“The depth of learning is in direct relation to the intensity of the experience.”

I once read an article that stated, “Experiential learning is a means of moving from theory to application which allows for a fair amount of student discovery and serendipity to take place.” It then got me to introspect. “How much of the knowledge gained in school was I able to implement in real life?”

Learning VS Education

Let us first understand the difference between ‘Education’ and ‘Learning.’

Learning is an intellectual process of acquiring new skills and knowledge through experience. It is related to an individual’s perception. Education is an enlightening process of gaining knowledge through well-organized teaching. And yet, the terms are misused frequently by inter-changing them flippantly with no clarity of the distinction between the two.

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In an Indian school, 90% of the education is theoretical with minimal scope for practical thinking. There is no space for constructive criticism, creative learning, or critical thinking. The meaning of learning is so hollow that the emphasis on basic life skills like communication and critical thinking has little importance. I have now understood that learning happens best when the learner makes connections with the study matter and, that happens best when the learning is experiential. But a significant portion of the population is devoid of the required facilities to do so, like well-equipped labs.

Overall development VS Grades

In our country, the year-end results and board examinations hold utmost significance. Thus, the students either develop an egoistic mindset or are subject to humiliation depending on their grades. That is because we are limiting our understanding through the use of the standards-based approach. Students focus solely on reaching that defined benchmark, that they lose focus on attaining a broader perspective of the subject matter or seeking more knowledge. Therefore, learning becomes limited and kills the curiosity of the child. But that is not the biggest problem. “Between January 1, 1995, and December 31, 2019, India lost more than 1.7 lakh students to suicide. Of these, nearly 52% were in the past decade.” (Source: Times of India; Sept. 7, 2020)
Instead of being taught how to deal with failure, how did children learn that not getting perfect grades was the end?

How is it possible that children reached a point where they thought their marks held more value than their own lives?

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The emphasis on academics has side-tracked the importance of the overall development of a child. The periods allocated for students to engage in sports and music are taken away on the pretext of completing the syllabus. As a musician, I enjoyed the music period and exploring talent with my peers. But I was always overcome with disappointment when I did not get to do so. Extracurricular activities increase leadership skills, self-confidence and allow students to showcase their talent. They also improve social skills and provide diverse experiences beyond their textbooks and everyday life. Another factor is that they add personality to college applications. So why are extracurricular activities not given importance? The form of curriculum designed by our colonial masters is still in place with negligible modifications. The syllabus lacks practical knowledge and creative learning. Students do not learn how to implement the knowledge they are gaining in a real-life situation. With everything around us advancing so rapidly, why is the education system still the same?

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Our In-house debate

An intriguing debate was conducted on May 29 by Barefoot trust, the organization at which I am interning. The opinions of all the interns participating were insightful and diverse. The team in favor of the motion argued that learning is limited and that achieving good grades and completing the syllabus holds more significance than learning. Every child has different capabilities, different strengths, and different goals. Why are they made to study the same subjects for ten years straight? Of course, basic literacy and understanding of numeracy are necessary. But amongst hundreds of careers to pursue, only a handful is a priority. As Maria Montessori said, “The education of even a small child, therefore, does not aim at preparing him for school, but for life.” But to what extent is that the case in an Indian school?

The opposing team had some striking thoughts as well. They argued that the Indian Education System nurtured discipline and hard work, perseverance, and determination in children. The system is job-centric, teaches us soft skills, and prepares us for competitive exams. 

Our Indian Education System is flawed and requires tectonic shifts with revolutionary steps to change the learning outcomes. The need of the hour is to develop a system that permits students to be creative, be curious, and focus more on subjects that hold their interest. A grading system should not define students, but their talents, creativity, and aptitude should. Albert Einstein said it best, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

I’m Tanaya Naveen, a 17-year-old singer/pianist studying in Bangalore, and I would love to know your perspective in the comments!

Email ID: tanaya.naveen7@gmail.com