Education in search of a philosophy by Marjorie Sykes

‘Education in search of a philosophy’

The author writes in a very simple language and very much resonate to the kind of ideology our organization believe in. The book give a good historical background of various approach mention in our present progressive educational policies like NCF. The argument and justification of those ancient thinkers are also mention clearly with very rich relevant quotes.  The book starts by trying to answer the quest, why history repeats itself? The answer to it is vividly given by Vinoba as ‘history repeats itself because people never learn from history’. NCF-2005 and all recent education policies spoke about every child as unique, Active learner and Activity base learning but all this concept has be propounded as early as Socrates and Plato in ancient Greek, in Vedic age, Quintilian in ancient Rome, Rabindranath Tagore, Quintilian, Vittorino, Comenius from Poland, Pestalozzi, Froebel, Nunn, British philosopher Alfred North whitehead and Eric Formm social philosopher besides other thinkers. But still today in 21^st century we are struggling against rote learning, against child as an empty vessel, bookish learning wordy and lecture mood teaching. So this reality totally affirms that man never learn from history.

Reading this book will surely come handy when we try to dialogue with teachers during our engagement with them. The misconception or misappropriation of the meaning of education was dealt in the book.   The origin of the school which means leisure derive from Greek word “skhole”  and does not mean idleness but a place of  pursuit of intelligence and justice (by Plato) and Vignanam (understanding) and Anand (joy) (as inherent of human being in Taittiriya Upanishad). But the current education under the influence of education as instrumental (utilitarian) purpose was totally the antithesis of its origin. It has become a place where school is a place of pressure, burden, mechanical excellence, competition without understanding and cramp in a small class room and student seated in a most painful position.

As the author summaries about human being in the following ways it was a reality check our educational approach in what we try for and the mess it has created:

1) Human being is an intelligent animal he is also a creature who does not live by bread alone but by understanding and by joy

2) Therefore education for livelihood and education for living are both necessary, but both must promote growth in understanding and in joy if they are fully to satisfy human needs.

3) The education system in India fails to provide satisfactory either for livelihood or for living because

a.      It is a highly competitive process of selection for only one form of livelihood, Viz the clerical occupations

b.      competitive pressure leaves no leisure for disinterested pursuit of knowledge or skill for its own sake

The book dealt in detail about the purpose of the education as it talks about education where ‘thoughts are provoke’ like the one put forth by Gandhi and in the ‘thinking school of Buddhism’ and the current education system where there is no space for thinking as a child have to memories so many figures and facts. Socrates ways of reasoning and questioning for transforming present system has scope in current education. The current educational sickness is clearly pointed out by quoting  Heraclitus of ancient Greek who said that much knowledge does not teach understanding where our education encourage acquisition of factual or verbal knowledge rather than independent inquiry which leads to understanding. The book help you to understand a balance approach (idealistic and realistic) when the author dealt about the debate of spinning for Swaraj between Gandhi and Tagore.

Another very interesting topic is on issue of ‘discipline’ in school. The nature of discipline that should be rejected and the nature of discipline that should be promoted in order to facilitate children development are dealt effectively. The author lament about education which does not promote the joy of understanding, the desire and curiosity for excellence but mediocre base on pass mark and percentage base examination.  She talk about the danger of society who wanted to exploit nature and own it rather than living in reverence with the nature.

When the author talk about consumer society it would be prick our conscience more than the target group we are engage with.  It may sound an alarm ring if you introspect as the author speak about the greed, the wanton, and nasty destruction of environment around us all facilitate by educational process. All her argument are supported by metaphoric expression done by various thinkers like Tagore, Gandhi and Vinoba (Indian Thinkers) so her outside identity has less factor in relevance of the book.  The author help you to differentiate vocational education from education effective from the argument of its motives.

In the second chapter ‘Education for citizen’s’ dichotomy about state made for man and man not for state over the idea that every man does not belong to himself but to state and each every part of state was dealt with. The author rise the question societal responsibility or state responsibility in education. The conflict of individual freedom, real liberty, freedom of speech when education is totally control by state was discussed with very interesting references. The author asked some important question such as, Are teacher accountable to state or society? The author question our society if individual worth, personal freedom and dignity has been compromise in the name of conformity, class consciousness, materialism or nationalism? Are we celebrating the diversity and are we unified by our common belief? Does our school reflect democratic nature or thus it represent hierarchical or authoritarian experience among the children?  Are our education promoting socialist democratic society? Does our education teach us that physical labor is below the dignity of an educated man?  The materialistic emphasis and negligence of values in public education is a serious threat to democratic and socialist character of our nation. The author therefore express ‘education for individual’ as equally important as ‘education for citizens’. The vigilant, critical and concern citizens are the need of the nation and not a blind nationalist or ignorant citizens.  The above question is equally important for us as teacher’s educator and citizens as well. The book would help us to think of ourselves as universal being not bind under a mere Nation, state, culture or religion Etc. The book may have done justice to its title in search of Philosophy but if it argument are substantiate more by her class room teaching experience the problem of Praxis may be minimize. The book may also fine more reader in that case.