Lesson 15: Contributions of Indian Philosophers to Early Childhood Education
Educational ideas and their implications
Creative approach to education: He suggested a creative approach for education i. e. education should be organized around a central theme. Child should be given freedom to find many approaches to the subject. Many ideas could be built around some original subject.
Function of education: The principal function of education is to discover the “psychic being” within the person. This could be done by focusing for some time on oneself, through concentration and focusing on an idea or problem.
Vehicles of learning: There are 4 vehicles of learning, the vital (body), the physical (environment), the mental (attention, perception, problem solving) and psychic are instrumental in cultivating power and knowledge in individuals.
Independent work by children: He suggested that lectures were essential but at minimum level. More emphasis should be given to independent work of children under the supervision of teacher. Children should be given more number of worksheets to work in heuristic approach.
Free progress system: It prompts the child to advance the principle of freedom and choice of education. According to this system,
Each student proceeds at his own rate. The students are allowed free choice in their subjects of study and examinations. The students may concentrate on one or two subjects only. The child discovers the knowledge by himself by first hand experience through the activities provided by the teacher.
Education is merely an invitation and suggestive to learning.
the classroom should be organized in an open place. i.e called open class system. This is currently popular in some western countries.
Teacher’s Role: Teacher has to help children to acquire knowledge. She should create proper learning environment. The teacher must be a saint and a great yogi to become a good teacher. She must be a guru- a communicator of love, knowledge, power and beauty.
Training of the senses: The five senses and the mind form the six senses of man. Training of all senses is the essential part in education. The child is to be made interested in life, work and knowledge. His intellectual curiosity must be aroused and he should develop an attitude of a scientist. Child artistic creation should be developed through imitation and imagination.
Participants