Pedagogic Practice and Process of Learning Unit 1 UNIT 1:PEDAGOGIC … · 2016-06-17 · Fundamentals of Teaching 7 Pedagogic Practice and Process of Learning Unit 1 associated with

5Fundamentals of Teaching

Pedagogic Practice and Process of Learning Unit 1

UNIT 1: PEDAGOGIC PRACTICE AND PROCESS

OF LEARNING

UNIT STRUCTURE

1.1 Learning Objectives

1.2 Introduction

1.3 Meaning and Nature of Child-Centred Education

1.4 Notions Associated with Child-Centred Education

1.4.1 Characteristics of Child-Centred Education

1.4.2 Principles of Child-Centred Education

1.5 Pedagogic Methods: Its Meaning and Importance

1.5.1 Concept Formation

1.5.2 Enquiry Based Learning

1.5.3 Project Based Learning

1.6 Disciplinary Practices: Meaning and Necessity

1.6.1 Disciplinary Practices Usually Followed in Elementary

Schools

1.6.2 Steps for Maintaining Discipline in School

1.7 Let us Sum up

1.8 Further Reading

1.9 Answers to Check Your Progress

1.10 Model Questions

1.1 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After going through this unit you will be able to —

� discuss the concept of child-centred education

� explain the notions associated with child-centred education

� discuss the meaning of pedagogic methods

� explain the method of concept formation, enquiry based learning

and project based learning

� discuss the usual disciplinary practices followed in school and

� identify the steps for maintaining discipline in school.

6 Fundamentals of Teaching

Pedagogic Practice and Process of LearningUnit 1

1.2 INTRODUCTION

This is the first unit of the Course “Fundamentals of Teaching”. We

know that teaching is a complex activity and a teacher needs to know how

the students learn. It requires not only subject knowledge and competency

but also the knowledge about the nature and type of the students whom you

are going to teach. Education is a process of helping a child to develop his/

her potentialities to the maximum and to bring out the best from within the

child. It is a process of bringing about changes in an individual in the desired

direction. As such, to bring out the best from each child, you must be well-

equipped with the knowledge about the nature of child-centric or child-centred

education and also different methods of educating the child.

This unit will help you to understand the meaning and nature of child-

centred education, along with different notions associated with child-centred

education, pedagogic methods and also usual disciplinary practices followed

in our elementary schools.

As a teacher you might be practicing some of those methods. After

going through this unit you will develop more scientific approach to teaching

children.

1.3 MEANING AND NATURE OF CHILD CENTRED

EDUCATION

Child-centred education, as the name suggests is a student-centred

form of education. In this form of education, the child is considered as the

center of the educational process. This is, however, a recent development

in the field of education and it is yet to achieve a widespread success.

It is essential for us to know that previously the child was not

considered as the most important and vital element in education. Instead of

developing the natural endowment of the child, educationists gave

importance on content dominated, academic-centred education. The needs

and desires of the child were ignored and were viewed as an adult in making

only. Thus the child was receded into the background of education. This

attitude was reflected in the behaviour of teachers and other adults



associated with the child. But due to the efforts of some great educational

thinkers like Rousseau, Pestalozzi, Froebel, Herbert, Dewey among many

others, focus gradually shifted from content dominated and teacher

dominated education to child-centred education.

In child-centred education emphasis is laid on the development of

inherited capacities or dispositions of the child. These capacities are nothing

but primitive emotions, natural instincts and instinctive judgments with which

the child is born. These are considered more important than the behaviour

that the child acquires from association with others. Therefore, in child-

centred education the policy of non-intervention is followed.

As a teacher you should not intervene in the education of the child.

The teacher should play the role of an observer. It is believed that the child

knows better than the educator as what to learn, how to learn and when to

learn. As such, the teacher should not give any information, ideas or ideals

of his/her own. The process of education should encourage free

development of the child’s interests and motives rather than any artificial

effort made on him/her by a teacher.

From the above discussion it is clear that child-centred education means--

i) A process of education where the child occupies the central position.

ii) In this type of education natural abilities of the child should be allowed

to develop freely.

iii) The teacher should not intervene in the education of the child.

iv) The teacher should play the role of an observer and the child will learn

himself/herself.

v) Every child’s individuality must be respected and ideas interests,

motives, learning styles of the child must get preference in the

instructional practices.

1.4 NOTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH CHILD-CENTRED

EDUCATION

Child centricism in education was not born as a movement of

overnight. The thoughts of many philosophers, educators and psychological

research findings contributed to it. Let us discuss the ideas and views of



some the great educational thinkers.

Rousseau (1712-1778) advocated that education of children should

be according to nature. Complete freedom of activity should be allowed to

the child and discipline must never be artificially imposed on the child.

Teachers should not interfere with the child’s spontaneous self expression

in the name of teaching. He/she must merely act as a guide, a friend and as

a helper.

Pestalozzi (1746-1827), the Swiss teacher tried to put into practice

the psychological approach to education and suggested that the teacher

should know the child he/she teaches. Education is not merely teaching of

three R’s (reading, writing and arithmetic). It is natural, progressive and

harmonious development of the child’s power and faculties.

Herbart (1776-1841), the German philosopher advocated the theory

of interest in education. A child can not be taught without considering his/her

interests. Therefore the first requisite of successful teaching is the arousal

of natural interest in the child.

Froebel (1782-1852) was another German educator, famous for his

Kindergarten System of education for little children. Child centricism in

education has been further strengthened through his efforts. He believed

that child-centred education should not remain merely confined to the reading

of books and acquiring facts. It can come only through self-activity, free-

expression and social cooperation.

John Dewey (1859-1952) is considered as the greatest exponent of

child-centred education in the last century. Dewey presented his interpretation

in almost every aspect of education – school, society, discipline, pupil-

teacher relationship, interest and so on. He aimed at realistic type of education

emphasizing two points-

� a child must learn through activity,

� learning must be acquired in social environment.

Maria Montessori (1870-1952), her system of child-centred education

can be described as auto education, in which the child learns by himself/

herself without any interference from the teacher. She believed that true

learning takes place spontaneously if the sense organs are properly trained.



Montessori Method of teaching is chiefly based on sense training.

In India also the importance of child-centred education was realized

by Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Gijubhai Badheka etc. Gandhiji

laid stress on activity, self reliance and cooperation in his Basic system of

education. Tagore’s educational concept laid emphasis on freedom of activity

and self expression of the child and also direct contact with nature. In his

school Shantiniketan, he introduced fine arts - dance, drama, music,

paintings etc. and emphasized on an open model of education with classes

held in the open air under the trees and the curriculum evolving around

culture and natural environment and appreciating the richest aspects of

other cultures.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Q 1: What is child-centred education? How it is

different from teacher centred education?

Answer your question in around 50 to 60 words.

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Q 2: Enlist the name of some educational thinkers who contributed

towards child centred education.

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Q 3: Who developed Kindergarten System of Education?

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Q 4: What is auto-education?

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1.4.1 Characteristics of Child-Centred Education

Now you are familiar with the notions of various great

educators, who contributed towards the establishment of child-

centred education. Today we have a clear concept of what this type



of education implies. The chief characteristics of child-centred

education may be summarized as follows:

i) The child is the most important factor in education.

ii) Complete freedom of activity is advocated in child-centred

education and emphasized that the growth of the child must

not be inhibited or injured.

iii) Activity should form the chief method of teaching where the

role of the student becomes more active than that of the

teacher.

iv) Learning in child-centred education is based on real life

experiences in the child’s life and his/her experiences in society.

v) The natural and harmonious development of education is aimed

at development of all aspects of the child’s personality -

physical, emotional, social and intellectual.

vi) Interference of teachers with the child’s spontaneous

experiences in the name of teaching is not allowed. The teacher

should act as a guide, friend and helper.

vii) Discipline must never be artificially imposed on the students.

It should be allowed to emerge spontaneously.

1.4.2 Principles of Child-Centred Education

Child centric education today exists in various forms in

schools all over the world. The principles of child-centred education

are -

i) The child is the most sacred thing in education: The basic

principle of child-centred education is to enable the optimal

development of a child’s personality and competencies in line

with his or her individual requirements.

ii) Orientation on the needs of the children: The teacher

should understand child psychology and guide the child

according to his/her needs and attitudes. Children should be

treated as children and not as miniature adults.

iii) Active self-regulated learning: A child must learn through



self activity. Therefore children are instructed and encouraged

to actively search for knowledge by carrying out learning

activities.

iv) Well designed learning environment: Learning environment

should be such that children can work towards developing their

competencies in an autonomous and self-directed manner and

in accordance with their own needs. Therefore, importance

should be given in didactically designed learning material, such

as, learning tasks, games, materials to stimulate development,

learning platforms, user friendly libraries, learning rooms etc.

v) Social learning as a method and goal: Learning is designed

as a shared social process. Cooperative planning, working in

teams and groups, such as, discussion groups, student

council, etc. are encouraged.

vi) Importance on Psychological findings: Child centric

education is based on psychological findings which are applied

at all levels of learning e.g., motivation by creating interest in

the child, interest, positive reinforcement of good learning habits

through rewards etc.

vii) Conducive school community: School administrators,

teachers, students and parents, all work together in a

respectful, professional and committed way and form a

conducive school community where teachers cooperate with

and include parents in school activities.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Q 5: List the main characteristics of child-centred

education.

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1.5 PEDAGOGIC METHODS : ITS MEANING AND

IMPORTANCE

Let us discuss the meaning of the word ‘pedagogy’. The dictionary

meaning of pedagogy is as follows: ‘the art and method of teaching’; ‘the

study of methods and styles of teaching’; ‘the function or work of a teacher’

etc. Thus, pedagogy means the art and science of teaching which a teacher

must posses. It deals with teaching processes and also psychological

aspects of teaching, such as, knowledge of individual differences of learner

in their abilities, aptitudes interests and personality qualities. Pedagogy tells

us about how to teach, whom to teach and what to teach.

Pedagogical method means the way of teaching by following different

pedagogical skills and techniques. To make the subject interesting the

teacher should be able to use different methods and techniques. The

objective of using these methods is to create the condition that ensures an

optional teaching result. Child-centred education believes that all children

are naturally motivated to learn and capable of learning. The job of a teacher

is to encourage them and to strengthen their urge to be active. One main

principle of teaching at the elementary level is to relate classroom learning

with children’s life outside. Let us discuss some pedagogical methods of

learning.

1.5.1 Concept Formation

A concept is the basic unit of all types of learning. Concept is

an abstract idea derived from grouping of objectives in terms of some

common property or characteristics. It can be classes or categories

of things, sequential principles or rational principles that specify a

particular arrangement. Children learn simple concepts about objects

around them like water, mother, milk, father, tree, glass and so on by

coming into contact with them. Young children develop concepts

based on home environment. As such, the quality and quantity of

concepts depend on the environment, the child moves in and the



experiences he had. For example, the child who is born in a slum

will have a different concept of a house from a child who is born in

upper class in a society. But as the child grows older the school and

the community provides learning opportunities that are similar for all

children.

Role of the teacher

Generally, the child is admitted in school by the age of 5 years.

As stated above, that child’s concept attainment begins with concrete

and simple objects of his/her environment, the role of the teacher is

to sharpen the already formed vague concepts to teach new and

more complex concepts. The teacher must take children at every

stage of concept building. The teacher must take into consideration

the following points while teaching concept formation to children.

i) The most efficient and effective techniques of developing

concept is to provide direct experience of the objects. Direct

experiencing gives first hand knowledge of the object because

it leaves better image of the object. For example, if in a science

class, the teacher wants to give the concept of various parts

of flower, then it is better to show original flower instead of

showing the picture or just teaching theoretically.

ii) There are many things which cannot be brought in the

classroom for direct experience. For example, if the teacher

wants to give the concept of elephant, there is no substitute

for seeing and touching a real elephant and it is impossible to

bring an original elephant in the classroom. So the teacher

may take the students to the zoo to give first hand experience

of an elephant and also other birds and animals.

iii) Again, to provide clear concept of an object and also to provide

variety of experiences in different settings, for example to give

a clear concept of the shape of the water to the students, the

teacher can bring various shapes of pots to the classroom

and make them see how the water takes the form and shape

of each type of pot when water is poured in them. Thus, by this



practical experience the students will develop their concept on

the shape of water and will know that water do not have any

definite shape.

iv) The teacher must note one point that new ideas are not easily

assimilated by the mind if they are not associated with the

previous learned concepts. So, the teacher must help the

students to differentiate old and new concepts. He must point

out the prominent features of an object so that children may

develop the concept of defining attributes. For example, cow,

the child must see big and small cows of different colours and

the teacher must help to infer criteria attributes of cow.

The teacher must encourage the students to form their own

concepts. Children should be provided with numerous instances of

the concept and helped to verbalize the concept in the form of

definition.

Examples of concepts developing among students are given below:

1. Key concept: Family – Concept of a family, family types, family

as a support system, ideas about relationship, simple family free.

i. Questions: Who all live with you at home? How are they related

to each other? Do you have relatives that don’t live with you?

How many children did your grand parents have?

ii. Suggested resources: Child’s daily life experience, family

members.

iii. Suggested activities: Observation, enquiry about family

relation, from adults, discussion with adults.

2. Key concepts: Family influences – Physical characteristics

values and habits, appreciating qualities and skills of family

members etc.

i. Questions: Do you like anybody in your family? Have you

learnt anything from anybody in your family? Whom do you

admire most among all your relatives? Who is the most caring

and patient person? When do you meet members of your

family who do not live with you?



ii. Suggested resources: Family members, local knowledge

story, poems on different festivals.

iii. Suggested activities: Observation, exploring form elders about

extended family, narrating stories about festivals, writing/

drawing about any festivals.

3. Key concept: Birds – Exploring children’s ideas of birds, their

living places, eating habits, common features like feathers and

sounds produced by them, feeding birds.

i. Questions: Which are the birds you see in your area? Do

they like some trees than others? What do they eat? Can you

recognize birds by their feathers? What are different sounds

they make? Are their some birds come from some other

places? Do you feed any birds or place water for them?

ii. Suggested resources: Exploring children’s ideas of birds, their

living places, eating habits, common features like feathers

and sounds produced by them, feeding birds.

iii. Suggested activities: Drawing of birds, mimicking different

neck movements and sounds of birds, collecting features etc.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Q 6: What is Pedagogy?

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1.5.2 Enquiry Based Learning

We know that children are naturally curious. If we give them

freedom they often interact and experiment with things around them.

These are valuable learning experiences for children. These types

of experiences are essential for imbibing the spirit of enquiry. It is

always important that any programme of study give children, the

needed space, and not tie them down with different topics to be

covered within a short period of time. Denying them this opportunity

may kill the spirit of enquiry. As teacher you must not forget that the



ultimate aim is to help children to become autonomous learners.

“Enquiry Approach” is one of the best child-centred

approaches of learning. The ultimate aim of this inquiry based learning

is to enable the students to question why a particular event happens

as it does with a view to acquiring and processing data logically. The

students are expected to experiment freely, with their own questions,

structuring and sequencing the inquiry sessions. This method is

very useful in teaching science because here the children themselves

find out the solution of the problem instead of getting readymade

information from the teacher.

Role of Teacher

In enquiry based learning the teacher should generate a

problem situation students have to find out the solution themselves

under the guidance of their teachers. As a teacher you are expected

to-

i) Exercise full control over the interaction.

ii) Provide your students with a problem situation.

iii) Help your students to identify and define the problem.

iv) Encourage students’ participation throughout the learning

process.

v) Maintain a democratic climate through out the learning.

vi) Pay individual attention to each student present.

vii) Encourage independent study on the part of the students.

Example

If a teacher want to teach the concept that ‘Air has weight’

by scientific method, first he/she should teach how to use a spring

balance to measure weight to his students one or two day before

the actual class. Then on the particular day he/she should start the

lesson with-

i) Problem: Does air have weight?

ii) Hypotheses: The children will be puzzled and they start

looking at one another. They will discuss among themselves



and formulate their answers as yes or no. Finally, children

will enquire “Can it be measured?” The teacher will reply “Yes”.

Then children will ask “How can we measure it? What are

the materials necessary for measuring the weight of air?”

iii) Experiment: The teacher asks the students to collect two

football bladders- one is empty and the other is full of air.

They themselves observe that an empty football bladder

weighs less than the bladder full of air. After making this

observation, they draw the conclusion that Air has weight.

The hypotheses ‘Yes’ is right and the hypothesis ‘No’ is wrong.

This method has both advantages and disadvantages. The

method is advantageous in the sense that the children are trained to

learn on their own. Again, they learn to formulate hypothesis and

also to verify it. Children become active and work under the guidance

of a teacher. On the other hand the method is slow and time

consuming. All children are not capable to learn by this method.

Besides this, the teacher must be well trained to use this method so

that all children are involved in the learning process.

1.5.3 Project Based Learning

Project based learning provides learning experiences suited

to individual students or a group of students. A project may be any

purposeful activity, which requires participation of both the teacher

and the students. With the initiative and direction of the teacher, the

students can be fruitfully engaged in project work. The project work

provides real-life experiences to the students. Any activity like

collecting pictures, making models, drawing maps and charts,

preparing scrap books, going for historical tours and exhibitions,

preparation of wall newspaper etc. can be a project. There are some

basic principles of the project based learning (Kocher, 2000, p. 109):

Activity : The project should involve activity- mental or motor.

Purpose : Activity should be purposeful, it should be a felt need of



the students.

Experience : Project undertaken should provide varied type of

experiences to the students - manipulative, concrete, mental etc.

Reality : Project undertaken should provide real experiences.

Freedom : The students should be free to undertake different

activities connected to the project.

Utility : The activities undertaken should be useful.

Role of the teacher

As a teacher you should clearly know your role when your

students have to work in a project. You should help the students to

perform the following tasks:

i) Providing a situation for selection of appropriate subjects, skill,

procedure, problem or topic for the projects.

ii) Offering students a choice for choosing the subject or skill,

procedure and the topic. After the choice of the topic has been

made, the students may ask to write the reasons for their

choice.

iii) Formulating objectives of the project in clear terms.

iv) Planning of the project should be done by the students under

the guidance of the teacher.

v) Sequencing the work efficiently and preparing time-table in the

project realistically is yet another important task.

vi) Outlining the evaluation procedure i.e. explaining the

assessment schedule should be done beforehand and also

formulation of evaluation criteria.

With the preparation of the above mentioned tasks, you should be

able to start implementation of the project. At this stage you are

expected to perform a number of tasks.

i) When plan of the project is ready, students should be

encouraged to start work on it.

ii) The students should distribute the various tasks among

themselves according to individual interests and capacities.

iii) The teacher should see that every child is assigned some work



and every student contribute something towards successful

completion of the project.

iv) The teacher should check every students progress regularly

and guide the students by suggesting various books and

sources relating to their problems.

v) It is necessary that students should be encouraged to maintain

record of all activities connected with the project.

vi) Assessment of the project should be done in accordance with

the planned scheme.

vii) Finally a report should be prepared about the project assigned.

Evaluation of Project work

Evaluation of the work done is of utmost importance.

Students must learn to find out their shortcomings and good points.

Evaluation should be done for the whole project including project

report, project product and procedure.

Examples of Project :

� Make a chart showing distance of the planets from the sun.

� Draw a sketch of your school and locate the following :

i) Principal’s room

ii) Your classroom

iii) Playground

iv) Library

� Write observations about local area house types, settlements,

transport, communication and vegetation.

� Collect information regarding some endangered plants and

animal species in India.

� Visit to an industry or a place of historical importance.

Advantages of project based learning

i) The method is in accordance with the psychological laws of

learning. It provides most natural conditions of learning. The

child remembers the principles learnt for a longer period.

ii) Project work develops fellow-feeling and democratic spirit



among the students.

iii) The communication skills of the students also develop through

the activities undertaken during project work.

iv) Project based learning also develops various kinds of desirable

personality attributes of the learners. They may be higher mental

abilities like critical thinking, creative thinking etc. and certain

affective attributes like interactivity, social sensitivity etc.

besides gaining knowledge of the topic.

Limitations

i) The main limitation of project work is in formulating the project

for covering the syllabus rule or forming project method as the

basis of teaching.

ii) There is also difficulty in ensuring any kind of systematic

progress in instruction.

iii) Teachers should be well trained and highly qualified for the

success of this method.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Q 7: Enlist two advantages and two

disadvantages of Enquiry based learning.

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Q 8: What are the basic principles of project based learning?

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1.6 DISCIPLINARY PRACTICES: MEANING AND

NECESSITY

The most essential condition for running a school effectively is

discipline. The school should be governed by certain rules and regulations.

All members of the school community, right from the students to the principal,



must obey and respect certain rules and regulations framed by the school

authority. Thus discipline means an order and a system in doing things with

obedience to command. The methods and means adopted by the school

management to maintain discipline and order in the school campus are

known as disciplinary practices.

Discipline is needed to channelize the behaviour of pupils and guide

it in a right direction. It is needed for the purpose of limiting behaviour and to

bring behaviour in line with the requirements of society, environment and

sound principles. The basic reason for this need is that until and unless

some restraints or restrictions are imposed on the expression of needs and

motives of the students, they are likely to come into damaging conflict with

society. We can observe this clearly in the case of an aggressive child who

teases and bullies other children or reacts in a destructive manner toward

his/her environment. This aggressive behaviour has to be limited by some

form of discipline.

The demands or requirements of society are not the only things that

make discipline necessary from personal point of view but also for the health,

safety and the orderly growth and development of an individual. Therefore

at every stage of development, some discipline must be injected into the

lives of children and adolescents, for without that they cannot achieve the

goal of maturity.

1.6.1 Disciplinary Practices Usually Followed in

Elementary School

Elementary education is the beginning of formal education.

This is the stage when a child gets admission in some school and

learns regularly according to set curriculum. The formal education

itself is a type of discipline. The process of discipline switches from

impulses and behavioural habits of the child to the realm of intellect,

perception and learning, in which it assumes the form of mental

discipline.

It has been stated above that the school management adopts

different disciplinary practices for developing the sense of discipline



among the pupils. The usual disciplinary practices followed in an

elementary school are:

� A student must reach school at the scheduled time fixed by

the school authority.

� It is compulsory for all the students to attend the school prayer

before the commencement of regular classes.

� Every student must take leave if he/she remains absent from

school for a long time.

� Every student must behave properly towards a teacher, class

- fellow or other students of the school.

� Every student must do their home work regularly.

� If a student is found to be guilty of any of the anti-social

activities, such as, destroying school property, stealing

something from his/her fellow students or from the school,

adopting unfair means in the examination, etc. then instead of

punishment, he/she should be counseled firmly and at the same

time lovingly and thereby the teacher should try to instill self-

discipline in the student.

1.6.2 Steps for Maintaining Discipline in School

Maintenance of student’s discipline is the prime responsibility

of the school. Parents, teachers and educational administrators are

all concerned with maintenance of discipline in the school and also

interested in developing the sense of discipline in the minds of the

students. In this regard following measures may be considered as

important steps for maintaining discipline in elementary school:

(i) Teacher’s influence: Teacher has a far reaching influence

on life of an individual student. He/she can play an important

role in bringing about desirable changes in a student. The

friendly voice and the calm deliberate speech of a teacher make

instruction clear and evoke voluntary co-operation and good

behaviour from his or her students without show of temper

and threats. The bond between students and their teacher is



strengthened when students feel that the teacher is interested

in their success and failure. The teacher exerts considerable

influence on thoughts, feelings and activities of his/her

students. He/she should make himself a source of inspiration

and an ideal person to be obeyed and followed by them.

(ii) Taking individual care: Problems of students should be

individually studied. They should not be ridiculed. Rather, their

diff iculties and problems should be looked upon

sympathetically. They should be helped to solve their problems.

(iii) Encouragement rather than condemn: Encouragement has

been proved to bring better result than rebuke. Encouragement

brings about self-confidence in a student.

(iv) Method of teaching and curriculum: Activity method should

receive importance rather than verbal and theoretical method

of teaching. Curriculum should be prepared keeping in view

the student’s needs and interests.

(v) Provision for co-curricular activities : Adequate provision

of co-curricular activities in school are necessary for healthy

life as they provide a proper balance between work and leisure

and recreation, remove mental fatigue, recuperate lost energy

and help psychological adjustment.

(vi) Role of Students’ Union: Students union can play an

important role in maintenance of discipline. It may provide

scope for self discipline through self responsibility of the

students in a democratic way. It also helps in development of

leadership qualities among students.

(vii) Attitude of authorities: Often the undesirable or undemocratic

attitude of authorities and teachers become the cause of student

indiscipline. Genuine needs and problems of students need

sympathetic consideration.

(viii) Parent teacher co-operation: Parental co-operation should

be sought to discipline the students. Teacher should take the

initiative of forming parent-teacher association and discuss their



mutual problems through it. Joint action of parents and teachers

may certainly give good results.

(ix) Use of Positive and Negative Reinforcement: Everybody

has the general tendency to accept pleasure and avoid pain.

This natural tendency may be applied in school for modification

of children’s behaviour in the form of positive and negative

reinforcement. A positive reinforcer is the one, presentation of

which increases the likelihood of a particular behaviour. For

example, positive reinforcers such as praise, grades, medals,

etc. may be awarded to the students when they show the

expected behaviour. On the other hand, negative reinforcer is

the one, the removal or withdrawal of which increases the

likelihood of particular behaviour. Examples of negative

reinforcement may be a teacher’s saying to the students that

whoever does drill work properly in the class would be

exempted from homework or if a student does not do his/her

homework, then he/she may be asked to complete the

homework during the tiffin hour.

Any disciplinary problem in school may have cumulative

effect. Therefore there should be provision to solve day to day

problems of students. Above all, it is the teacher whose competence,

character and good teaching will go a long way in solving problems

of indiscipline among students.

CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Q 9: List the steps for maintaining discipline in

school.

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1.7 LET US SUM UP

In this unit, we have discussed the following matters:

� In child-centred education the child is considered as the centre of the

educational process. In this education, more emphasis is laid on the

nature of the child and the natural abilities of the child should be allowed

to develop freely. Previously, education was content dominated and

teacher-centred. But due to the efforts of some great educational

thinkers, focus gradually shifted to child -centred education. It believes

that every child’s individuality must be respected and ideas, motives,

interests, learning styles of the child must get preference in instructional

practices.

� Rousseau advocated that education should be according to the nature

of the child. Pestalozzi suggested that the teacher should know the

child he/she teaches. Froebel developed kindergarten System of

Education for children. Montessory was another advocate of child-

centred education, who gave importance on sense-training. Dewey

emphasized that a child must learn through activity and learning must

be acquired in social environment.

� The principles of child-centric education are – the child is the most

sacred thing in education, orientation on the needs of the children,

active and self-regulated learning, well designed learning environment,

social learning as a method and goal, importance on psychological

findings and conducive school community.

� Pedagogy means art and science of teaching, which a teacher must

possess. Pedagogy gives importance on acquiring knowledge about

how to teach and what to teach, depending upon the characteristics

of the learner. There are different pedagogical methods which gives

importance on psychological aspects of teaching such as, individual

difference of learners in their abilities, aptitudes, interest and personality

qualities. Three pedagogical methods have been discussed and these



are concept formation, inquiry based learning and project based

learning.

� The concluding section of the unit deals with disciplinary practices

usually followed in schools. The members of the school community

right from the students to the principal must obey certain rules and

regulations. Elementary stage is the first phase of formal education.

Therefore it is necessary to shape the behaviour of the child in right

direction. The school must take definite steps to maintain and regulate

discipline in school.

1.8 FURTHER READING

1) Bhatia, K.K. (2004). Principles and Theories of Education. New Delhi:

Kalyani Publichers.

2) Das, B.N. (2008). Principles of Education. Hyderabad: Neelkamal

Publications Pvt. Ltd.

3) Mangal, S.K. (2003). Advanced Educational Psychology (2nd Edition).

New Delhi: Prentice-Hall of India Pvt. Ltd.

1.9 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR

PROGRESS

Ans to Q No 1: Child-centred education means pupil-centred education,

where emphasis is laid on the development of inherited capacities or

dispositions of the child. Child-centred education is different from

teacher- centred education in the sense that in teacher-centred

education it is the teacher who speaks most of the time and the children

are given no opportunity to speak or very little opportunity to interact.



Ans to Q No 2: Rousseau. Pestalozzi, Froebel. Herbart, Montessori, Dewey

etc.

Ans to Q No 3: F. Froebel

Ans to Q No 4: In auto-education the child learn by himself without any

interference from the teacher.

Ans to Q No 5: i) Child is the most important factor (ii) Complete freedom

of activity (iii) Role of students are more active than the teacher (iv)

Learning is based on real experience (v) Natural and harmonious

development of children (vi) Natural and harmonious development of

children (vi) Discipline must never be artificially imposed.

Ans to Q No 6: Pedagogy means art and science of teaching.

Ans to Q No 7: Children are trained to learn on their own, they learn to

formulate and also to verify the hypotheses. But this method is slow

and time consuming. All children are not capable to learn by this method.

Ans to Q No 8: Activity, purpose, experience, reality, freedom and utility.

Ans to Q No 9: Teacher’s influence, taking individual care, encouragement,

method of teaching and curriculum, provision for co-curricular activities,

role of student’s union, attitude of authorities, parent teacher co-

operation and reasonable punishment.

1.10 MODEL QUESTIONS

A) Very Short Questions

Q 1: What is the role of teacher in child-centred education?

Q 2: Montessori method of teaching gives chief emphasis to the training of

which organs?

Q 3: What is the most effective technique that a teacher should use for

developing concept of a thing or an object in their students?

Q 4: What are the various activities which can be used by the teachers for

developing concept of a family, among students?

Q 5: What is the starting point of an enquiry based learning?



Q 6: Give examples of some activities which can be given to the students

as a project.

Q 7: Mention any two kind of disciplinary practices followed in an elementary

school.

Q 8: How can a teacher maintain discipline in the classroom – by being

friendly and calm or by being angry and aggressive?

B) Short Questions (Answer each question in about 150 words)

Q 1: Explain the meaning of child-centred education.

Q 2: Describe the principles of child-centred education.

Q 3: Write a short note on – Enquiry based learning.

Q 4: Write the advantages and limitations of project based learning.

Q 5: What is the meaning of disciplinary practices? Explain the necessity

of disciplinary practices in schools.

C) Long Questions (Answer each question in about 300-500 words)

Q 1: Discuss the notions associated with child - centred education.

Q 2: What do you mean by concept formation? Write briefly on the role of

teacher in the process of concept formation.

Q 3: Describe the various steps which should be followed for maintaining

discipline in schools.

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