Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Instruction ends in the classroom, and education happens outside

Every once in a while I swing by the local Goodwill Store and scan through the used books there.  Rarely do I buy anything though!

If I see anything that is a potential serious read, then I check for handwritten notes because they often tell quite some stories.

Once, I spotted a huge atlas.  Actually more than an atlas, even though it was called one; it had a whole lot of almanac kind of data too.  It was from 1964--the year I was born, which made it a neat coincidence. 

The inside front cover had two different handwriting, both expressing birthday greetings for the recipient who was turning 19.  Imagine that--such a tome as a birthday gift for a 19 year old.  Perhaps the 19-year old was off to college, and the gift was from the parents or godparents, which then explains the two different writing styles also?

One had added: "instruction ends in the classroom, and education happens outside."

What a profound idea, right?

I try to convey to students that very idea in so many different ways.  I wonder if that 19-year old recipient of the gift paid attention to the message, or simply blew that off like any typical 19-year old would?  I am confident that when I was 19 years old, I would not have even understood the difference between education and instruction!

Here is one more along those lines of education and wisdom that I had collected a while ago:
उदीरितोऽर्थः पशूनापि गृह्यते
    हयश्च नागाश्च वहन्ति देशिताः ।
अनुक्तमप्यूहति पण्डीतो जनः
    परेंगितज्ञानफला हि बुद्धयः ॥
- हितोपदेश, सुहृद्भेद
Any animal can understand instructions if they are explained elaborately.
Elephants and horses can follow instructions very well.
But only a wise man can understand what is not said.
Perhaps, understanding other's mind is what is called as 'wisdom'
- Hitopadesha, Suhrudbheda
Here is to hoping that wisdom will knock on my doors some time soon!

1 comment:

Ramesh said...

Wisdom has knocked many times before on your door and you have welcomed it with open arms, young man (anybody born in 1964 i a young man in my book :))

But seriously, I disagree that classroom is all instruction. In an outstanding classroom with outstanding teachers, you can "learn" incredibly. Happened twice to me - once at school with the very English teacher you don't have much time for and the second at B school. I think it must be so in your class too - if not for the infernal visa problem which I refuse to go through, I would have been tempted to do a term in your class.