Comments on: The textbook wall

By: Rozina Jumani

Rozina Jumani — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 08:04:18 +0000

Dear Ali,

It was refreshing
However, I wonder that commenters agreed to what has been discussed in the article. Nevertheless, one should reflect that why such situation is still prevailing in our education system. Teachers have been committing the similar mistake as they are ill-informed or belong to old system of education, but learners who suffered the pain and cannot distinguish the pros and cons of such system should bring forth their novel ideas in teaching language through enrich curricula.

How many teachers are aware of ‘democratic pedagogies’ are trying to incorporate such notion into the teaching learning process? Why can’t one have participatory approach in teaching language or other subjects… it is extremely easy to criticize others’ effort that such and such thing is not happening but hardly one tries to bring and ‘lead the change’.

I invite all the readers of this article not to undermine their role and lead the change from within.

Rozina Jumani

By: Ingrid Piller

Ingrid Piller — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 06:56:55 +0000

Interesting article about education in Pakistan in Foreign Policy magazine at
http://afpak.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/01/07/pakistan_needs_more_than_three_cups_of_tea

By: Alifar

Alifar — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 16:08:32 +0000

I reminded of the famous verse from the all time classic Pink Floyd number:

We don’t need no education
We don’t need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone!
All in all it’s just another brick in the wall.
All in all you’re just another brick in the wall.

By: HKhoja (AKUSON, PBScN Yr 1)

HKhoja (AKUSON, PBScN Yr 1) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 11:40:39 +0000

Now the time has come to change the system and CHANGE anywhere is a toughest part however, it is not impossible. Someone in the system has to take a step ahead and take an initiative.

Thanks

By: Fahed abu sada

Fahed abu sada — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 10:52:15 +0000

Dear Khan Thanks for sharing insightful experiences with textbook in Pakistan.
it is very helpful information what you shared it is really touching to problem directly you was right when you mentioned that we have to look after the needs of the learner rather than follow the policies.
we also sticking with the same problem in Syria i m so happy that you shared such important topic
Regards

Fahed abu sada

Syria

By: Farheen shama

Farheen shama — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 06:55:08 +0000

Dear Khan,
I read your post with interest.The issues which you have reflected upon are so important for us which we as teachers do feel but dont get enough freedom to apply alternative media in class rooms.
Teachers are fully occupied with the administrative dictations to use only one book.I do agree with your statement Pupils largely remain dependent on what is published in text books and are largely the passive recipents of views, ideas and interpretations which they take for granted to be accurate.
I myself know loads and load of students who go different schools,colleges which turn them rote learners of text books to pass their exams and get positions without having any conceptual understanding.They do achieve their goals but what do we find in the end? Someone who is socially successsful but incapable of contributing to society.Dumb and deaf Pakistani doctors,engineers,teachers politicians etc are the gift of Pakistans armys influenced ideology of Islam and Pakistan.

By: saeed

saeed — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 18:03:29 +0000

Dear Khan
Thanks for sharing insightful experiences with textbook in Pakistan. It was quite perfect, You touched the main issue of the student every were even In Syria, it is same. Students are struggling always regarding this topic. Now a days in Syria there is big changing to update all the teaching process, so that I hop it will bring benefits in short time.
For the relationship between teacher and student, I want to say that it is a method were both of them are learning from each another.
I appreciate your post, really nice.
Regards
Saeed
Syria

By: Roshni

Roshni — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 11:52:22 +0000

Dear Ali,
I can’t agree more on this. This is a true representation of the situation, really! When I think of our textbooks, I am reminded of “blinders” that are used for the horses. I am glad you have shared your thoughts on the topic. I will be forwarding this to another of my colleagues, who is very interested in the topic

By: Nasreen.Sadruddin (PBScN Yr 1 Akuson)

Nasreen.Sadruddin (PBScN Yr 1 Akuson) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 07:11:30 +0000

It is really very good to see that someone has raised the issue and has brought the attention towars it.It is the need of the time that we should see that learning is not only through the textbooks but through the experiences and environment also.I think the learners at their early ages should be exposed to the new method of learning rather than conventional one to enhance their cognitive abilities.

By: Muhammad Babur

Muhammad Babur — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 06:36:21 +0000

Dear Ali – VERY REFRESHING!

I enjoyed it thoroughly!! I think we would have performed very well without these text books.

A related thought – it is more or less like a group of patients having the same medicine irrespective of their conditions and needs.

By: shahzad kanji

shahzad kanji — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 06:31:06 +0000

dear sir, it was realy a thought provoking and intresting article, I agreed with your statements and i just want to add one thing that the concern problem so called TEXT WALL or Single-book teaching is a problem of most of underdevelop and developing countries like pakistan. and we know that learner’s mind is like a Parachute its only fly when it open.

once again sir i would like to say Marvellous Job !!

shahzad kanji
Post RN Year I
Aga Khan University

By: HKhoja (AKUSON, PBScN Yr 1)

HKhoja (AKUSON, PBScN Yr 1) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 06:13:12 +0000

Very true and a nice post. It has been an extreme need to be addressed to and the concern is increasing day by day. Other than the main focus which is textbooks, the focus light has to be brought to the quality of teachers and the criteria of selection of them. They are driving the young students or in other words the future of students are in their hands somehow or the other as whatever they will instill in their student’s minds, it will be remain there with them.
The time is changed and the teaching styles and methods have to be modified accordingly. Textbooks, different theories, taxonomies, models are obstructing student’s own thoughts. Free mind can think even more better than that and those models and taxonomies were also provided by someone therefore, we also have a capacity to redefine it or may be modulate or form a new theory.

Thanks

By: Parveen

Parveen — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 05:20:39 +0000

Hello Khan,
Thanks for directing our gaze to an issue, which is not presently getting the full amount of attention that it deserves. Textbook serves as a backbone for classroom instructions particularly in our mainstream schools in Pakistan. However, the quality and effectiveness of the textbooks prescribed for our classrooms are questionable, be it the level of knowledge, the representation of different segments of our society, or the distorted history presented in these textbooks.
If students are using metaphors such as ” “history is a sermon,” “history is poison”, etc. it may not be their representation of history but is it how we have presented history to them via our text and other pedagogic means. It is high time to address these representations.

Keep up the good work!

Parveen

By: Piar

Piar — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 05:02:47 +0000

Highly commendable scholarly thinking on inequality and injustice of a single text-book dictation in Pakistan which has been directing and molding thoughts and souls of the nation to incompetency and ineptness for the last so many years. I speak from the context of Gilgit Baltistan which was known to the world for its unique culture and indigenous knowledge and Punjab text book in schools has been transforming the state of this unique place into a place where people don’t know what they need and know a lot what they don’t need. The text book dictation has given birth to nepotism, extremism and fanaticism. Efforts from corners to develop critical thinking and creativity have always been criticised by the “opportunist forces” and “elites”. I appreciate you thoughts khan. Good Luck

Piar
Gilgit

By: surraya shahab

surraya shahab — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 03:11:00 +0000

Dear sir,
Feel great to know that you are focusing on student perception about things they want to learn in their own style. As every individual is unique we cant narrow down their thoughts by making them stick to text book only though there are multiple other sources I should say BETTER sources. I myself was educated in the same way (bound to text books) but I really wish the upcoming generation to get rid of THE TEXT BOOK WALL.
Gud luck
Surraya
BScN Yr 1 student (AKUSON)

By: Mansoor A. Faruqi

Mansoor A. Faruqi — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 19:07:12 +0000

It is indeed a sad state of affairs at present, with a silver lining being the response from the students who are bright enough to understand the limitations of what is being taught to them in the textbooks, or rather what is not being taught. Someone informed me that History of our region, as being taught through the textbooks, is said to have originated in the Arabian Peninsula. I studied history in Pakistan from only my textbooks in Urdu in a subject called Mashrati Uloom. These taught me history starting from the Dravidian culture, to the Aryan invasion, to Budha, to Asoka, to the invasion of Sindh by bin Qasim, to the Sultans of Delhi, to the Mughals, to the British Raj, to the independence struggle and the partition of the Subcontinent. I feel it is criminal to rob the young minds such rich heritage for any reason whatsoever. In the end, I would like to add that we also need research on the textbooks being taught in madrasas which are outside the purview of the government,