What Is Stopping Us Let Our Children PLAY?

It is that time of the year when young and old alike, look forward to joyously swirl around in circles and play to the tune of dandiya beats. The thrill of just letting go and truly enjoying oneself with the company of those you cherish or even by oneself is liberating. It also captures the essence of play.    

The importance of play has been well documented. Plato (429-347 B.C.) had reportedly observed, “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” In the eighteenth century Rousseau (1762/1930), in his book ‘Emile’ wrote about the importance of observing play as a vehicle to learn about and understand children. The importance of play in education also has been well documented. And yet, alarmingly we are now moving toward a culture which either treats play as an appendage or has more frighteningly, with the advent of technology, attempted at substituting or overriding it.

Incidentally, last week, I had presented a ten-minute documentary film (shot in 2 settings - Kangaroo Kids, Kandivali and the shots of the Aarey milk Adivasi children) on 'Building perspectives through play' in ‘Kaleidoscope of Play in India – 2014’, a national conference conducted by the International Play Association (IPA) ,India and Centre for Human Ecology, TISS. We were a group of highly involved educationists, school administrators, NGOs and advocates promoting true ‘inclusion’ in education and life beyond school and for the right of children to play and express themselves.

It was an opportunity for all Parents, Teachers, Trainers, Facilitators, Students to have a plethora of information on Play- its benefits and the Right of every child to play on one platform. Perhaps, the existence of an international NGO fighting for the rights of children (as defined by Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child), since 1961, itself is rather unfortunate while telling. To some, this might even seem absurd and confounding.  Don’t children play all the while? Do they? Not if we take into account the shrinking and disappearing playgrounds, the rising number of child labourers and the displacement of physical play that technology has induced.

Play now has disparate notions. We see children being shuttled from one hobby class to other, with little time for unstructured play – to just be. We have also seen children as young as four just hooked onto their gadgets, playing mobile games, beating each other’s scores and their parents’! On the other hand we also see well-intentioned albeit misguided parents stacking up children’s bedrooms with toys up to the ceilings, which most researchers would say hamper the creativity of children due to overstimulation. Contrastingly, for children from underprivileged sections play might entail playing with the dirt, rubble, and whatever leftover materials you could make them or just running around. Such an environment is marked by a dearth of stimuli. The trick is to find that balance. If children irrespective of socio-economic backgrounds were left to themselves, they would love to play with objects most connected with nature or day-to-day activities, which they could most relate with.

Children love to express themselves with sand, mud, paint and among toys, building blocks which proves as a fantastic stimulant. Toy blocks and other construction toys might not be as flashy as battery-powered robots or video games. But, as developmental psychologist Rachel Keen notes, parents and teachers "need to design environments that encourage and enhance problem solving from a young age" (Keen 2011).

Children learn best through hands-on experiences, and block play is a valuable part of cognitive development in preschoolers. Using blocks, children can piece together shapes to create a bigger picture, whether it is a representation of something they have seen or from their imagination. Exploring with blocks also nurtures an understanding for math, science, language and dramatic play. Construction toys also ideally help children develop motor and spatial skills, hand-eye coordination, creative and divergent thinking, social and language skills.

Children in any setting love to play, imagine, role play - let them. Make sure to indulge their creative fantasies and topsy-turvy ideas when invited into their make-believe world. Above all, keep up the spirit of play in daily routines. Play is a state of being and need not really have a demarcated time to allot to it. It is a way of life! Why must we inadvertently deprive them of their right to just be?

‘As astronauts & Space travelers, children puzzle over the future;  As dinosaurs & princess they unearth the past; As weather reporters & restaurant workers they make sense of reality; as monsters & gremlins they make sense of the unreal’ - Unknown

Relevance of Hindi and Regional Languages Education in Globalised Era

On September 14^th India commemorated ‘Hindi Divas’. It was on this day in 1949 when Hindi (Devnagari script) was adopted as the Official Language by the Constituent Assembly of India.  Being among the handful preschools in the country to impart structured Hindi early childhood education programme weaved into the main English programme curriculum from playschool (1.5 years) onward, we celebrate this day every year at our preschool.  We firmly believe in the importance of multilingual education. As long as there is consistent exposure, children can learn up to 21 languages when in preschool. As compared to children who just speak just one language bilingual children can communicate better, read more, decode words effectively, are very creative and are good at problem solving. A 1974 UNESCO report on interactions between Linguistics and mathematical Education underlined the interdependence of language skills and mathematical skills. 

Isn’t it ironical then how despite India’s much touted multilingualism, India’s education system has failed to impart proficient language skills thereby translating into communicative incompetency? The failure to incorporate a tactical, dynamic and skill-oriented policy for language education has led to a divide – between English and the regional languages. As a result, most Indians are neither proficient in English nor the regional languages. The few Indians who know English proficiently are inept in regional languages and the ones who are proficient in regional languages aren’t so in English.

English has of course been gaining ground so far over the other vernacular mediums including Hindi for the obvious saleability and ‘prestige’ factor associated with it. An English graduate with second class is far likelier to be given a job rather than a first-class graduate in a regional language with second language as English.

India follows a three-language education policy - regional language, English and Hindi. However, arguably, the curricular objectives of teaching regional language, Hindi and English have to be clearly defined. Skill oriented teaching of Hindi and prose in regional literatures are hardly pursued. Moreover the approach to language education is rigid. There is no distinction between teaching language as a subject and using language as a medium. 

Languages are interdependent and critical in both formal and non-formal education. Given that literacy is primarily a language related competence, is it a surprise that a nation speaking 700 languages has yet to achieve 100% literacy levels? In a multilingual nation like India it is imperative to work out ways to seam languages - those spoken at home and at school.  We need to expose children to languages simultaneously early on; particularly at the rural levels. The sudden introduction of formal English or second language post-primary after being exposed to monolingual education throughout primary education perpetuates inequalities. The need of the hour is to work out a strategic bilingual pre-primary and primary education programme for a structured and integrated transfer from home to school language.

It is time we stopped politicising language study and bracket communities or strata as per the language spoken. No language has more credence over the other. Hindi is the third most spoken language in the world after Mandarin Chinese and English. Even the US has designated Hindi as a ‘super-critical needs language’, among the topmost category of languages in the new century. China has introduced study of Hindi in many of its universities. Hindi is also expected to figure among the six global languages in the coming centuries. Undoubtedly, we need our citizens to be proficient in English keeping in mind its universal appeal. However, the essence of the study of Hindi, English and regional language is complementary. It isn’t competitive. How can one touch the mind and the other the heart? 

Empowering Youth – Where Are Our Schools Faltering?

A close friend recently remarked how she has finally made up her mind about dropping out her 13 year old child from a respectable international school and homeschool him. She consulted a large, prominent homeschooling parents group and has now decided to take the plunge.  Schools, she said “were killing my child’s creativity and just providing literacy skills”. She had switched three schools successively and was very unhappy with the quality of education being imparted in schools and its core values. Incidentally, she was already the third parent I knew who would be doing so, joining the ranks of a growing tribe of parents home-schooling their children.  Needless to say, being an educator placing utmost importance on developing of every individual holistically and as true to self, I was perturbed.  Is formal education failing our children?

These were some of the most respectable schools in Mumbai forming the league of new-age international schools, reputed private schools and not public schools or government schools which continues to witness a large exodus of students leaving studies in spite of the RTE Act. (According to reports, in primary school education, the drop-out rate has increased to 0.97% from 0.58% in 2011-12 due to well-established factors like ignorance among parents, responsibilities at home, inaccessibility of schools, disengaging curriculum, migration etc.) Failure of public education system is well documented due to government schools plagued with teacher absenteeism, low teacher morale, crumbling infrastructure and an archaic curriculum which fails to engage students from communities already battling many issues.

However, what about private schools? With the dawn of the new age international schools, low student teacher ratio, holistic development and assessment, great infrastructure, learner-centric modules were introduced. Issues plaguing the traditional education system of rote learning and evaluating students unidimensionally on archaic irrelevant knowledge seemed to have gotten a shot in the arm. However, with thousands of such schools springing up everywhere, lack of effective regulation, dearth of quality teachers, even the better known schools are struggling with learning outcomes. The need for a dynamic system is imperative since education is always in a state of continuity. It is indeed ironical therefore that an institution which has the unparalleled challenge of predicting future needs of a society and moulding the aspirations and skills that will drive it must mould children within set, rigid frameworks.

It isn’t any wonder then that an increasing number of parents and students are getting disenchanted and questioning the method of getting educated. While homeschooling was born due to this gap and has met with much success (though its connotations vary), not many can afford to dedicate the resources in terms of time and money. Do we then have a solution? Renowned academicians and successful personalities have openly questioned the efficacy of mass schooling – an invention of the Industrial Era to train people to work in industries, mould their mindsets and skills from the manual labour they were used to in the Agricultural era. With changing times and the current Information Age, is the current education system run its course? What is education and how must its outcomes be measured?  In this knowledge economy it is undoubtedly the skills of the people that will propel growth of societies and nations.

That we are still grappling with achieving 100% basic literacy in the country is of course a matter of shame. However, what is equally perturbing is that even our graduates and postgraduates from well-reputed colleges are finding it difficult to get employed.  A recent study highlighted that while India has among the highest number of engineers graduating, a meagre 10% was found to be employable. Which means the education of 90% engineers isn’t worth a dime! And this is the scenario of typically every professional and graduate degree course. Clearly, we need to evolve fast! Merely paying lip service to education –as defined eons ago -- isn’t going to take us further.

We need to rehaul the entire education system which would truly empower every child irrespective of socio-economic background to reach his/her potential. Schools must be lively, dynamic, interactive bodies perpetuating creativity and not stifling it. We need to encourage children to learn at their own pace, do away with age criteria to write board exams, focus on imparting skills-based education and change assessment patterns which only tests linguistic and literacy prowess of children. We need to interweave the systematic study of the arts especially fine arts and performing arts.

A child is constantly learning – from his environment, school, parents, friends, nature… Why then seek education within the four walls of a classroom alone? Learning should be fun. According to the US Census Bureau by 2025 India is set to surpass China as the largest country with largest proportion in the working age category. This demographic dividend is expected to add 2 percentage points per annum to India’s per capita GDP growth. Can we imagine the contribution of an empowered youth comprising thinkers, innovators, entrepreneurs, artists, activists, writers, skilled force in the coming years? This requires a drastic change in the mind-sets of all stakeholders. We need to work as partners – the parents, the school and the state.  It was a wise person who said ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’

Shield Yourself – So that the Devils Fear to Tread!

December 16^th 2012. It was a black letter day for India when a bright and brave girl was violently raped and assaulted in a moving bus by six men. Her body was so brutalised that it shook the entire nation’s conscience. They named her Nirbhaya – the fearless one, given the grit with which she attempted to fight back the brutes as they ripped her gut out with a rusted iron bar. Her parents, from a socially backward community, had rebelled against societal dictat of raising girls as cattle meant only to breed and had gone to great lengths to educate her. Even as the nation seethed with rage and protested, more such assaults followed and it continues to do so. Rampantly. Unabashedly.  

The issues surrounding rape, child abuse and assault that need to be dealt with are many and mired in social, political and legal system failures. However, there is one critical aspect that surprisingly remains overlooked – training of women in self-defence. It isn’t new to India and was in fact an integral aspect in ancient India. During the Maurya Dynasty under Ashoka, as testified in Arthasasthra (~350-283 BC) women were trained in martial arts including sword fighting, bow and arrow, wrestling and were chosen as the bodyguards of kings. The two main Indian martial arts practiced by women in India currently are kushti (wrestling) and kalari (kerala martial art). Kalari was important in the system of education in Kerala where women and men were trained in combat fighting and weaponry fighting. Overall though, training women in self-defence is yet to be taken seriously and even understood correctly.

The Nirbhaya incident sparked the zeal in me to bring to fore this particular aspect since I have always believed in the importance of building physical endurance among women and children. I have worked and activated extensively for causes of child empowerment and fight against child sexual abuse and continue to do so. I was fortunate to be born into a family that encouraged me to pursue sports and training from a young age. It’s also the reason why my preschool is perhaps among the handful in the city for having incorporated a structured sports program which includes martial training for kids as young as three. Generally, self-defence in women has been restricted to a handful from privileged backgrounds. However, what about inclusion of girls from backward communities who face so many challenges daily?

And so, when a group of us got together and reminisced how important it was to launch a martial training initiative for women, as if by collective, intent consciousness ‘Shield Yourself’ concept dawned upon us. First in our hearts then our minds, sparking waves of collective but focussed action and a wondrous mission gathered momentum.  Shield yourself is a martial-training initiative under which girls from 4 years to women of 60 years will be trained to combat  provocative and dangerous assaults. It also aims to sharpen their minds and senses. Our first training centre has been set up in Kandivali East. To commemorate its launch we will be conducting ‘The All Girls Maharashtra Championship’ on 24^th August in Mumbai which has 300 martial arts participants from across the state will compete. We have simultaneously begun training 25 girls aged 4-17 years from the tribes that inhabit the Aarey milk colony jungles who are being trained alongside a handful of boys to eliminate any bias for strength training. These girls aspire to take part in championships and participate in state and national events and idolise Mary Kom. Our trainers, expert champions in Kung Fu, have already spotted exceptional talent among quite a few and we are striving to help them realise their dreams.

Kung Fu was conceptualised in ancient India by Gautam Buddha and spread to China where it found an elevated status. It is a combination of Judo and Gymnastics. We focus on animal techniques, kick boxing and have also introduced weapon training. We are also teaching them how common accessories such as pens, waist belt, umbrellas can be used as a weapon. Self-defence training definitely needs a holistic approach and involves going deep into minds of both the victim and the perpetrators of crime. Concurrently, we are also teaching them hygiene and plan to engage with their schools to work upon their standard of education.

I believe self-defence education must be made mandatory in all schools and reports have globally documented the vast benefits of empowering women by imparting these skills. Nirbhaya’s murder represented the killing of millions of aspirations and potential of our girl children, sacrificed for the fear and stigma associated with rape. They are the weaker ones, society says.  Protect Them, Stifle Them, Guard Them but Why not EMPOWER them to fight their battles? It is time we empowered our women to be fearless and invoke fear in the minds of the beasts instead - Shield yourself!

Child Abuse - Thriving at the wrong end of the stick!

The recent rape of a six-year-old schoolgirl in a reputed Bangalore school jolted the nation’s conscience. Even as a national outrage ensued, several shocking incidents of child abuse were reported across the country. Crimes against children are indeed reaching alarming proportions. The National Crime Records Bureau reported a total of 58,224 crimes against children, up 52 percent from last year and a whopping rise by 133 percent over 2009! And these are just what have been reported. A government report in 2007 highlighted 53 percent children have faced one or more forms of sexual abuse. It is a fact that most cases go unreported for the fear of social stigma, an inept bureaucracy and judicial system.

The Bangalore incident is outrageous more so since a child was abused within the vicinity which was supposed to protect and nurture her!  The management’s callous and unscrupulous approach of allegedly covering up the crime and destroying evidence is despicable. It highlights the need for parents to understand the core values of the school vis-à-vis the projected glamour in its sales pitch or brochures. It also emphasises the pertinent need for doing a thorough background and criminal record check when inducting school faculty and for providing regular counselling to school staff. 

Technically, it 's a wake-up call to schools all over the country particularly the government since most government schools are without functional toilets, boundary walls and any basic security! According to a 2012 survey by a children’s foundation, only 10 per cent schools had a child protection policy. Even though the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act came into effect in 2012, a meagre number of schools have complied.

While child abuse is yet another eventuality of lack of stringent punitive measures, a crippled social/economic environment and an apathetic bureaucracy, one of the most inadvertent causes is the society itself. It stems from the recesses of a society’s darkest alleys and personnel from schools as other professionals are of course an extension of it. Could WE have a role in the thriving of this evil? Let’s reflect. How do we treat a child? How seriously do we listen to a little voice? Do we encourage children to speak up? 

Even in education, far too much emphasis has been given to respect teachers rather than respect oneself first; on being obedient rather than take initiatives or lead or learning to state differences of opinion; on inducing discipline at all costs! Are we treating our children with the respect they deserve so they know the difference when they are being treated otherwise and are confident to oppose it? Spine-chilling visuals of a three-year-old being brutally beaten and kicked around by his tutor and that of a visually impaired child being beaten by his teachers speak of a deeply embedded issue.

The issue highlights a critical miss of the Indian society which believes that discipline and corporal punishment go hand-in-hand. How can respect be derived from children when it is withdrawn from them?  What good does locking a child in a dark room serve? A school’s perspective when it comes to protecting or disciplining a child speaks volumes of its commitment to preserve and respect the sanctity of a child’s being. 

Positive disciplinary techniques can be used to assist children acquire correct behaviour without the fear of violence. However, most teachers aren’t equipped or are too understaffed to handle so many kids. Patience wears thin; unsurprisingly, the very first casualty is the confidence of the child! Unfortunately, abusers prey on such timid and battered spirits.        

A floundered parent community in Bangalore was quoted describing the sports instructor who raped the six-year old - “He looked normal”, “He is married”, “His wife is pregnant”, etc. These are stereotypical assumptions we keep encountering in our campaign against child abuse which we initiated years back. Child abuse rattles us and we can’t believe that humans can assuage the role of monsters with such ease but the fact is that there is no ‘type’ or an abuser profile. For certainty though, they thrive on silence. A child’s!

‘Chuppi todo’ or ‘Break the silence’ is a crucial activity we undertake by sensitising children, as young as two years, to ‘good and bad touch’. But undoubtedly, the most important aspect is the trust a child shares with the parent which enables her to be herself, stand for her beliefs, speak up loudly and be confident she will be listened to. ‘Disciplining’ shouldn’t be at the cost of breaking that sacred bond. 

Every child is worthy of our absolute attention. The most important belief we must embed in our young through our interaction with them at home and school is best summed by the tagline of a popular commercial - ‘I am worth it!’