Reimagining school education in Pakistan
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Loading... - Ishaan Divan
- 26 Oct 2022
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A class of students is a class of diverse human beings with different socio-emotional experiences, cognitive abilities, and individual challenges that they bring with them when they step into their classrooms.
For students, barriers to learning aren’t just limited to what happens inside the classroom. To holistically understand those barriers, it is important to delve into underlying social challenges that students face outside the classroom as well. Teachers that overlook students’ needs, end up spoiling and compromising the learning experience.
Learning is a social and emotional process. As societies have become increasingly complex, students’ needs and challenges have also become intricate. Students hailing from harsh socio-economic backgrounds that are living through grim circumstances are expected to excel just as their peers coming from privileged backgrounds. Other social pressures may cause severe anxieties among students which may have developed in reaction to aggressive parenting. Gendered discrimination against female students in classrooms may discourage them from speaking up or showcasing their potential against other male students. Marginalised students will struggle to adapt to a form of learning that favours dominant cultures, ethnicities and religious values which may restrict them from expressing their own unique identities. These challenges are fundamental to education as they will impact the way learners learn. Subsequently, if the education they are receiving does not help them overcome these challenges, then what are they actually learning?
As we navigate through this difficult time for in the field of education, we must remember that challenges will continue to increase exponentially and so our ways of thinking and problem solving must catch up to that level. Today, the purpose of educating our children should not merely be about solving complex mathematical issues but also to solve complex social issues. While mainstream subjects provide inert knowledge, the ability to challenge ideas and think beyond formulas and facts will allow these powerful young minds to innovate, reimagine structures, and catalyze social change. Existing teaching practices are mostly dependent on solely imparting knowledge to students in the form of memorisation. Consequently, students end up utilising only a fraction of their cognitive abilities. They end up with unanswered questions. If this prevails, how will our students become future leaders?
There is a need to reimagine learning in schools. In this reimagined way of learning, learners should use 21st century skills to address 21st century challenges. They should openly engage in discussions about social issues and make learning holistic and of great value. They should be placed in learning environments that showcase their creative abilities and allow for adaptive thinking to take place. These environments will compel them to identify their socio-emotional needs and form their unique identities. They should be challenged in ways that replicate the socio-political challenges of our time. They should be encouraged to think out of the box and shape their own worldview, engage in discourse and create solutions.
There are a number of ways in which schools can implement this reimagined way of learning. It will require them to train their teachers and adopt better practices. Read More…
