Going back to Gurukul - to be a Cool Guru

Was updating my tagline on Google+ and thought of the above - how apt. We have really come a full circle in education. The ancient scriptures describe how each child was given the exposure to all facets of knowledge - Mathematics, Science, Astronomy, Spirituality, Literature, Painting, Sculpture, Philosophy - what we now call complete education. The ancient teachers taught without a formal classroom environment, with anecdotes and practical experiences - Learning by doing, project based learning in today's terminology.

We, who are from the sub-continent, can go on comparing and being smug with pride that centuries later, society has redeemed its faith in the ancient Indian methodology of teaching/ learning. But, has it been accepted universally as yet and more importantly, can it be accepted? The answer is an obvious, emphatic NO.

With teeming thousands starving for education and millions more starving for food, how can we hope to provide for that kind of education to the world? So, it is dependent on benevolent governments to fund such a system, which in the current era of "forced austerity" seems more like a pipe dream than anywhere near reality, which means, once again, the best education will be the privilege of the most resourceful (read RICH), who are not necessarily the only bright learners!!
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

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