# General Business Category > Entrepreneurship and Business Management Forum > [Article] Perils of classroom training

## Ajay

Classroom training has been an integral part of Indian education system.But everchanging environmental factors are putting pressure onto this method of training.

Schools offering education in local languages are left without students.Parents want their kids to be educated in english language right from the beginning.Expensive private schools are mushrooming all across Tier I and Tier II cities.These schools are getting support from parents with higher purchasing power.Ultimately resulting in increased class room size.It’s testing the skills of trainers in terms of class room and behavior management.It doesn’t offer  teacher a scope to provide personalized attention.Today’s classrooms are just like massive production facilities trying to produce standardized products on massive scale.

In simple terms class room management involves management of classroom with all available resources.In the beginning of 21st century,we are witnessing emergence of virtual economy.Technology is getting used across sectors except education sector.Indian teachers hardly have any help of adequate resources including latest technology.It’s difficult to meet workforce demands of 21st century with these kind of classroom inputs where our students spend major time of their academic life.

Our class room teaching is reward and punitive  based.In management language this way of management is called as carrot and stick approach.But this approach creates donkeys who are motivated by carrots and pushed around by sticks. Use of this approach on a continuous basis reinforces inappropriate behavior.

Teachers are important resources of any educational institution. But the percentage of total institutional budget spent on development of such an important resource is negligible.So our teachers keep using same old outdated teaching methodologies.Most of them keep delivering lectures based on outdated knowledge.How many adults can recall what they learnt in the school days.I doubt if majority can recall anything substantial.

Our classroom model of teaching heavily relies on test scores.But our tests are designed to gauge academic performance rather than ability of student to meet the challenges of 21st century.Our tests are not designed to measure life skills.

In designing a classroom of tomorrow, we must consider all the above mentioned shortcomings.Underlying principles of new design should consider principles keeping in mind changed and dynamic realities of today.Traditional method of classroom teaching must be seamlessly connected with other modes of learning.

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## mother

> Todays classrooms are just like massive production facilities trying to produce standardized products on massive scale.


Ajay, I'm guessing you're also a big fan of Sir Ken Robinson? Or if the production line analogy was your own idea, and you haven't heard of Sir Ken Robinson before, you will really enjoy this animated version of his speech: Changing education paradigms

Even those of you who don't particularly have an interest in education, should find some of his speeches very insightful. He is an internationally acclaimed creativity expert, who often criticizes the education systems of the world. The guy is absolutely brilliant!

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AndyD (16-Aug-11)

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