value education challenges and possibilities

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Value Education - Challenges & possibilities P.L.Dhar IITDelhi

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clarifies some common misconceptions regarding value education..... explains how it could be done in a universally acceptable manner.

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Page 1: Value education challenges and possibilities

Value Education - Challenges & possibilities

• P.L.Dhar

• IITDelhi

Page 2: Value education challenges and possibilities

Why Teach Values ?

• Value crisis is the root of all social and technogenic maladies

• Aristotle “..the fate of empires depends on the education of the youth.”

• Consequences of neglect of value education: “..perfection of means and confusion of the ends” …. Einstein

• What is education ? …Vision of Holistic Education

Page 3: Value education challenges and possibilities

Common Concerns about EHV

• EHV and Religious Education

• How can values be taught ? Values are picked up from the environment, from Role Models

• Only Enlightened beings can teach values, not ordinary mortals

Page 4: Value education challenges and possibilities

Dharma and Religion

• Each religion has two dimensions : outer sheath and the inner core

• Outer sheath:Conditioned by historic, social and political climate --parochial

• Inner core: spiritual truths Universal : Laws of Nature pertaining to the subjective world of Man : Dharma

Page 5: Value education challenges and possibilities

What is Dharma ?

• Dharma : basic nature or characteristic

• dharma of fire is to burn ; all beings are jaradharma

• sanatan dharma : Eternal Laws• Na hi verena verani samantidha kudacanam

Averena ca sammanti esa dhammo sanantano

Page 6: Value education challenges and possibilities

Value Education & Dharma

• Mental defilements like ill will, anger, animosity, hatred, greed, etc. have the characteristic of “agitation” and “burning”.

• Pure mind is full of love, compassion, kindness, generosity, etc. and has the characteristic of joy, peace, harmony.

• These laws are applicable to all.

• EHV: Understanding and Internalizing such laws.

Page 7: Value education challenges and possibilities

Can Values be taught ?

• “Taught” vs “caught” models and their implications

• No way out of the present morass• Inspiration rarely lasts after the charismatic person

has gone- example of Gandhiji• Is value neutral education possible ?• Any wider interpretation of facts, be these

historical, rational or scientific, necessitates value judgement .

Page 8: Value education challenges and possibilities

Can Values be taught ?

• The question is fundamentally flawed - value neutral education is a myth

• Absence of formal discussion results in conflicting signals from different teachers

• Role of family as an institution for value education : Present state of families

Page 9: Value education challenges and possibilities

How should values be “taught”?

Page 10: Value education challenges and possibilities

Cardinal Principles of Value Education

The foundation should not be made dependent on myth, or authority

Provoke the students to analyze the world and the experiences of their own life

-its goals, aspirations,etc.Value dimension should permeate teaching

Give practical training in self-restraint &self observation to actually inculcate values

Teachers as senior students, nor moral masters

Page 11: Value education challenges and possibilities

Analyzing nature …..to appreciate Interconnectedness

• Analysis of Breathing Process--natural cycles

• The continually changing constituents of human body

• Quantum theory : what is reality ?

• Silent contributors to our success--deep ecological perspective

• Interdependence-Inter-being concern for others

Page 12: Value education challenges and possibilities

Analyzing Nature……. The Evolutionary paradigm

• Theory of Evolution : Man has evolved from the living cell over billions of years through random genetic mutations + natural selection motivated by survival

• Quantum physics : At a deeper level matter and consciousness are actually inseparable…deep down the consciousness of mankind is ONE.

Page 13: Value education challenges and possibilities

The Evolutionary paradigm

• View of sages of ancient India : Evolution is a progressively clearer and more powerful manifestation of the Universal Consciousness pervading the Universe

• Matter--faint glimmer of the consciousness

• Plants --grow , breathe, communicate

• Animals--All the above+ movement+ elemental ethics

Page 14: Value education challenges and possibilities

The Evolutionary paradigm

• Human beings--Quantum jump in all abilities of animals + increased awareness, esp. awareness about self + ability of self control

• Future Evolution of Man --Huxley’s views : Man’s evolution is not biological but psycho-social; ..man’s most comprehensive aim is.. greater self-fulfillment through fuller realization of the possibilities

Page 15: Value education challenges and possibilities

Future Evolution of Man

• Aurobindo :..It is through consciousness, through its transmutation and no longer through a new bodily organism as a first instrumentation that the evolution can and must be effected.

• Neuroscientists: Fuller utilisation of the right cerebral hemisphere which functions in non-linear, intuitive, holistic modes

Page 16: Value education challenges and possibilities

Evolutionary Paradigm and Universal Human Values

• Future Evolution : Greater self fulfillment through movement to higher levels of consciousness

• UHV Values that help in this journey { love, compassion, generosity, truthfulness etc.}

• Undesirable values Those which drag us down the ladder of evolution { arrogance, lust, pride, anger, acquisitiveness, etc.}

Page 17: Value education challenges and possibilities

Analyzing Life’s experiences…I

• Do I feel happy when others– cheat , steal, abuse, beat me

• What kind of friend, employer, customer, servant, spouse, child......would I like?

• Is it true of all ?

Do unto others as you wish

others to do unto you

Page 18: Value education challenges and possibilities

Analyzing Life’s experiences …II

• What makes us really happy ? Greediness or generosity ?

Anger or forgiveness ?Cheating or honesty ?

Cruelty or compassion Falsehood or truthfulness ?

Is this universally true ?

Thus we can discover the requirements for happy living : The laws of nature dharma

Page 19: Value education challenges and possibilities

Analyzing Life’s Experiences..III

• UHV as requirement for happy living imposed by Dharma < laws of nature>

• pure mind leads to joy , impure to suffering

• UHV{ love, kindness, compassion, generosity, non-jealousy etc,} are the characteristics of pure mind

• Humanistic psychology - UHV as the higher needs of Man

Page 20: Value education challenges and possibilities

Value Conflicts in Daily Life

• Truthfulness : avoiding caller on ’phone ; disclosing terminal disease , owning up mistake , narcissism

• Honesty : Private Tuition, selling a house, Inflated Electricity bill, property tax

• Forbearance : trivial queries of weak students , criticism of colleagues/students

• Compassion : beggars , accident victim, giving lift in car

Page 21: Value education challenges and possibilities

Knowing vs Imbibing Values

• Duryodhana’s dilemma janami dharamam na ca me pravritt janami adharmam na ca me nivritti.

• Chasm between conscious & unconscious mind

• It is easier to denature plutonium than to denature the evil spirit of Man- A.Einstein

• Practical training in mental purification

• Vipassana as taught by the Buddha

Page 22: Value education challenges and possibilities

Value Orientation of Teaching

• Discuss in all subjects their value implications

– physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, social sciences…….

• Technology : Impact on society social, environmental and moral

• Marketing : Importance of being truthful

• Economics : There are many factors besides profit

• Business management : Ethical issues

Page 23: Value education challenges and possibilities

Responsibilities of Teachers of Value Education

• Become Role Models of Value based life– Teaching with love and compassion– professional integrity - transparency in evaluation– accepting shortcomings gracefully, humility– Regular meditation

• Working as senior students and not moral masters

Page 24: Value education challenges and possibilities

Concluding Remarks

• EHV is the paramount need of the hour to ensure survival of the humanity

• EHV is best done by encouraging the students to analyze the world and the experiences of their own life -its goals, aspirations, etc.

• Value inculcation needs practical training in self restraint and mental purification - possible through Vipassana meditation

• EHV Teachers have to be role models-- not moral masters but senior students

Page 25: Value education challenges and possibilities

Thank you!