Life Skills Education

Dilip P Patel Recently as I awaited my turn to address nearly 500 parents and teachers in a well known school in Bangalore, a thought flashed across my mind and I quickly converted it into the lead-in of my address.”Dear Parents, I have three questions to put to you. If your answer is in the affirmative, show it by raising your hand for each question.” After a brief pause, I added ‚ “And yes, you might find the first two questions stupid but I must ask them, so please answer them.”There was a pregnant silence. I fired my first question: “Do you love your children?” Almost every hand went up. I was left in no doubt that all the parents present loved their children. That was the first stupid question.My next question was: “Are you doing everything possible for your children to get the best out of them?” This was a more intelligent question, but then almost every parent and teacher believes they are doing their best for the children in their care. Hence many hands went up.The third question was even more intelligent: “Is your child giving his/ her best because of your efforts?” This time hardly any hands went up. Very few parents are satisfied with the performance ‚ in the classroom or beyond ‚ of their children. Ditto teachers who may have their favourites, based largely on their academic performance, but even they believe their favourites can do better. Hence the very few raised hands was understandable.Thus two of the most important influencers of the development and growth of children ‚ parents and teachers‚ are by and large, dissatisfied with their wards. Therefore isn‚t it logical to presume that if this dissatisfaction is transformed into satisfaction, the latent talent in children will flower? This ‚ transforming parent-teacher perspectives ‚ is the purpose of life skills education.It has been my common experience that every time I address adults on values, ethics and life skills, either in the corporate arena, or on a social platform, they all chorus saying, “Yes, yes, you are doing a great job, but you need to concentrate on children. If our children are taught these good things, our society will surely improve.” Or words to this effect.This reaction has made me wonder whether society is only made up of children, since I‚m told that by teaching them good values and ethics society will improve. Weren‚t today‚s adults children once upon a time? Did no one teach them good values? If so why hasn‚t society improved? Why will it improve now? It‚s a puzzle. But a parable I heard sometime back provides a good insight. Let me put it in my own words.”I was in search of some pure, white ivory. I roamed the hills, rivers, and jungles. Suddenly I spotted a beautiful pair of pure, white curvaceous bars of ivory, four-five ft. long, jutting out of a bush. I ran to claim them. But, alas, they were firmly attached to a giant elephant.” Children…