Fr Dr P S Varghese,
Principal, MGM College, Dimapur
“Child must be taught HOW TO THINK not what to think.”
Margaret Mead (1901-1978) was an American cultural anthropologist. A child's environment, education, and mentors have a major impact on how they think; lessons on how to think are far more important than lessons about what not to think.
The right action follows the right thought. In this case, the right thing to do is based on the facts. As such, it implies that we should accept things as they are and not as we would like them to be.
In addition to right thinking, right actions are also among the most fundamental steps in the eightfold path of Buddha's teachings. The eightfold path is composed of Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Awareness, and Right Concentration.
Practicing the Noble Eightfold Path helps us to overcome our egos, live in harmony with the world all around us, and eventually find relief from our pain.
In her interpretation of this, Margaret Mead says that this is teaching children how to think and then to translate their thinking into action. Inspiring children to think creatively is an extremely important responsibility of a mentor.
If we can apply APJ Abdul Kalam’s thought to our creative thinking and the influence it has on our children, he says “Thinking is Progress. Non-thinking is stagnation of the individual, organization, and the country. Thinking leads to action. Knowledge without action is useless and irrelevant. Knowledge with action converts adversity into prosperity.”
Educators must practice and teach their students how to learn, unlearn, and relearn. In the past, no one was concerned about the step to unlearn. In recent years, however, educationalists have emphasized the importance of 'unlearn' for proper learning.
On its essence, education is called man-making. As humans, we are members of society. Often we hurt others by our words and deeds, just as we hurt by others' words and deeds. With the right thinking, we can reach the right understanding and, therefore, prevent misunderstandings.
We need to keep the essence of great Indian education while incorporating its values into today's modern world, where right thought plays a significant role in holistic growth. Rather than being self-centered, we are concerned with the needs of society. The purpose of my growth is to assist society's development and growth. The NEP 2020 stresses the importance of education that leads to action-oriented thinking as well as skills that will open doors to a better tomorrow.
Have a blessed day
