বাংলায় পড়ুন
On a trip to Kolkata to deliver the keynote address at a three-day annual conference of the Association of schools for the Indian School Certificate which began on Wednesday, Personal Innovation Strategist Stephan K Thieringer talked exclusively to Jiyo Bangla.
Q: What is your take on the new rules set for school students in terms of abolishing homework and restrictions regarding the weight of backpacks?
A: Even if they have put in one mandate we are dealing with two different things here – one is homework and the other one is the weight of backpacks. Homework, if made fun and engaging, will do a lot good to kids. The children should know what they are doing, why they are doing it and where does it take them. If we have a goal we need to reach, our mindset changes and we are going to go for that. We need to do the same for the kids.
As far as the weight of backpacks is concerned, whenever I see someone about six feet two inches, I feel, ‘there goes my two inches which I lost to my backpacks’ (laughs)
Q: Are children today losing the habit of reading and are more into the digital world?
A: Answering it, in short, I would say yes. There is some beauty in the art of bookbinding, something of a creative mind. Children need to realize that. But with time technological intervention becomes inevitable and instead of deciding whether to get your child a Kindle or a book I would say we should settle for a book and another digital device has all the content of the book and more.
Q: Where do parents’ responsibilities stand?
A: We as parents must lead with example. One must practice. The first hour after you wake up, don’t look at your phone. The world is not going to change in that one hour. We have become so anxious about being on that device probably because of the readiness of information. Text messages have become like drugs. You send a text message, nothing comes back, chemical reactions take place within your body and when it finally comes back, you are like, aaah… We need to manage the craziness.
In case of children, the accountability and ownership of the parents needs to be an intricate part of the child’s growing up. Because often both parents work, are not at home and we shift our responsibilities to the school just by paying for it. We pay money and expect children to be the perfect one automatically.
Q: How has social media affected today’s kids?
A: It has made them lonely for sure. You give a child social media, he/she is cut off from the rest of the family. It disrupts traditional family life. I think there has to be behavioral guidelines to parents. For example don’t give your child a phone, till the age of 6-7, more than an hour of screentime.
Q: Aakash did not take off the way the government would have wanted it to. Do you think we are not completely ready for technology in education?
A: The parents of the present generation are very comfortable with technologies. The demands that this generation parents are setting on behalf of the children, to administrators and schools, is completely different than it was 10 years ago when Aakash was in the conversation.
India is very good at leapfrogging. Looking at what works, taking that and moving forward. I think and my hope is that we see a little of that in education technology over 2-4 years.
We are seeing some pockets of exceptions already. But for the technology initiatives are not foundational here. They are much more quick shots. We try those out. We need technology readiness. Not in the sense if we have the capability of building the programme or not. Technology readiness in terms of whether people are ready to receive the power of technology and what it can do for me. And not just in terms of power but also in terms of understanding and appreciation, which is an educational effort again.
Q: How much is environment studies important to be included in the curriculum?
A: In schools, we talk about technology, values,and digital citizenship. But we also need to talk about the reason we go to school is to become responsible citizens. Part of being responsible citizens is taking care of our environment and becoming stewards of the environment.
I do think it is a little fashionable right now. I think sustainability is sexy. Like innovation suddenly became sexy 12-15 years ago. Everybody talked about it. I do think it is a little bit of that but at the end of the day we really need to look at how is it changing the world and I don’t care how we get there as long as we are getting there.
So if that means we are acting more sustainable, more environmentally friendly, if there are more people demonstrating outside companies which are polluting the environment or water, I am for that. Fashionable or not.
