Unlearn to create change

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We all view the world through our distinct lenses. These lenses are shaped by our experiences, collective narratives, culture and so on. These perspectives and deep held beliefs are reflected in our thoughts, feelings, judgements and reactions. However, we are rarely aware of these hidden roadmaps and anchors to our lives. We accept these as facts and are unlikely to question these, as they provide us with a sense of stability, self and belonging and save us from continuous cognitive and emotional effort. As a result, we are on auto-play mode cognitively most of the time. Many of our struggles and problems also result from this. Being aware of these biases and irrational beliefs can help us understand our own emotional reactions and behavioural patterns. 

This reflection is especially crucial for teachers. Teachers shape the thinking and experiences of students. As teachers we need to become consciously aware of the influence of our childhood- our schooling, parenting, culture, religious beliefs, values etc. on our cognition and emotions. We initiate the cycle of change and learning when we answer uncomfortable questions such as:

• our view of a child, 

• role of assessment, 

• role of teacher, 

• goal of education, 

• purpose of discipline,

• value of religion. 

As a child I remember my schools with expectation of compliance, rote learning, and singular focus on exams. For any student being “different” invited trouble. Any child with neurodiversity was advised and often pushed to ‘fit-in’. It was common to segregate and label students into ‘good’ and ‘bad’, usually on the basis of academic performance. Corporal punishments was the norm to ‘motivate’. Terms like mental health, socio-emotional learning did not exist. Apart from traumatising me, it also became part of my unconscious script and created a lot of internal conflict when I began working as a teacher. 

To create classrooms where we are able to see and understand every child- with their needs and contexts- first we need to look at our own lens. The more aware we become of our prejudice, stereotypes, traumas, values- the clearer eyed and open we would be towards our students’ needs. We ought to pause and not put children in boxes that our mind creates. We would be able to check our reactions and judgements. This intent will help create inclusive classrooms.

Unlearning is a continuous journey I have realised. Being curious and inquiring about our beliefs and perspectives is crucial. Being self- reflective is needed to be open to new learning. This is especially relevant as we are experiencing a lot of uncertainty in the world right now. The skills that were relevant earlier might not be of much value today and in future. One example is cursive writing. Similarly, our understanding of neurodiversity, brain and development has come a long way over the last decade. As the world of education and work is changing, the teachers too need to unlearn, adapt and learn continuously.