The Culture of Fear

I had my early education in a system which promoted a culture of fear deep beneath the whole system. I did my initial studies in the local medium schools where a teacher’s word is final. There is no question of dialogue. As I was going through the Parker Palmer’s Chapter on The Culture of Fear I became aware of my educational learning and fear I went through. Positive fear helped me do well in the studies but the negative fear that was within me lessoned my confidence in myself. I used have great fear to stand in front of people or students and say something.
I did not want this happen to my students whom I taught in Jamshedpur for two years. I really like the quotation of Palmer: The way we diagnose our student’s condition will determine the kind of remedy we offer. I taught mainly English to my non-English speaking students who considered English as a dreaded subject because they were not able to understand. So I was before joining the Jesuit order. Thank God, that my principal was very supportive of me and I was able to bring many changes among the students based on the cooperative learning. I changed the text books and used simple story books and songs. Students were divided into groups and every group has to teach the whole class. This instilled in them great confidence to come forward and speak before other students. As a net result, I conducted a session to the English teachers of Government schools on how to teach English to the non-English speaking students, in the presence of some of my students. I myself was amazed by seeing the learning and growth in my students within a year. It was a moment of grace for me and it was a proof that if I as an educator change, my students too will change.
As Palmer rightly points out that there is something wrong in our system of knowing and learning. We need to move from objective mode of learning to a heart of learning which is based on relationship, connectedness and community, where everyone can feel at home with oneself and with others. I greatly appreciate Barbara McClintock on her research on genetic transposition. She is a great role model for our need to change our education system.