Equality In Education

Educators around the globe would uphold the principle of equality that is by all means the primary right of every child who walks into a school. However, experience has taught me that until and unless, a vigilant camera is not set into motion, this justice is often diluted with the argument of ‘a competitive world’ and ‘school standards’ to contest.

This hidden discrimination is often reflected when we forget to provide an extra platform to the average achiever or the one struggling to make a mark. The best speakers make it to the auditorium and the grand centre stage but no one works on an alternative plan to create an event that would facilitate the growth of the less confident speakers. The ones who may not grow up to become affluent orators but would at least develop the attributes associated to good representatives.

We tend to support this grievous crime when we begin to set role models within our classrooms. This is more of a politically charged crime. Teachers tend to compete with one another to exhibit their masterpieces that quite rightfully bring them a good name and glorify their profiles as great teachers. Their lesson plans are challenging and unique focused around the abilities of the handful that would probably be able to prove success beyond imagination. They are their key players. The rest struggle to comprehend the tasks at hand and eventually give up while others end up forming a rather poor opinion of their own abilities.

At the parent teacher meetings, thankfully most schools exercise the rule of privacy and arrange chairs for parents in waiting to ensure utmost discretion for teacher and parent in conversation in class. However, there are many schools that have a crowd of parents surrounding the teacher or impatiently roaming around the classroom that completely shatters the self-esteem of the child being discussed for his weaknesses and the parent who gets filled with anxiety to learn from the loud discussions that his/her child is one of the few who can’t seem to make it. Hence indicating a division on the basis of varied intellect or comprehension skills. The children get labelled on an invisible sheet that haunts their path to progress due to poor self-image.

I absolutely agree that it is a competitive world and our children need to be trained with that aggression that would help them overcome all odds. This automatically should help us understand the need to prepare every single child with the opportunity to excel at life.

What will happen to the ones who spend twelve to fourteen years in school and emerge with the same problems and weaknesses? These ones would eventually be driven to point a finger at their less educated parents, ignorant teachers and most of all an intolerant society that only promotes the best. Some would accept their fate but many would resort to immoral or criminal acts to attain what they would justify as their rightful claim to survive.

As a teacher and a believer of infinite possibilities, I always created programmes within the classroom to help my students and parents understand that the competition was always with one’s own abilities and enthusiasm to learn. Instead of concentrating on someone else’s achievements, one must celebrate his/her own moments of accomplishments. This is possible only when there is a proper school programme that supports this mind set and encourages the teachers to produce incentives that would motivate all students to move forward. 

The criteria of a good teacher should be revised as the one who has the ability to extract the relatively impossible from the struggler in her class and sets targets for each child independently to achieve by the end of each term.

Some small yet effective tools that I incorporated in my class programme were:

1.   The Literacy Clubs: Here the students had the freedom to write stories and poems, read books and present reviews or simply illustrate their ideas on the topic that was chosen. It gave them the choice to express in whichever manner they felt comfortable or confident about. In return, each contributor enjoyed the same reward that further encouraged them to take part.

2.  My diary of Achievements: This was a collection of activities, events and small acts of kindness that had been logged in by the students at the end of each term. Each child had his own diary that reflected his contribution to the class year. It marked the date, place, event and concluding achievement that had followed through due to the child’s effort and support.

3.  Special Assemblies: These can play an integral role in building up the confidence of the students who find it hard to face an audience. Small speaking roles that develop in length with time will help acquire the much desired skills of presentation.

4.  Morning News Clips: The aim of this 10 minute morning activity was to induce the love of following news and its interpretation. Children brought cut outs of good and bad news clips that interested them or were difficult to understand. We selected the best piece of news to highlight it on our whiteboard while the rest were quickly discussed. This gave birth to many questions and discussions whereby each student had to present a viewpoint. To lessen the stress on the quiet ones, I formed groups that discussed and framed conclusions which would be read by the ones afraid to share their views.

These are but few of the activities that can help set up a defined system of equality in our classrooms. Children can be sensitized to the need of helping out peers to understand what it is to win as a team. The smallest achievement needs mention to accelerate the process of growth.

The children must be aware of their academic and social growth. They must be involved in their learning programmes. We should acknowledge them as capable and responsible individuals with independent targets to achieve. Each year must begin with an identification of the problems and a list of solutions to work with.

Our lesson plans must reflect the presence of all levels in the class with acceptable variations. Challenges must be a part of these plans but challenge each child according to his/her ability. 

The idea of good education is transferring a sense of achievement to the child. The flavour of triumph that promises a scrumptious tomorrow!

Equality is one factor that ensures happiness and trust in any system. Equality in Education therefore promises Productive Leaders, Creative Workers and Constructive Citizens who believe in sharing the space with everyone.