I took part in EduTALK Bhutan series 02.1 as one of the panelists to give some honest experiences, expectations and exhortations of our current education system from teachers angle. I did 10 minutes online presentation to panelists of educationists and other enthusiastic viewers. However, it wasn't easy to face the onlooker's eyes and brain and camera. I was nervous and puzzled. Things didn't shaped as expected. It was my first experience in such a forum although I had attended several online talks in the first series of EduTALK. Nevertheless, listening and watching others is so easy and sweet.
1# Syllabus
This is where I picked up my presentation. I chanced to share my own experiences of how tiring and difficult it is to cover around 1200-1500 pages of prescribed syllabus. This is too much for 180 instructional days. Syllabus is one thing and the lack of required equipment is another, which is very much burdensome to both teachers and students, which hampers quality learning. With such a level of content and textbook driven syllabus, we keep shooting our arrows whether it hits the target or not. I was worried only to cover the syllabus and nothing more. Since the exam mark is a lifeline for students and way to fix teachers ability to deliver the content. Therefore, bulky contents with complicated concepts and theories not only stress our young learners but also bored them overly.
a# Lecturing
To cover up the syllabus, lecturing method is one of the best delivery tools administered by all the teachers. 99 percent of our teachers are used to lecturing and another 99 percent of our learners are used to listening lectures (passive listener). For centuries almost nothing has changed in our delivery style and in our curriculum. Listening to 4-5 hours lectures one after another is too much and tiring task our kids. I feel pity especially for some mammoth learners. But, there is not much space to adjust in current system of education. As a result of this intended curriculum, we not only kill their learning right at the buds but also bar their passion to learn. Therefore, technology driven learning is what I have felt we can put forward.
b# How do they learn?
Thus, far we have failed in our mission to understand how our kids learn best in the classroom. What engage them? What interests them? Are never considered as part of their learning and curriculum. Difference in their learning was never considered, because we don't have a separate curriculum to suit their learning interest. In a class of 30 students, half of them would be slow learners or even less. However, teachers are asked to engage them with some remedial classes or extra time, but there is no space for teachers to engage them because of an exhausting day's lesson. At the end of the class, they have many obligations to meet. Most of the time slow learners are never taken into consideration, and for everyone they are failures and nothing more.
c# Lack of autonomy
Children don’t like school because in school they are not free. They are under pressure all the time and everywhere. Teachers are overly authoritative, rigid management and rude staff are hard to face on a daily basis. This is not good for a learning environment for young learners. They need intensive care but not such authority. Everything is tightly controlled by the system that makes our young kids vulnerable.
d# No room for passion
Do our education system address on more human aspects like what am I good at? What do I want to do? Where shall I practice?
Passion is what we have never thought yet to put in our school. We need a change. We need a more vibrant curriculum that gives learners space to practice and learn their passion when they are at the right age and learning mood. The base of everything has to begin from school.
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