2-Can Pedagogic Analysis be anathema?

During the recent secondary level Curriculum revisions  in God’s Own Country,   some Teacher Educators were invited to participate  in a discussion on finalizing the  Secondary Curriculum  transaction.

One of the  representatives of the body of  ‘scholars’ dispatched by the agency assigned the task of Secondary Curriculum revision, during discussions, cut short a participant’s attempt at  discussing  ‘Pedagogic Analysis’. The  gentleman opined that ‘Pedagogic Analysis’ has no place in the Constructivist Curriculum!

A Clinical Psychologist-cum-Teacher Educator present  during the deliberations  immediately gave a justification which was an eye opener to all present.

“ Now… if you give a short story  of the famous  writer Basheer to a dramatist for staging, he would start  analyzing it  in terms of cast, action, lighting and  stage setting.

 If your give the same story to Adoor Gopalakrishnan the noted film maker, he will analyze it in terms of shots, scenes, camera angels etc.

Similarly if you give a short story to a teacher he will analyse it in  terms of moral values, social criticism, class room learning experiences, and identify ways of evaluating teaching of the short story.”

The ‘representative’s ego was severely punctured! Needless to say that the Clinical Psychologist-cum-Teacher Educator was never again invited for  discussions on the Curriculum in God’s Own Country! Can Pedagogic Analysis be anathema?

1-Teaching & Art

[ Originally published on 05 Sep 2007, the day India celebrates Teacher’s Day]

What is Art ?

Art is a skilled exercise of human faculties… It refers to the creation of something aesthetically satisfying. According to an idealistic view, art is only completely expressed when material  is re-formed, re-created, re-fused, by divine afflatus.(Everymans Encyclopaedia)

In the broadest sense art refers to expressions of spiritual as opposed to material, consciousness of perception… deals with what is beyond , or outside the possibility of demonstrating by mechanical or scientific testing… being concerned with the expression of imagination and the translation of emotion.(Practical Knowledge of Art)

 There are , I believe, several things to be considered  before classifying  something as art. Mainly there  are  two  implications of calling something an art- only a few people possesses the skills required to be called ‘artists’, and even the artists find it difficult to describe their artistry and pass it on only by acting as models to imitate.

 Teaching  & Art

In ordinary conversation it is not uncommon for teaching  to be referred to as  art.  Some arrive at this view  after considerable thought and it will invariably be based on a carefully developed  concept of teaching .

 If teaching is considered an art , it goes without saying that it requires long practice for its perfection . Teaching is  complex, if we consider the fact that  the object  in teaching is never static; it is a living process that is coloured by the past experience as well as the present mood of the learner.

In many ways the teacher is a craftsman. But a   true craftsman   must be free to express himself within  the principles which govern his work. Just as the most original painter is governed by laws of perspective, by laws of colour mixture add by laws of colour perception, so the teacher  is governed by the nature of the human material  with which he works, by the nature of the material he teaches, and by the ultimate aim which he accepts  as the goal of his efforts.

What does an artist working on clay or wood do?

He handles dead material and imparts life to it through his work . He gives the shape he likes, expresses his own ideas and makes  the object as he likes. He imposes his will on the material with which he works, and creates an object.

Is  teacher an artist?

Well… the teacher doesn’t use the chisel and hammer…yet he makes an impact felt. He creates learning situations ,motivates, arranges  conditions for the mind and body to grow, introduces changes in the behaviour pattern, and  inspires noble thoughts and feelings.

So… don’t you , dear reader, agree that the teacher is an artist  too…???

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