Pamelia Riviere:
(Continued after Part I)
When we were relocating to a new country, I was concerned about the education system there. To guarantee that my children could attend a high-quality school like SFX Green Herald International School, I asked my relatives in Toronto to help me find a great school in an upscale area.
I was relieved that I didn’t have to send my children to private school due to its high cost. However, after enrolling in the International Baccalaureate (IB) and TOPS – Talented Offerings for Programs in the Sciences – programs for grades 9 to 12, my kids suddenly felt the pressure of academic rigour. The leisurely days of childhood were now over.
Cooking class: During the Primary Class, the cooking class was a highly enjoyable experience for the children as they were able to prepare pancakes, pastries, and other delicacies. I have not encountered any issues with this class. I have not observed anything negative about cooking practice, but I have witnessed how much fun it is when the children participate in it. I have volunteered with them on several occasions.
It is crucial for children to have a safe and enjoyable space where they can freely participate in activities, and the kitchen provides just that. In addition, this class teaches kids about the importance of food safety and hygiene. Regardless of gender, learning how to cook is a valuable life skill that can help promote a healthy lifestyle.
Planting trees: There was another activity for children that they enjoyed a lot – it was all about planting and taking care of plants: Children enjoyed gardening, planting new seeds, observing the growth of seedlings, and planting trees with their teacher at school. They also loved to watch the plants grow every day. Such hands-on learning experience in science education was truly a joyful experience.
Learning a musical instrument: Learning a musical instrument was a lot of fun. We both enjoyed playing the flute, piano, and trumpet.
Learning how to swim: I myself loved swimming and gardening, so I got them interested in those activities as well. I taught them to swim in the swimming pool of the apartment building, and they later learned more at high school.”
Learning how to cook: While pursuing my Master’s degree in Environmental Studies, I had the opportunity to enjoy some delicious soups and salads for lunch, which were made from vegetables grown by the students of my department, York University. I believe that this initiative has a lot to teach us, particularly for those who are researching food security.
Classes like gardening and cooking are crucial for those researching food security, even in higher education settings.
Coaching Centres: A coaching center serves as an educational support system that operates in both Bangladesh and Canada. In both countries, there are private, public, and madrasa education systems. For some children, a coaching center is necessary, especially when their parents are unable to dedicate enough time or lack the necessary skills to provide the required education.
In both Bangladesh and Canada, it is difficult to receive a complete education solely through school attendance. Unless you attend a residential or boarding school, full education is often not possible. In my personal experience, my father would supplement my education through math and English lessons in the afternoon and evening. Additionally, private tutors were often available and my older siblings would also assist in my learning.
Memorization and Creative learning: Memorization has been an important aspect of learning in both Bangladesh and Canada. It is an essential tool for remembering a large amount of information. However, creative learning is also necessary for a deeper understanding of subjects such as Science, Medical Science, Engineering, Math, Physics, and Chemistry, as well as Singing, Dancing, Bengali and English literature or grammar. Therefore, it is crucial to not only memorize but also to comprehend and apply the knowledge gained.
Corporal Punishment: Until recently, some schools used to practice the act of physically punishing students as a form of discipline. During mathematics and Arabic classes, students were forced to memorize and complete their homework out of fear of punishment. Punishing students in this way can have a negative effect on their desire to learn and can hinder their progress. However, this approach is still being used in some madrasas. Thankfully, the modern education system now opposes corporal punishment, which is a positive development.
My children had been studying the Junior Cambridge Syllabus in Bangladesh. After attending classes in Canada for a few months, their teachers recommended that they be placed in a special class for gifted students, as they were ahead of their peers in the regular classroom. This is just one example of the different types of curricula available in Canada.
Schools have developed various programs, such as enriched and gifted programs, to provide students with education that is tailored to their needs. These programs are designed to be slightly more advanced or have an additional curriculum compared to what is provided to regular students. If students are not given an education that aligns with their talents and needs, they may find it uninteresting and repetitive.
I hope that the curriculum in Bangladesh is designed to cater to the needs of children with special needs as well as gifted children. It is important to keep in mind that every child is unique and has different abilities and challenges. Therefore, multiple intelligence approach in teaching is essential. Bangladesh needs to shift its focus from the concept of a standardized curriculum, and instead, adopt the idea that one type of curriculum is not suitable for every student. The concept of multiple intelligences in teaching is related to multisensory learning, which suggests that children learn better when they are engaged in activities that involve more than one sense. To reach more students, it is important to engage their visual, tactile, auditory, and other senses. According to Howard Gardner (1983), there are eight distinct types of intelligence that a person can possess. These include Linguistic, Logical-mathematical, Bodily-kinesthetic, Visual-spatial, Musical, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, and Naturalistic intelligence. All these approaches have significance in students learning.
Teacher Development: It is important to prioritize teacher development training before implementing any new curriculum or pedagogy in the education system.
Multiculturalism: Bangladesh is a multicultural country, and therefore, education should emphasize multiculturalism.
Whole Child development: It is important to ensure that the education system is not solely reliant on coaching centers. The actual education of children depends on the school’s teaching methods, objectives, and the amount of time parents spend with their children. To develop a well-rounded individual (whole being), parents must be complete in their roles as both mother and father (whole parents), and teachers must be competent in their teaching methods (whole teacher). There is no substitute for this.
About:
The author is an anthropologist, sociologist, environmentalist, and peace and conflict resolution educator! She completed her PhD research in curriculum and pedagogy (peace and conflict resolution through science) at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto.