Core competency 'SELF CONTROL' - Needed during Covid times.

Covid times has led us to rethink on the competencies we are teaching our children for the new era.  The beginning of the lockdown saw crowing and massive purchasing by people.  When we look at this from an educationist perspective, we need to reflect on what went wrong in our system for people to behave in an anxious manner.  The education system nor our 21st century skills have exposed such weakness in our society.  Redesign to build a new system to accept new situations with confidence is to be imbibed among the young.

'Time changes and we have to change with time'

World Economic forum has stipulated 16 skills under the heading of 'foundational literacies, Core competencies and Character qualities' for life long learning.  Among the 16, the only one missing and essential one I see during these times is that of 'SELF CONTROL'.  In a situation where going out could cause harm to self and family, one needs to understand the need of self control.  The beginning of lockdown in India saw hoarding of essentials from food to medicine by different sections of the society.  As lockdown is being pulled over, the string of purchases is heavy.  The key question being

• Are these essentially needed?

Knowing the difference between ambitious living and minimalist living is essential during  pandemic times.  It is become obvious that our education system has not imbibed the know-how of 'need' and 'want'.  It is most important that we learn this during such times.  Let's take the example of migrants, who were either walking or cycling to reach their places.  Think about what they had and why did they take up such a risky journey, it was their need for survival.  If we were considerate enough and could live with the minimum then they would not have had such mad rush out of their workplaces.  Villages are self sufficient but agriculture needs a lot of support and how are we supporting them.  As educated members we are to think on these levels.

What we eat is not important.  Do we get to eat is important.

The need to incorporate 'SELF CONTROL' into our curriculum and plan  transfer of responsibility to individuals is important. To do this there must be a link on essentials of life rather than ambitions of life.  Working out of interest is different from working to earn or become rich.  When interest takes over we are satisfied with bare minimum and when earning becomes the keynote we strive towards unhealthy competition, feeling that this would satisfy us internally. 

How can we train our students to have 'SELF CONTROL'?

Concepts of  sharing, caring, concern and empathy for others will build values of compassion and self satisfaction.  

'Where the mind goes, the heart and stomach follows'

Education system should work on mind of young rather than talk about theories and achievement.  When minds talk the feelings develop and this creates opportunities to develop qualities of compassion. Covid - 19 has not only been a challenge to the great minds in research but also a challenge to the education system.  This pandemic has given us new lesson which we otherwise would not have cared for.  It is now important to realise and act upon rather than discuss and discuss on the behaviour norms of our society.  Thinking about 'what to change from the lesson of our past' will give us a better preparedness for our future because this his is just a beginning.

HARD TIMES, HARD LESSONS - The antagonist life

'Life never stops, it keeps changing'.  

No one could have imagined an immediate future before one month in India.  No one in the world would have imagined that world would come to a standstill within few months of the beginning of a new year.  We are tuned to adapt and experience changes throughout our life.  The emphasis here being to slow changes.  However, this change around the world was rapid and has given nobody a space to acclimatize to the change happening. The world we know has come to a sudden stop from 23rd March 2020.  What  lessons can we learn from this?

Definitely,

'Nothing is permanent. Respect what we have'

Look at the routine we followed before lockdown and the routine we follow now.  What has changed personally?

1. Our daily routine
2. Our workspace
3. Our family ties and bonding
4. Food habits
5. Expenditure control
6. Attitude towards travelling etc.,

Well, how many changes can we say is positive and how many has affected you socially, psychologically and financially? - It's individual perception.

As an educator, I feel this lockdown has been nothing but a blessing in disguise.  Let's reason out

1. Enabling learning new software's to build efficient classrooms

2. Working on online platforms for searching as well as securing practices

3. More opportunities for professional development

4. Venture into unexplored territories of learning.

Never stop learning

I know that time is of essence and with too many works pending from admissions to recruitment it becomes stressful to complete the said in too much of a hurry at a later date.  It is said that any process has two sides of a coin, how we view and our approach to the problem is what makes the difference.  Looking from this perspective.  I definitely have two options

1. To optimize and utilise the rare opportunity provided

2. To sulk and brood about the ways in which I could have spent the time.

I prefer option (1), not only because it gives a lot of mental peace but also allows me to venture into challenges which I can now convert into opportunities.

What I have learned with this experience?

Well, anything cannot be taken for granted.  What we have today is definitely a gift and we may not have it in the future.  We are able to survive without going to shopping malls, watching movies in the grand INOX.  Life has taught us to live with the limited freedom provided.  From the environment point of view, we are now breathing a much more cleaner air, no traffic pollution, and in a sense Covid -19 is able to teach us more about health and hygiene. This summer heat feels a little bit reduced due to the loss of artificial heat generated around us in our cities.   

The situation is opposite of our normal routine.  This is the time in India we plan trips to meet our parents, relatives and bond with them.  This situation has also brought to another side of life, which focuses on better self control in gearing up to the situation. It may be through social distancing, or controlled purchasing or keeping ourselves clean.

I personally feel that we should acclaim this situation as these can be repetitive, with newer emergence of stronger viruses.  Over the past decade viruses were  many, each creating a mark of its own and now this virus is making itself well-known around the world.  Let's be prepared looking for alternative ways of engaging personally rather than getting frustrated at the lack of opportunities during lockdowns' ahead.