.
A number of the teacher education institutions suffer from lack of adequate facilities, and they do not adhere to the norms regarding physical facilities or provision of adequate staff. Colleges of education are often either under-staffed or the staff are under-qualified. There are serious curricular deficiencies, and evaluation in teacher education is far from satisfactory. Due to various reasons, academic sessions for B.Ed. are delayed, and in some cases, effective teaching lasts only for three to six months, although the number of working days in a teacher education institution is expected to be at least 220 in a year.
Many private colleges have sprung up and in a number of degree colleges, teacher-education courses have been instituted without ensuring the availability of suitable facilities and qualified staff. Even capitation fees are being charged, thereby commercialising teacher education.
In this context it would be pertinent to refer to the reports of the enormous corruption not only in seeking admission to teacher training institutions but also in passing the examination with inadequate or even proper training. The teachers who have gone through this polluting mill and profited by it can hardly be expected to stand for high principles of rectitude and correct behaviour.
In many universities, correspondence courses leading to the awarding of B.Ed. and M.Ed. degrees have been started. But serious questions are being raised as to whether such correspondence courses are really relevant in field where a personal contact between the trainer and the trainee is extremely important, and where the major objective is making of the man in the teacher and not merely a technician. These questions require an urgent answer in view of the fact that the number of students both in regular colleges and in correspondence courses has considerably increased.
There is in our country a backlog of untrained teachers in several States. And since there is no manpower planning in teaching profession, it is difficult to suggest any rational policy which States can follow in regard to the intake of fresh student-teachers.
It seems obvious that urgent measures need to be taken to:
(a) Introduce effective changes in the teacher education curriculum, particularly with a view to providing a powerful orientation towards value-education;
(b) Suggest a rational duration for pre-service and in-service teacher training programmes;
(c) Suggest effective methods of evaluation of trainees; and
(d) Suggest measures for the maintenance of standards of teacher-education and to meet various deficiencies and avoid evils which are prevalent in the field of teacher education.
We need to ensure that the teachers who would be in charge of the care of the children, adolescents and youths of our country are not only well-trained in professional skills related to their subjects of specialisation but will also have effective personality and character capable of providing the needed guidance and inspiration to the growing minds and hearts of the young, as also a wide vision of our country and the world serving as a sure basis for patriotism, international understanding and voluntary optimism for a peaceful, progressive and glorious future.
Value-oriented programmes as also skill-oriented programmes should be fully implemented in the pace-setting value-oriented institutes which could be established. In these institutions, two streams are recommended. In the first stream, there will be admitted those candidates who are willing to pursue the value-oriented teachers’ training programme in its fullness over a period of four or five years leading to master’s degree, after plus two stage of the 10+2 structure. In the second stream, there will be those who wish to have two-year specialised training at these pioneering institutions after successful completion of their three-year degree course or after completion of Master’s degree course in any discipline, or after having qualified themselves for admission in an entrance examination. The same facilities should be provided as far as possible in other teacher training institutions also.
The two-year teacher education programme may be provided on an optional basis in such a way that the candidate has a possibility of completing the course in two phases, the first of one year duration in the institution and the second year’s course may be completed over a maximum period of five years through several summer or other short courses to be organised specially for this purpose by the institution concerned. The teachers who completed the first year’s course may be permitted to teach in a secondary school as probationary teachers and will be confirmed only completion of the second year’s course.
As far as the curriculum for the two-year teacher education course is concerned, a detailed programme of studies related to value-education and state-oriented education should be prescribed, along with a comprehensive programme of physical education. As an interim measure, the teachers’ training institutions should introduce three special papers in their present teachers’ training programme. These three papers will be related respectively to: (i) and (ii) philosophy and psychology of value-oriented and skill-oriented education; and (iii) India and Indian values. These three papers could be proposed to all the teacher trainees as optional papers in place of any other three papers which are at present prescribed for the teachers’ training programme. This can only be a temporary measure, until a full programme is implemented, which should not be delayed unduly.
The proposed pace-setting value-oriented teacher’s training institutes may not only offer teacher training courses for secondary level but also offer teacher training facilities for teaching at the elementary school level. The duration of this teacher education programme (for teaching at the elementary school level) should be two years after the senior secondary (+2). The curriculum for teacher education at the elementary level besides enriching and upgrading the knowledge of the teacher-trainee in the school subjects, should also impart necessary pedagogic training.
The value-orientation and skill-oriented education should be treated as a central thrust not only of our teachers’ training programmes but also for our schools and colleges meant for the children, adolescents and youths. The aspirations of the value-oriented teachers can be fulfilled only if increasing number of schools and colleges in our country begin to provide value-oriented education.
Before concluding it would be appropriate to emphasise the need to provide in-service training in value-oriented education to all the teachers who are at present engaged in teaching. [The national organisation may frame a suitable scheme in this regard as soon as possible.] The teachers in colleges and universities should also pursue a programme of value-oriented education and undergo training in this regard also need to be underlined.
The teachers are destined to play a major role in the shaping of the destiny of mankind. In view of the fact that destiny stands today in a balance, fraught with dangerous possibilities of upheavals, catastrophes and cataclysms, central attention must be paid to the task of building up a large number of men and women into teachers who can stand in the coming days as hero-warriors and as leaders and pioneers dedicated to the highest values, the promotion of which alone can ensure the survival and fulfillment of the human race. In this task, programmes of value-oriented education are indispensable.
Appendix A
Illustrative Reading on the Theme of Values
1. “Apology” by Plato
2. “Crito” by Plato
3. Objective Utilitarianism from “Guide to the Philosophy of Morals and Politcs” by C.E.M. Joad
4. The Categorical Imperative from “Theory of Good and Evil” by Hastings Rashdall
5. My Station and its Duties from “Ethical Studies” by F.H. Bradley
6. Standards of Conduct and Spiritual Freedom from “The Synthesis of Yoga” by Sri Aurobindo
Appendix B
Illustrative Reading on Indian Culture
1. On Indian Culture from “The Foundations of Indian Culture” by Sri Aurobindo.
2. The Panorama of India’s past from “The Discovery of India” by Jawaharlal Nehru.
3. Perennial India from “Eternal India” by Indira Gandhi.
4. Extracts from “The Wonder that was India” by A.L. Basham (Sidwick and Jackson) 1967.
Appendix C
LIST OF ILLUSTRATED STORIES
S.No. Title of the Story Author Source
1 The Parrot’s Training Rabindra Nath Tagore “Parrot’s Training and other Stories” Visva Bharati Pulication, Calcutta.
2. Subha Rabindra Nath Tagore
“Mashi and Other Stories”Macmillan & Co., London.
3. The Gift of Magi O. Henry
“Short Stories of the Twentieth Century” edited by R.W. Jepson, Longmans Publication.
4. Boy Deeds of Cuchaulain Lady Grogory
“Cuchaulain of Murthemme”, John Murray, London.
5. The Good Samartian The Bible (New Testament)
6. Firdawsi “Anthology of Islamic Literature”, edited by James Kritzeck, Pelican paperback.
7. The Faithful Nurse “Stories Retold” (Supplementary Reader for Class VIII), published by Delhi Bureau of Text Books, 1979.
8. Little Brother English Reader, Class X, published by NCERT.
9. New Dolls Rabindra Nath Tagore
“Lipika”, Jaico Publishing House, Bombay.
10. Androcles and the Lion
“Stories Retold” (Supplementary Reader for Class VIII), Delhi Bureau of Text Books, 1979.
11. The Life of Socrates Will Durant
“The Story of Civilisation” (The Life of Greece), Simon and Schuster, New York 1939.
12. The Circle Round the Throne Sudhin N. Ghose
“Folk Tales and Fairy Stories from India” Oxford and IBH Publishing Co., Calcutta.
13. The Nightingale Joan Roberton
“Fairy Tales”, Piccolo Pan Books
14. The Ugly Duckling Hans Anderson
“Fairy Tales” Piccolo Pan Books
15. The Gorgon’s head Nathaniel Hawthorne
“70 Favourite Stories for Young Readers”
16. Gudbrand on the Hillside G.W. Dasent
17. The Tale of a King Stein and Grierson
“Hatim’s Tales”, Indian Texts Series, John Nurray, London.
18. As We Forgive Those T. Morris Longstreth
“70 Favourite Stories for Young Readers”
19. The Life of Gautama Buddha H.G. Wells
“Prose for Pleasure”
20. Menasch’s Dream Isaac Bashevia Singer
“70 Favourite Stories for Young Readers”
21. The Selfish Giant Oscar Wilde “Prose for Pleasure”
22. Gokul the Labourer Sudhin N. Ghose
“Folk Tales and Fairy Stories from India” Oxford and IBH. Publishing Co., Calcutta, 1965
23. The Vision of Mirza Joseph Addison “Prose for Pleasure”
24. The Three Questions
25. The Wonderful Horse Sudhin N. Ghose
“Folk Tales and Fairy Stories from India”
26. The Procession “The Shroud and 20 other Stories”
27. An Outing with King Vikram Sudhin N. Ghose
“Folk Tales and Fairy Stories from India”
28. The Necklace Guy de Maupassant
“The World’s Greatest Short Stories”
29. The King who could not sleep “Tales from Eastern Lands”
30. A Secret for Two Quentin Reynolds
“A Book of Stories”, Macmillan Company, New York, 1960
31 The Judgement Seat of Vikramaditya Sister Nivedita “Cradle Tales of Hinduism”, published by Advait Ashram, Calcutta
Note : will redo this table later once you approve the contents.
