There is an unparalleled
privilege in being surrounded with children and young minds - always bubbling
with ideas, raring to go every moment, looking forward to the next moment while
being fully engaged in the present one. Merely keeping them company motivates
me and presents me with perspectives I had either long forgotten or never paid
attention to. In fact I won’t be exaggerating when I say that I learn the most
when I am with them. Perhaps the one thing they reinforce in our lives the most
is doing what you love to do – having FUN!
We critically undermine the
importance of having fun in establishing and applying ourselves not just in
workspaces but in our personal lives as well. And it shows. This, even after studies
after studies, have reiterated how critical FUN is when it comes to achieving
outcomes across spheres, including the workspace. How can anyone thrive in a
career that isn’t their idea of ‘fun’?
Yet we have not only templatized
our lives but have unfortunately infiltrated the spaces of our children,
believing it will help in tailoring achievements wherein it is fun that should
be the driving element for reaching potential. Shantanu (name changed), a
special kid with autism in our preschool, only learns, when having fun or take
the case of another at risk child, Rahul (name changed) who has been a success
case with our school, and has only learnt through play. All schools had
rejected the child. These cases prove that we cannot ‘teach’ children; we at
best simply create an environment they like to learn and learning happens...
With the advent of international
boards, there has been a marked change of course especially with the preschool
segment across boards being revolutionised too. However, we leave fun there at
the convocation ceremony of the senior kindergartener. At preschool we treat children as their unique
selves, giving them time to bloom and then woosh.. time is up. Suddenly, they
have to grow up. No more imaginative plays, creativity is seldom bolstered, and
there seems to be this rush into rushing children into adulthood. There are a
handful of schools that try to extend the commitment to the learner and
dedicate their energies in developing the child beyond preschool. Committing to
fun is a tough decision. To have fun you must be engaged, your level of
involvement is much more and it is customised -
it cannot have a one size fits all approach.
Interestingly, it’s parents too
that keep up that pressure and expect a level of ‘seriousness’ to creep in
after a certain grade; they worry their child will lose out in the race. Even
if it is a rat race. The entire education system if realigned with the concept
of having fun and learning what you love rather than what works could do wonders
for not just our workforce but our nation. Gradually, perhaps a shift is taking
place with disruptive innovations due to technology. Increasing number of start
ups, government encouraging entrepreneurship, companies (not just the creative
ones) incorporating fun into their culture,
more courses for vocational training set up, new age education chains
revolutionising K-12 space… We have some hope even if distant that coming
generations won’t be deprived of having fun upon graduating kindergarten!
Oh and forgive me for not asking
as yet – ‘So, when was the last time you had FUN?’
