Let us unleash the raw power of pedagogy

 

Let us unleash the raw power of pedagogy

An all-original poem by Sujay Rao Mandavilli

 

We may ask for a guiltless start: But what just is pedagogy?

Pedagogy simply defined is the science of education just as the science of knowledge is epistemology,

It encompasses in its purview and ambit many theories, tools and techniques of teaching,

And student and discipline learning,

Along with commitment and motivation making it a full-fledged science,

And a rigorous, full—blown, and a qualitative science,

The history of pedagogy begins with the origins of literacy,

In the pre- Chalcolithic ages and Chalcolithic ages respectively,

The Mesoptamians, Egyptians, the Chinese and the Indians made gigantic strides and stellar contributions truly,

Though education blossomed and greatly flourished only subsequently,

And elided with the mesmerizing growth of science and technology,

In many facts did not its full potential realize, that is a fact unfortunately,

And remained the prerogative of the elite few mostly,

Ponderous and for the most part pedantic,

Inward looking and highly academic,

Pedagogy must indeed reform,

And return and remain reformed,

But where do we begin and where do we start?

If we are in its just benefits partake and purpart,

Teach the basics of everything,

Teach the concepts and the underlying magic behind everything,  

While learning more and more and thoughtfully expanding the basket,

If we are to avoid the chimes of death and the deathly casket,  

Teach scientific method too comprehensibly and practically,

Teach foundationalism, integrationism and epistemic coherentism duly,

The difference between science and pseudo science must be brought out fully, 

Teach creative thinking and innovative thinking inspiringly,

We must fix and position course content thoughtfully and cautiously,

And must not harm the interests of students catastrophically,

We pitifully students with mostly irrelevant information smother and unduly cram,

In an egregious approach that is mostly an unholy sham,

We must emphasize the creation of rational individuals and individuals scientifically and morally well-heeled,

And the creation of scientific temper with individuals and institutions even-keeled,

The use of technology in teaching and learning must be optimized judiciously,

Use technology creatively and inspiringly and not for technology’s sake,

Machines and robots may be used but their use must not be in vain,

Time encapsulation must be taught,

Such as the Hadean and Archean eon and the Paleocene epoch,

Needless to say, we also need to teach space encapsulation,

We need to teach the size of galaxies in a dreamy-eyed fashion with billions of starts in just the Milky Way,

To eventually though permanently relegate to the background all forms of intellectual affray,

Teach the origin of life too with its baffling mysteries amply and fully,

We must teach the origin of the universe too with its intricate complications,

Theories on the origin of the universe with all its complex ramifications,

Bring out real-world complexities exhaustively and panoramically,

Though with simple and clutter-free precision and straightforwardly,

Education systems must therefore begin with the unique and individual needs of each society,

And indeed in some cases of each unique individual in a society,  

Without undermining in the very least its rich diversity and plurarity,

Education systems must also begin with each society’s flaws and imperfections,

Or what we may call their Achilles heels and derelictions,

That in many a case have led to utter decreptitude and intellectual deteriorations, 

Education systems must also teach the origin of religion scientifically thereby exposing its inherent limitations,

Its follies, paradoxes and inherent restrictions,

Breaking its manacles and leading to its gradual evaporation,

Universal values must instead be instituted and propagated in its stead,

Which must in due course become not only societies’ impetus but also their butter and bread,

Educational systems must teach the origins of genetics and heredity,

They must modulate and dilute identity thereby leading to peaceful coexistence and harmony,

Social science research techniques also used and gainfully employed,

And scientific concepts aptly communicated and deployed,

With the legitimate and apposite epistemology,

Along with new and novel theories in pedagogy,

And in student and learner psychology,

Let us usher in changes to mind-orientation and cultural orientation,

Through the mechanism of pedagogy and education,

Eureka points and mini eureka points must be carefully instilled,

Through educational techniques precise, concise and distilled,

We must holistically and all-encompassingly teach aspiration and motivation,

We must diminish aspiration deficiency and resultant demotivation, 

We must inspire and goad students to progressive action,

We must teach not only morality but also far-sweeping vision and fertile perception,

In order to diminish and suitably shrink all forms of negativity and gloom,

That lead to aberrations such as school violence and substance abuse,

And invariable and inevitably to macroscopic doom,

The origin of language scientifically explained thereby shattering the near-invincibility of the tower of Babel to a very great proportion,

Thereby leading to its eventual repudiation,

Superstitions and myths duly cracked and busted,

The age old shackles of destructive delusions mortally wounded

The tedious clockwork of dogmatic destruction thereby unwounded,

Social, cultural and legal institutions painstakingly nurtured and strengthened,

Social and cultural barriers unheedingly shattered and demolished,

Sociocultural and socioeconomic differences carefully dismantled and jettisoned,

Social, cultural and economic capital thereby justly and aptly harnessed,

The wings of academic freedom clipped and curtailed,

To the extent it is not in keeping with the natural demands and constraints of pedagogical responsibility.

Or harnessed, channelized and well-kneeled meritocracy,

We must mould future citizens and teach them social and civic responsibility,

Not brash, endemic or reckless irresponsibility, 

We also need not just interdisciplinarity but also manifold transdisciplinarity,

Impediments and obstacles we must extensively debarrass and disembarrass,

To help achieve the potential not just of the laity but also of the creative and the intellectual class,  

 

To bring about renaissances and enlightenments,

 

And enhance vistas for human development,

 

All things considered and evaluated against the balance of rigorous objectivity and precision, the well-esteemed science of pedagogy,

Even in the progressive third decade of the twenty-first century,

With a careful due diligence performed overall,

Is utterly and preposterously obsolete, and is in dire need of a radical overhaul.

It is tragically past its expiry and its leaden-limbed crawl muddlingly and disconcertingly slow,

And does not allow us the rich fruits of bountiful and unrealized intellectual harvests to sow, reap and winnow,

This is what any sane and introspective analysis will find,

What must be treated as civilizational progress’s golden child,

Must not be turned into a sacrificial lamb,

At the altar of politics, petty bickering et al,

That will be a catastrophic tragedy indeed,

As it will progress and gains stymie,

And lay the foundations for a veritable intellectual and economic catastrophe.

Let us not glide up a slippery slope and ride the calamitous road to hell,

Let us avoid the dreary and the destructive kiss of extinction and the frigid and icy hand of death,

Let us not drive ourselves catastrophically to the edge of a precipice.

Lest we hurtle ruinously down a bottomless and soulless abyss,

Therefore let us wisely and sagaciously turn the tide and choose from a menu of good options,

Not just empty and hollow sabre-rattling but conscious and calculated actions,

Let us work hand in hand and toil in cheerful unison,

In blissful and fruitful cohesion,

With actions positive and persistent,

So let us be on our guard, on our vigil, and our mettle,

And let us not for any mediocre or substandard compromises settle,

Wide-ranging and comprehensive reform is imperative,

And indeed inevitable if not inexorable,

If we are to merrily and gayly envision,

A world without stifling chains or choking inhibition,

In order that we terminate the roguish and outworn hand of obsolescence that will inevitably lead to societies’ tragic and unwarranted crumbling and early extinction,

In this noble endeavour let all nations contribute resolutely regardless of economic stature, and in unerring and unswerving calculation.