There was a time when we were school students and every new knowledge material that was thrown at us we used to grab them with both hands.
Today things have changed. On one hand the boards have decided to make our students handicapped by reducing the syllabus and have removed pressure so that they may become more prone to suicidal tendencies when faced with the real life challenges. An entire generation of students are coming out who are nothing more than paper tigers.
Well that is an entirely different matter altogether.
Here the problem is very different. I have been trying hard to make my students understand the need to do basic computer science but they won't listen. I have supplied them with materials. Taught them personally in a couple of classes. Tried to emphasize with them the need to start early. Spent money, time and energy from my side to be able to teach them a programming language. Unfortunately not many of them seem to be interested. They are more interested in IIT coaching rather than learning a humble programming language. Seems the rat race to entrance exams has killed the curiosity inherent in students.
As I see students moving up the ladder in school they get to focus more on entrance exams rather than their hobbies, and passion and knowledge. Anything that doesn't help in getting into entrance exams is no good and they are not interested.
When I was a lecturer of Physics at Engineering Colleges I was disillusioned by the approach of going-to-be- Engineers towards the grand daddy of engineering--- Physics. I was so disappointed that finally I left college and came into schools where students, I believed, are more interested and curious to know and understand the world around them. Not that they are not, but only till they reach class 9. As students reach 9th class suddenly there is a transformation and students become less curious and more focussed on IITs.
Not that I am against IIT. but that is definitely not the beginning and end of the world. There is the entire universe beyond that. Unfortunately a combination of Parental pressure, Peer Pressure, School Pressure and Stupidity has made this entire generation into rats. And the problem with a rat race is that even if you win you are still a rat only.
Somehow I am slowly believing that IITs are responsible for the death of curiosity in students regarding innovativeness and curiosity and knowledge.
Anyways it pains to see that my entire energy, money, time and efforts to make my students really computer savvy has met with a stone wall. And this stone wall is my student's will not to learn anything that doesn't serve the purpose on their way to IIT.
Anyways, i will continue...
Today things have changed. On one hand the boards have decided to make our students handicapped by reducing the syllabus and have removed pressure so that they may become more prone to suicidal tendencies when faced with the real life challenges. An entire generation of students are coming out who are nothing more than paper tigers.
Well that is an entirely different matter altogether.
Here the problem is very different. I have been trying hard to make my students understand the need to do basic computer science but they won't listen. I have supplied them with materials. Taught them personally in a couple of classes. Tried to emphasize with them the need to start early. Spent money, time and energy from my side to be able to teach them a programming language. Unfortunately not many of them seem to be interested. They are more interested in IIT coaching rather than learning a humble programming language. Seems the rat race to entrance exams has killed the curiosity inherent in students.
As I see students moving up the ladder in school they get to focus more on entrance exams rather than their hobbies, and passion and knowledge. Anything that doesn't help in getting into entrance exams is no good and they are not interested.
When I was a lecturer of Physics at Engineering Colleges I was disillusioned by the approach of going-to-be- Engineers towards the grand daddy of engineering--- Physics. I was so disappointed that finally I left college and came into schools where students, I believed, are more interested and curious to know and understand the world around them. Not that they are not, but only till they reach class 9. As students reach 9th class suddenly there is a transformation and students become less curious and more focussed on IITs.
Not that I am against IIT. but that is definitely not the beginning and end of the world. There is the entire universe beyond that. Unfortunately a combination of Parental pressure, Peer Pressure, School Pressure and Stupidity has made this entire generation into rats. And the problem with a rat race is that even if you win you are still a rat only.
Somehow I am slowly believing that IITs are responsible for the death of curiosity in students regarding innovativeness and curiosity and knowledge.
Anyways it pains to see that my entire energy, money, time and efforts to make my students really computer savvy has met with a stone wall. And this stone wall is my student's will not to learn anything that doesn't serve the purpose on their way to IIT.
Anyways, i will continue...
