NEP-Principle-1
Principle number one of NEP is Recognizing, identifying, and fostering the unique capabilities of each student, by sensitizing teachers as well as parents to promote each student’s holistic development in both academic and non-academic spheres;
When I read this first principle of NEP, I realize that I have been associated with schools , parents and students for over 25 years and I have actually heard, discussed and tried to implement this principle at few places as well. I have done my own finding out and going out of my way to understand the uniqueness of the child by studying and analyzing several novel pedagogy approaches and psychological theories. But if we read this first fundamental principle of NEP closely , then we will notice that here the emphasis is being given to schools refining and sharpening its teachers, as well as sensitizing parents to promote holistic development of children in both academic and non-academic spheres.
In my experience as teacher trainer and school reviewer I have interacted with several school teachers and parents of children studying in schools and I have realized that in a demography like India recognizing, identifying fostering unique capabilities of any student become very challenging , because most parents are insecure to let their child take a unique path and most teachers are bound with in the framework of academic curriculum and deadlines. There is not much scope to seriously promote any sort of ‘differentness’ and freedom to target holistic developemnt in a real meaningful way, in an average Indian school environment.
Having said that, I firmly believe that the school can be a friend to a child and school, teachers and parents can work together towards the holistic development of a child for this the school has to foster a supportive environment that promotes strong relationships among staff, students, and families. Most schools in our country even today are based on antiquated designs that emulate the factory model, wherein students cycle through classrooms and teachers see hundreds of students a day. These structures depersonalize learning at a time when students need and would benefit from long-term relationships with teachers and peers.
Creating a positive school climate based on strong relationships provides a bedrock for learning. Students of the smallest of schools located in the remotest part of India need to feel a sense of safety and belonging in order to thrive in school. Some elements that promote a sense of community and allow teachers to know their students, include, smaller school and class sizes, looping, where teachers stay with the same students for a longer period of time, advisory classes that provide students with a community and allow teachers to check in with students and parents on a consistent basis and teachers who practice cultural competence, inviting students’ experiences into the classroom and communicating that all students are valued. In addition to this school must implement meaningful, engaging instructional practices that develop students’ ability to manage their own learning. Many students who drop out of high school in smaller towns and villages of India think that classrooms are not useful and interesting enough. What they learn will not help them much as there is very less opportunity for real-world learning.
Instructions given by teachers should be based on students’ prior experiences and scaffold learning by meeting them where they are at. For example, teachers can connect lessons in mathematics to common tasks students are engaged in that use those skills, such as in cooking, artwork, sports, and other settings. Or they can connect a history unit on the Freedom movement to modern-day issues like the police brutality against people belonging to underprivileged sections.
When the curriculum prescribed by the schools, skillfully combines direct instruction with, inquiry-based learning , it drives students’ interests, boosts their motivation and develops real-world skills. In one of the schools that I visited, I remember students decided to study how environmental pollution affects the rivers and then designed a campaign to reduce waste and litter and increase recycling at their own school. These projects teach valuable skills of collaboration, problem solving, and organization, and have a tangible impact.
Assessments that include feedback and opportunities to revise work, help students learn how to develop an intrinsic desire, to understand the material and challenge themselves, beyond just passing a test or getting good marks. For example, schools can cultivate student inquiry and revision skills by assigning yearlong research projects—that give students an opportunity to learn deeply about an issue that matters to them and, often, work to create change in their own community. These projects are usually revised to meet a high standard of inquiry and presented to panels of educators and other adults from outside the school, like a dissertation defense. These kind of assessments in students interest area will let students control their own education. These kinds of effective instructional strategies connect learning to students’ lives and empower them to use their knowledge for their own and others’ benefit.
Further, develop habits, skills, and mindsets that build students’ social, emotional, and academic competence. Many students in schools these days report feeling stressed at school most of the time. Developing students’ social-emotional skills teaches them how to manage stress, while also boosting social skills like collaboration and empathy. Schools must aim to teach these skills explicitly through programs of social-emotional learning, which have been found to improve students’ achievement, as well as their feelings of safety and belonging at school.
Create an integrated system of school supports that includes extended learning opportunities and community partnerships because not all children in Indian schools have the material and money that affords access to high-quality learning environments and experiences. High-income parents can increase their spending on “enrichment activities” for their children, like tutoring and extracurricular activities that support their unique abilities, but for low-income parents it is not always possible. These differentials augment the achievement gap between affluent and low-income students for a country like India. That is why additional supports are also needed for the growing number of children who experience adversity in the form of poverty and less privileges.
May be schools can practice the community schools’ model in which schools partner with families and community organizations to provide well-rounded educational opportunities and supports for students’ school success. It typically includes before- and after-school enrichment programs, such as mentoring and academic support, as well as other learning opportunities during summer vacations , like workshops on film and art, sports camps or any other skill development workshops, where students learn from professionals through internships or workshops on topics of interest, like technology, literature, performing arts etc. These kinds of support reflect a whole school approach to whole child development that maximizes opportunities for all children to succeed.
Research demonstrates that successful education cannot happen by fits and starts. Taking an integrated approach can help children, with all their complexity and humanity, to develop to their full potential. Home visits and regular parent-teacher-student conferences to strengthen connections between school and home thus recognizing, identifying, and fostering the unique capabilities of each student, by sensitizing teachers as well as parents to promote each student’s holistic development in both academic and non-academic spheres.