TET Notes - Educational Thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi

 

  Educational Thoughts of  

               Mahatma Gandhi

 

u Mahatma Gandhi is not only the non-violent freedom fighter but also a world renowned educational philosopher.

u He gave a system of education called ‘Basic System of Education.

u His educational thoughts were experimented in    Sabarmati   and Sewagram Ashram.

Basic Education: Activity Based Education

 

u Basic education is absolutely a new philosophy of education which rejected bookish education and Verbalism and gave priority to practical manual work.

u It integrates home, school and society.

 

 Aims   of   Basic   Education

 

v All- round  development  of   the personality  of  the child  that  is  physical , mental , intellectual , aesthetic, moral and spiritual.

 

v   Self-sufficiency, Gandhiji said that economic self-sufficiency is the most important fruit of good education.

 

v Cultural development according to Gandhiji one of the functions of education is to impart cultural heritage.

 

v The training for citizenship.

 

v Preparation for complete living.

 

Features of Basic Education

 

v Free and compulsory education for all from the age 7 to 14.

 

v Craft is the centre of education.

 

v Self-supporting education.

 

v Mother tongue as the medium of instruction.

 

v Non-violence.

 

v Ideal of citizenship.

 

v Co-operative living.

 

Value of Basic Education

 

v The basic education is a sound scheme of education from   the pedagogic, economic, psychological and social point of view.

 

v It maintains a balance between the intellectual and practical phase of experience.

 

v It   is   based   on   the   educational principle of learning by doing.

 

v The student’s knowledge is more valuable and effective than bookish knowledge. The practical learning increases the productivity also.

 

v It removes the artificial distinction of castes, colour, creed and race.

 

v The attitude of the children towards work will be a good one.

 

Curriculum

 

v It is an activity and utilitarian curriculum.

 

v It has cultural content and related to the environment of the child.

 

v It includes vocational subjects, social studies and general sciences.

 

v Craft is an essential part of curriculum.

 

Method of Teaching

 

v Gandhiji rejected bookish education.

 

v He recommended craft-oriented education through basic methods ‘‘Learning by doing ’’ and ‘‘Learning by living’’.

 

v His basic education is very practical and it is related to the socio economic background and the basic occupation of the child.

 

v It links education and productivity.

 

 

Teacher

 

v The teacher should possess all the values desirable by the society.

 

v He should be a man of sincerity, honesty with love and affection.

 

v He should be a peace – loving nationalist.

 

v He should be a doer, thinker and planner.

 

v  He should teacher through example.

 

v He should have the ability to relate the various subjects with craft.

 

 

Discipline

 

v Self – discipline freedom is essential.

 

v Basic education being vocational in nature needs freedom.

 

v  Freedom is necessary for the creativity of the child.

 

v Thus we can describe the educational thoughts of Mahatma Gandhiji.

 

v He encouraged activity based learning and his learning is by doing things.