EDUCATION AND SOME HURDLES -4

 EDUCATION AND SOME HURDLES -4

 [Collective effort-2]

In a collective effort of the kind that I envisage, there need not be a formal interaction between the teacher and the taught especially during personal interactions. These can be ‘one-to-one’ or  a small group of learners with the teacher.

It is a healthy approach in the sense that, if a cluster of students keep seeking clarifications, the teacher can readily understand the need to prune efforts of teaching to make it intelligibly clear –as a part of his/her effort.

Such an approach from learners cannot be blamed of digressive effort, for, the learners merely seek clarity of the subject taught by a teacher.  In fact, sensitive teachers would ensure total clarity leaving little room for such doubts and difficulty in grasping a theme.

That, a cluster of learners keep coming to a teacher, for requesting further clarifications –is a commentary that could be of a positive or a negative value.  Positive states can mean that the teacher is very articulate and that [s]he can deftly resolve the matter to its ultimate detail. A negative commentary would imply that the teacher is not adept in delivery though his/her personal grasp of the topic is ample and complete.

If teachers wish to be rated high, it is implicit that the persons ought to cultivate the right methodology of imparting instructions. Any teacher would not love of being branded of ‘poverty in profession’. Such a desire though healthy, has to be rightly supported by several steps tuning the process of ‘articulate teaching’.

Teaching is often contended as a process of speaking. It is far from the requirement. Mere speaking is not teaching. If so, all marketing personnel, tourist guides, snake charmers would pass muster as teachers. The ones listed above keep ceaselessly talking - engaging the listener to a point of soporific charm. Yes, the listeners are drawn to point of sedation where up on , the person markets his idea.      

Teachers can ill afford such misleading strategies. They have to be to the point and comfortable with lucid styles of expression. Being to the point and possessing a lucid flow of words encompassing a thought quickly penetrate the listener.

So, teaching is not speaking. It is ‘penetrative’ in effect. Penetrate what? Penetrate to reach the deep corridors of mind.  Reaching the mind is ‘teaching’ lest it should be ‘cheating’. Teaching is a mind game..  So, teachers-- “please mind the game”

                                *****