The
ownership to my work and belongingness to my job after the curriculum review is
the best feeling I had in a long time. Teachers had been implementing policy
makers design since the advent of modern education system in Bhutan and still
doing but recent change is a nice solace.
With
such prospect at hand I would like to put forth my dream of a history
curriculum in Bhutan. The current history curriculum served us well and can
still serve with appropriate and timely restructurings. I have FIVE key points
for restructuring as stated below but note that its entirely my own perception
would like to welcome your valued suggestions.
1.
Teach regional and world
history from the Bhutanese context and not as a separate entity: An integrated history.
Current history curriculum supplies us
three books of history starting seventh grade. We learn Bhutan, Regional and
world history as a separate entity hardly having any link. BCSEA too designs
questions separately in the same booklet and in doing so we learn a little of
everything or nothing at times because all the focus throughout the year is to
cover up the vast syllabus and three separate books. Therefore, people adopted
providing handouts and rote learning for exams only losing all the charms of
history in the process.
History isn’t just remembering a date or
mentioning an event, history shall be a reflection and a teacher from the ages.
History speaks the goods and evil of mankind from the past and shall let the
learner reflect upon past and define the future. It shall enable learners to
links events at home with the ones around the globe, connections of each event
and their implication to other shall be drawn, nothing teaches analytical skill
more than good history lesson does.
So if we list the historical chronology of
our nation and relate each event with the ones around the globe and analyse the
implications of each event to our geo-political, socio-economic, cultural
development and survival and progress of our nation state through each event
and time then we not only understand the A-Z of ourselves but as an important
player in global arena. Example: as we study reign of Second Druk Gyalpo, we
can relate the time at home to that of the world around, we can also link up
the immediate impact of those global event on us and around and its tremendous
waves to us aftermath and today.
2.
Focus on retaining the
Bhutanese belief system as we become a global master: think globally, act locally
Losing oneself is the byproduct of an
inadequate planning; therefore a nation of our size cannot afford to lose a
slightest of it. The strength of the Bhutanese lies in our uniqueness to the
world that comes with our belief system that spins around our myth and
mythology, culture and tradition, legends and folklores that are deeply
embedded with Buddhist philosophies yet diminishing with so called contemporary
maturity. So designing an activity that involves researching and writing of local
and family history according to their level and ability would not only bring
them up and soak them deep into Bhutanese belief system but also prepare and
acquaint them with research skills and literary competencies. This kind of
recording keeping and researches will bank our legends, beautify each locality
with a story to narrate and bring back the forgotten glories.
3.
Pursue history as much outside
as inside classroom: Abolish
chalk and talk in history
Allocate adequate funds and design
adventurous, satisfying and documentable activities like the inclusion of
family and local history will do a magic in lifting children’s curiosity for
the history instead of supplying truckloads of outdated text. The upcoming
history curriculum should aim to get rid of the notion that history is a sleeping
pill or history class a bedroom. Had it not for vast curriculum and limited
time, history has the nature and scope to provide an outdoor learning
experience, allocate adequate fund for at least one or two outdoor field trip
or site visit to the historical venues. This can really enhance a positive
outlook for the subject students can in fact get infatuated to history. Example: Mr. James A Percoco, the professor of History and writer points out
‘how a trip to former USSR sponsored with his history tutor Neal Adams changed
his complete view of the subject’ as narrated in his book Passion for the past: A creative teaching of U.S history.
The point here is design a activities that
requires a children to be an explorer, adventurer and thinker apart from being
a great reader.
4. Provide
a frame work with definite required outcomes and not prescribed text: Textbook is a problem in itself.
This is a point I raised during honorable Sherig Lyenpo’s and am so glad that we
have a similar outlook here. We are always been instructed to go beyond the
text and class but on the other hand there’s BCSEA and time who obliquely
forbid us to look beyond that prescribed shabby text. Every history teacher has
twenty more pages to add on to each topic or a total differing view to every
point but will time allow us to narrate another sixty books? Will BCSEA award
marks to a differently approached answer? That won’t happen at least with
current system and curricula, better don’t risk student’s mark and ones plate.
I would rather suggest provide an adequate
fund, hard and soft copy materials to schools across the country and let the learning
be fun, but make sure ends need is met in the most joyous adventure …
5. Instill
a unique passion for history: Let
the History be a Hobby
Anyone aspiring can romance history if we
can build a passion in them, never confine books and teachers to be the only
arsenal of history, wing them and let them bring the historian from anything
and everyone they meet, provide a space in a curriculum to hearten their innate
love for History and Let the history be hobby at the least...
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| Some books that drew me to History |
