"Children are like wet cement, whatever falls on them, makes an impression". I came across this quote during my childhood but understood it quite later.

The learning process for a child starts the moment it is born; responding to people when they call, trying to walk, smile, talk, reaching out for things they want are all a part of their natural learning process. As they start growing, it is very important to educate them to channelise this process thoughtfully to get a sensible human being.

Before we start thinking what a child will become tomorrow, let's not forget he is someone today. His scribble is a story, his crying has a song in it. We need to understand their language and then coach them accordingly.

Home is a child's first learning ground where they learn about their needs, relations, emotions, behaviour, communication and other traits, all in their own comfort zone. When they start their pre-school, they come out of this comfort zone for the first time and it is required for the schools to have a warm and welcoming environment where they feel loved and safe. Hence it is very important for schools to have a homely environment.

Physical Education

Children learn better through experimentation and explorations. So, schools should provide the space, materials and scope of learning through trial and error.  Their body parts, specially their hands are very delicate and hence a forced writing may have an adverse effect of losing a grip.

We should allow them to choose their pen or pencil, crayons or paint brushes and be confident about it. Even while playing, let them build, arrange, draw, push and pull, close and open things on their own and get a grip of their own fine and gross motor skills. Remember, when we do things for them rather than letting them do, all they learn is that we do it better than them.

Once a child is able to do the basic things on its own, let's not rush to teaching numbers and the alphabet. We should focus on their speech and expressions, their sensory play, music, art and other fine skills. A lot of schools with such contemporary techniques have come up keeping these aspects in mind. Schools play a major role in encouraging kids to choose the kind of sport or physical activity they want by including these in their schools and making it a part of the curriculum. You never know you may be raising a future sportsperson.

Mental Education

Along with physical skills, children also start learning the basics of social interaction and start realising their feelings and emotions with each relationship. Kids start developing certain habits and traits at a younger age. Their focus is on their individuality and they start learning about the community from the fellow kids and teachers. They also go through a lot of emotional changes which need to be handled very carefully. Teachers and parents should communicate with kids in their language and get down to their level. We should also see through their perspective even while deciding a curriculum or facilitating a method, to make the education process easier. Using force and fear is never an option in education.

Reading books should be made a habit. A conversation with bed time stories about morals, mythology, science, and other topics make them think about their surroundings and people around them. They should be taught about kindness, compassion, honesty, justice, sincerity, punctuality and other virtues. Let them answer their own questions, we can always correct them if they are wrong; that way we can understand their thought process and may be learn something different.

Observe how they behave with their friends and teachers in school, how they talk about them. Methods which are easy to comprehend, register and retain information should be introduced and the same should be applied in real life situations to understand concepts better. The best way is learning through role plays which help them understand a situation better, analyse it with their learning and respond accordingly. This helps slowly but gradually in developing a strong and sensible personality.

Child education is a sensitive subject and kids are even more sensitive. Every child has their own learning ability and takes their own time. The best we can do is to believe them which gives them the confidence to face life and its challenges as they come. Our motive should always be to guide them to be a good human being first who is respectful towards other human beings, his country, animals and nature as well. As they say,

"Prepare the child for the path, not the path for the child."

- Published by SFS Narengi