DU 44 (Education and Knowledge 11)

Students are happy in being sheep and parrot through mugging notes. Instead of dictating we should give it to them to get photocopied. In such situations, I am Simone de Beauvoir's statement to the query of a journalist. He said, when women themselves are quite happy with traditional way of life, what was her problem? Why was she trying to impose her views on them? Her reply was that they did not seek to impose anything on anybody. The women were happy in these ways, as they didn't know other ways of life. We just seek to expose them to other ways of life. There is nothing wrong in reading books, rather one must, but dictating the same to students is: 1. wastage of human time and energy when it could be done easily by machine. 2. It is admission of the author's superiority in articulation, comprehension and  expression. 3. It blunts the students' innate attribute of innovation and inquiry. I suggest my young colleagues to prepare themselves well as their work in the process shall remain their lifelong asset. I will share a real joke (there are many). Not so long ago (1996-97 or so). I was reading some book and my little daughter (4-5 or so) wanted some special attention. On being told that I was busy preparing my lecture. "पढ़ाने के लिए पढ़ रहे हो?"  "हाँ" "पढ़ कर पढ़ाते हो?"  "हाँ". "ऐसे पढ़ के तो कोई भी पढ़ा लेगा". मैंने कहा, बिलकुल, लेकिन अभी भागो.