Maharashtra Board Class 12 Education Chapter 1 Indian Educational Thinkers PDF Download

Indian Educational Thinkers

India has seen many eminent educational thinkers. In this chapter, we shall study educational thoughts and educational contribution of some of them.

Rabindranath Tagore

Who was the first Indian poet to get the worldwide prestigious Nobel prize of literature?

Who wrote the Indian National Anthem 'Jana-Gana-Mana'?

Rabindranath Tagore was born on 7th May 1861 in Kolkata. He completed his primary education from private tutors at his home and higher education at Saint Xavier College, Kolkata. He was awarded the Nobel prize for literature for his poetry 'Geetanjali' in 1913. He was also awarded the apex degree D. Lit. by Kolkata University. In 1915, British Government conferred the greatest honour 'Sir' upon him. He died on 7th August 1941.

Debendranath Tagore, father of Rabindranath Tagore was a follower of Brahmo Samaj, established by Raja Rammohan Roy and his mother Sharadadevi was religious by nature. Rabindranath Tagore, therefore, experienced religious as well as progressive environment in his childhood.

Rabindranath Tagore visited England in 1878 to pursue higher education. However, he did not feel interested in studies there and returned to India in 1880 without securing any degree.

He found the schools offering formal education suffocating. With a passion to help children out of the burden of formal education, he established an innovative school called Shantiniketan. He implemented various innovative experiments in Shantiniketan. As a result he was recognized as a great educationist worldwide.

Teacher's Note

Tagore believed children learn best when they are free and happy. Like a bird learning to fly in the open sky, not in a cage, students learn better in nature. His school Shantiniketan had no walls and classes were held under trees.

Exam Trick

Remember: Tagore = Freedom in learning. Like how a kite flies freely in the sky, children should learn freely without fear and punishment in the classroom.

Points to Remember

Education means self-expression and drawing out the best in a child.
Children must learn in natural environment, not in closed classrooms.
Mother-tongue is the best medium to teach children.
Teachers should use discipline from inside, not through punishment.
Character building is the most important goal of education.

Educational Thoughts Of Rabindranath Tagore

Definition of Education - Rabindranath Tagore has defined education as 'Education is Self-expression.'

Freedom to Children in Teaching-Learning Process - According to Rabindranath Tagore, children must get freedom while learning. Natural environment must be ensured for learning. He believed that children can learn better in natural environment as against artificial one. Teachers, therefore, must design and use teaching methods giving scope to freedom and natural expression of children.

Education must Ensure All-round Development of Children - Through education, intellectual, emotional, activity oriented development of a child should be ensured. Also, through overall nurturance of physical, social and creative abilities should lead to development of correlations and harmony. Teachers and educationists, while designing the curriculum and teaching should consider these aspects.

Education for Child's Mental Freedom - For development of an independent, decisive, creative child, it must be given freedom of choice to select the subjects and medium of instruction. This would definitely lead to excellence in their own careers and mastery in their own subject.

Spiritual Development for the Achievement of Educational Goals - For any educational aim, inspiration from within is a prerequisite. More the intensity of the inspiration, earlier the achievement of educational goals. For a child's spiritual development one must get a free and open environment.

Medium of Education should be Mother-tongue - If a subject is to be explained to a child in simple manner, in shortest time and in an integrated manner, then there is no option for mother-tongue.

Teachers must Emphasize Self-discipline in Classroom Teaching - In classroom teaching, self-discipline is vital. In order to imbibe the same in the pupils, it should not be forced through punishments or other exterior means but should be nurtured from within. Internalized self-discipline lasts longer.

Education must be Correlated with Life - Rabindranath Tagore insisted that Education must be correlated with life. A child must be engaged in life centred education in addition to books. Any learning must be situation based and the knowledge must be imparted in the form of application in real-life.

Education for Character Building - Character building needs appropriate environment and appropriate education. If a child's intellectual and mental development is ensured through education, then it certainly leads to character building. Rabindranath Tagore used to quote quite often: When wealth is lost, nothing is lost. When health is lost, something is lost. But when character is lost, everything is lost.

Education for Harmony with Nature - Rabindranath Tagore in his book 'Personality' has mentioned key thoughts on education. He says that the best education is the one that facilitates the learner to create harmony with the nature. The state of harmony is the supreme stage in the development of human being.

Teacher's Note

Tagore's ideas are seen in modern schools today. Many schools now have open classrooms and nature-based learning. Like how Shantiniketan had no walls, some schools today have outdoor learning spaces under trees.

Exam Trick

Remember: Tagore's 10 points = All-round development. Remember FREEDOM, NATURE, MOTHER-TONGUE, CHARACTER, and HARMONY. These are the key words for all 10 points.

Points to Remember

Tagore gave 10 main ideas about education in total.
He said education must connect with real life, not just books.
Self-discipline should come from inside the child, not from fear of punishment.
Harmony with nature is the highest stage of human development.
All students, rich or poor, should get same education.

Educational Contribution Of Rabindranath Tagore

Shantiniketan School - Shantiniketan School was established in 1901, in Bolpur Village near Kolkata. Implementing his own educational thoughts was the objective behind establishment of this School. In Shantiniketan, classes had no walls and were conducted in open spaces. The teachers and pupils stayed together in the proximity of nature. Through common lunch and dinner, values of self-dependence and dignity of labour were nurtured. This school had subjects like gardening, book binding, carpentry, music, drama, dance, literature etc. Mother tongue was the medium of teaching and learning. In addition to mother tongue, additional languages such as English and Hindi were also used. There was in true sense a natural environment at the school.

Key features of Shantiniketan:

Shanti Niketan was a residential school.

The school commenced and ended with melodious music.

The school had a natural environment. Pupils learnt under the open skies.

All the teachers were proficient in their own subject and art.

Teachers and pupils experienced teaching and learning in a free and liberated environment.

Pupils had to complete the hostel chores on their own.

The school focused on activity oriented and learning.

Medium of instruction was mother-tongue.

The school had three sections. Shishu Vibhag for children up to the age of 10 years, Madhya Vibhag for children of the age group 10 to 15 years and Adya Vibhag for children above 15 years of age.

Discuss in groups the similarities and differences between the natural learning environment of Shantiniketan and the formal education system being followed today.

Vishwabharati University - In 1921, Rabindranath Tagore converted Shanti Niketan School to Vishwabharati Vidyapeeth (University). The word Bharati in Vishwabharati means Sanskriti, i.e. culture. Hence, the University that creates global culture is Vishwabharati, is the meaning derived from this name. This is a well known international university with the moto 'Yatra Vishvam Bhavati Ek Needam.' It means, 'where the world makes a home in a single nest.' This spirit is reflected in the name Vishwabharati.

Key features of the Vishwabharati University:

The University offered education from early childhood to post graduate and research studies.

The University had interdisciplinary research center for the study of international languages and culture.

The University stipulated uniform for students.

International students were allowed to study Indian arts, literature and culture in English language.

Based on the merit, the University offered concessions in fees.

The University offered hostel facilities to the students.

Every department had a separate library as well as a central library for students' learning.

The University environment was homely and spiritual.

There was a nice confluence of Eastern and Western cultures in the University.

Apart from intellectual development, the University focused on cultural development.

Our National Anthem 'Jana-Gana-Mana' is originally in Bengali language. Only one stanza from the original song is considered as our National Anthem

With the help of internet, seek the original national anthem with five stanzas written in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore and listen to it.

Teacher's Note

Shantiniketan was a very different school for its time. Students lived there like in a family and learned from nature. Today, we see similar ideas in adventure schools and outdoor education programs.

Exam Trick

Remember: Shantiniketan = No walls, open sky. Vishwabharati = Whole world in one nest. These two names tell you the main idea of Tagore's schools.

Points to Remember

Shantiniketan had no classroom walls and taught under trees and open sky.
Teachers and students lived together and ate together to teach dignity of labour.
Vishwabharati became a university in 1921.
The motto 'Yatra Vishvam Bhavati Ek Needam' means the whole world is one family.
Students from many countries came to study Indian culture at Vishwabharati.

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