Nivedita Mukerjee
Education consultancy for parents and schools
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv
Issue #006 / August 18, 2020
Do you know what a teenager thinks about ‘discussing depression’? Are you a teacher freaking out at the prospect of discussing taboo topics with your students? A parent concerned about internet safety for your child? A student worried about long hours of being cooped up inside without physical activity? What is your parenting mantra? What can you do to make remote teaching more effective? And finally, don’t miss the tune at the end for a jig with your family :). Enjoy reading this news letter that has something for students, parents and educators every week.
Three Images For The Week
For Educators:
For parents :
For students :
Two Thoughts For The Week
“A child free from the guilt of ownership and the burden of economic competition will grow up with the will to do what needs doing and the capacity for joy in doing it. It is useless work that darkens the heart. The delight of the nursing mother, of the scholar, of the successful hunter, of the good cook, of the skilful maker, of anyone doing needed work and doing it well, – this durable joy is perhaps the deepest source of human affection and of sociality as a whole.”—Ursula K. Le Guin, “The Dispossessed: An Ambiguous Utopia”
“Don’t limit a child to your own learning for he was born in another time.” – Rabindranath Tagore.
One Video For The Week
Taboo topics? yes. Reproduction. Sex. Gender. Religion. Race. Caste. Politics. Equity. Inclusion. Fairness. Justice. Drugs. Depression. Punishment. Consequence. Consent. Whether you are teacher or a parent, you must have faced it at sometime for sure or will face it as your child grows up to be an adult. How did you deal with it? Did you fight – shut down the conversation? Or flight – changed the topic quickly, diversion? Or froze – for some moments before just moving on to some other room or carried on with your task ignoring it completely? What would you have rather done?
Often deliberate avoidance of these taboo topics when they come into conversation speaks volumes to the students/children and they interpret it to be as taboo. Something to be embarrassed about, scared of, to be held as a secret, to go to other sources to seek answers or satisfy curiosity. Sources whose narrative you have no control over. Right? Here are some pointers from this 4th grade teacher to help you navigate these with your child/student. They have a right to think and discuss about it now for they will have to live it in the future.
Guest column
NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY 2020—THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS.
The MHRD’s New Education Policy has sent the country’s educationists into a tizzy. The new pedagogical and curricular structure of school education (5+3+3+4) is certainly a positive step towards reducing exam stress and the overt importance given to syllabus completion. However the new system endorsing the vernacular as a medium of instruction is difficult to implement. We don’t have a culturally or linguistically homogeneous population in each state to choose a common language. Text books will have to be now written in vernacular languages, which hasn’t been done even after 73 years of independence! Moreover there will be a dearth of trained qualified teachers in all subjects, who can effectively teach in vernacular.
When the MHRD is focusing on “Ten Bag Less Days” I am not sure whether they are referring to 10 days out of 200+ school working days, in an academic session, or are they referring to 10 days per month. Either ways it is too less for any child to learn a new skill or vocation. Also why not have complete bag less days? That is very much needed for both physical and emotional well-being of the students.
While the NEP talks about skill development and identifying the child’s potential by using AI, it all seems a bit ambitious when there is a dearth of schools in many parts of rural India. Instead of utilisation of unused school space as ‘Samajik Chetna’ centres, more attention can be given to providing basic infrastructure, blackboard, textbooks and trained teachers to the rural schools. Program for social awareness can be included as a continuous annual activity.
Regarding the training of teachers, the government should focus on training in new methodologies, across all boards with continuous assessment, and upgradation of knowledge which has been proposed by the introduction of NPST and ICT, in the NEP2020. What about assessment of both public and private schools which will allow parents and students to assess schools instead of the eyewash of an “inspection” that takes place? That certainly will lead to the qualitative improvement of schools.
However, other features like— flexibility of subject choices, inter-disciplinary teaching methodology, reduction of exam stress, extending RTE to 18 years, emphasis on technology as a teaching methodology are commendable. But what about those learners or teachers whose financial conditions are so dire that they cannot afford technology? That question remains unaddressed.
The efforts to create facilities for students to avail online courses of foreign universities, opening up funding opportunities, making Ph.D accessible to the highest group of learners, are certainly encouraging. The proposal of resource pooling for a cluster of schools is a great idea. The focus on making special provisions for ‘gifted students’, expanding the NIOS and standardising the sign language are also commendable.
While the NEP 2020 is certainly futuristic and ambitious – trying to foster holistic approach from the early childhood stage, it still requires more introspection. Especially when the World Bank’s report estimates that India has over 50 per cent of learning poverty we need to prioritise ideas before implementing it.
Parent speak
“I Want to be a Better Parent than my Parent”. Isn’t this natural? Wouldn’t our parents have tried to be better parents than their parents?
Being a professional career counsellor, I interact with parents, almost on a daily basis. During my discussion with them I always enquire : “What makes you a better parent than your parents?” And I hear a lot of – giving my child a variety of food, more chocolates, more pocket money and a never ending list of material things. These parents take pride in providing more material things. Of course, few of them also highlight more love, more discussions on life lessons and more mentoring. I wish to hear to more about togetherness – reading together, buying books together, playing together, cooking together, watching impactful movies together, relaxing together, cycling together, studying together, learning together, dreaming together and more.
Parenting comes with a lot of responsibility and as a blessing to see your extension. This role starts from the neonatal stage and each childhood memory has a lifelong impact on personal and professional life. To become self aware of our everyday habits, behaviours and communications with our child requires constant introspection. There may be many areas of parenting that you would like to perform better than your parents, but there would also be few areas of parenting in which your parents would have done a better job. Recollecting and reflecting on those and bringing them to practice can strengthen your bond with your child.
Is it easy? As easy as cooking food, playing cricket, coding for a new service? This is a full time job and if accepted with happiness then you are immersed in it and your child’s personality reflects your high spirits. Would you need help? Ofcourse. Talk to your elders, peers or mentors to seek guidance to ease this full time job. Is there a retirement age? Not really, because you don’t want to retire. This is like spending 14 years in ‘Banwas’ as Lord Rama and enjoying the fruits for life!
Then what is the magic that will work? Kids do what we do, and not what we say. You as a parent is the first role model in your child’s life. Though you cannot be perfect, but, you can improve everyday and grow to be a parenting mentor!
Student voice
Humorizing mental illness… Not cool!
Nowadays, I constantly come across people around me not exactly “mocking” mental illness but, using it to add a comical aspect to their current state of mind. If you are a part of Generation Z, I’m certain you have heard people say things like, “Oh my God, I’m so depressed,” “If she gives us more homework, I’m going to commit suicide or something,” or maybe “I’ve gained so much weight I wanna go anorexic.” Whenever I mention that I feel anxious about something or that certain things give me anxiety, I can always expect a slight chuckle from people. If said virtually, an “LOL.”
The problem with this is that it can invalidate the feelings of a person who actually suffers from a mental illness. Which means it can diminish the worth of the challenges someone is facing. Quoting The Times of India: Suicide isn’t fun. Lose a friend or family member and you will understand how real depression is. These jokes hurt people.
Now, I’m not going to sit here and pretend like I haven’t told my fair share of mental illness related jokes. The important thing is growing from your mistakes and knowing the impact your words have.
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And Finally
Walk, shuffle, glide, bounce, tip toe… with your child on this song. Enjoy!
I have been a research scientist, a journalist and an educator for over 3 decades. I read and I write. With this weekly newsletter, I intend to share what I read, learn and experience as I continue to engage everyday with students, parents and teams of teachers across K-12 schools, higher education institutions and ed-tech organisations.
3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv is a newsletter for you to subscribe and enjoy your learning journey with me. Most of you would have been too busy to track trends in education, ponder on most relevant thoughts or deliberate on career choice, parenting or pedagogy. Find it all here. This week, it consists of: 3 images, 2 thoughts and 1 video.
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Nivedita Mukerjee 
Ms Niv,
I don’t know if you remember, but in 2018, you offered me the same advice on how a taboo topic could be a teachable moment. From then on, my relationship with students and gaining their trust grew twofold.
It is a lovely idea to take some time out of the syllabus, to educate young students about different issues on equity and inclusion. A simple survey could do that, a task under 5 minutes to get them to think and share their perspective. I love it!
So good to see this issue has covered almost all the major stakeholders of the learning community!
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