Grey Sunshine Panel - Kids Education Revolution

    The Grey Sunshine panel discusses the current reality of student-teacher relationships and the power dynamics that exist within the education system. They emphasize how students are often intimidated by teachers, leading to a fear-based environment that hinders learning. The panelists explore the reasons behind this intimidation, such as authoritative tones and the silence in classrooms that make students fearful of expressing themselves. They also highlight the impact of corporal punishment and power imbalances on students' confidence and willingness to engage in their education. The panel advocates for equal partnerships between students and teachers, where both parties learn from each other and students are included in the design process. They also emphasize the importance of approaching education with love, fostering a safe space for questioning and exploration, and focusing on learning rather than just instructing. The panelists discuss the need for classrooms that foster critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and collective leadership. They believe that by involving children as partners in the learning process, their dreams and passions can be encouraged and a positive change can be inspired. They reflect on the challenges of implementing these changes but emphasize the need for open discussions and modeling. The panelists also acknowledge the need to unlearn certain perspectives and behaviors in order to be the change they want to see in the world.

00:00:00 In this section, Stephen Farr from Teach For All introduces himself and discusses his shift in thinking about problem-solving in education, emphasizing the importance of focusing on students. He then invites the panel members to introduce themselves and their work. Pooja, a 12th grader from Chennai, shares her experience in redesigning education for a rural school and slum communities during the lockdown. Rachel, who works with entrepreneurs through Teach For India, describes herself as an elder sister figure, emphasizing her dedication to being with and partnering with children. Avinash is asked to introduce himself next.

00:05:00 In this section, Avinash and another panelist share their experiences regarding the current reality of student-teacher relationships. Avinash describes an incident from his third-grade classroom where a new English teacher used physical punishment and yelled at students, leading to a fear-based environment that hindered learning. He believes that the current reality is that students are intimidated by their teachers, which prevents education from reaching its true potential. This experience is not unique to him, as he has heard similar stories from other students as well.

00:10:00 In this section of the video, the panel discusses why students are intimidated by teachers and how it affects their learning experience. One student, Pooja, shares how the authoritative tone and silent atmosphere in classrooms can make students fearful of expressing themselves or asking questions. Another student, Avinash, talks about his personal experience with corporal punishment in a government school, which left him feeling scared and unable to speak up. Cheyenne and Russia acknowledge the importance of having conversations like these and reflect on the impact it has on students, sharing a story about a quiet and submissive student who had failed in his ninth grade and felt defeated.

00:15:00 In this section, the speaker shares a story about a student who faced humiliation and lost confidence in himself because of the power dynamics in the classroom. They emphasize the need for equal partnerships and relationships in education, where both teachers and students learn from each other. The speaker also discusses how the current education system perpetuates this power dynamic, with teachers feeling pressured to deliver and students being seen as mere receivers. They reflect on the historical context in India, where teachers have traditionally held higher status and power.

00:20:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the power dynamics in education and how it is passed down from generation to generation. They mention that many teachers learn from their own teachers and continue to teach in the same way, unless they are exposed to different methods. The idea of how a person learns is influenced by their own school experiences, and unless they see better results with a different approach, it may be challenging to change the power dynamics in education. The speaker then brings up the skeptic perspective and challenges the notion of students changing education. They argue that students are still learning and developing, and it would be a mistake to hand over power to them. They also mention the importance of discipline and quiet classrooms, as they believe it prepares students for future jobs and contributions to society.

00:25:00 In this section of the video, the panelists discuss the importance of not using children to challenge power dynamics and how it is the responsibility of adults to create a safe space for them. They emphasize that for ownership and decision-making to occur, children must be included in the design process and seen as partners. The panelists also question why the education system has been declining, suggesting that it is because there is a mismatch between the needs of the beneficiaries and what is being created and implemented. They advocate for a shift towards a system where students take ownership of their own learning with external support.

00:30:00 In this section, the panelists discuss the importance of approaching education with love and how the current teaching methodology is causing damage to children and society at large. They highlight the need to sit down with teachers and have open conversations in order to understand why they think the way they do and to bring about a change in the system. They emphasize that education should be focused on learning rather than just instructing, and that a shift towards a more effective and compassionate approach is necessary.

00:35:00 In this section, the panelists discuss the importance of allowing children to question and explore in order to foster true learning. They reference the example of Greta Thunberg, who learned and took action on her own through observation and questioning. They emphasize the irony of a "safe space" in education where questioning power dynamics is not allowed. They believe that giving children the space to question and learn is crucial for the future generations and the world. The conversation shifts to a more hopeful tone, discussing the need for classrooms that foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as collective leadership. They explore how to make the shift towards a partnership-based education system that nurtures these skills and aligns with the needs of the world.

00:40:00 In this section, the speaker reflects on their experience working with children and emphasizes the importance of sitting with them to understand their dreams and encourage them to pursue their passions. They highlight the example of a group of children who embarked on the ambitious project of redesigning a school, taking on the roles of student-teachers and managing everything themselves. The speaker notes the change in the children's perspective, as they gained respect for educators and developed empathy towards the challenges they face. They also discuss the power of showing people what can be achieved and involving children as partners in the learning process. The speaker suggests exposing children to stories of excellent teachers worldwide and how that can inspire positive change.

00:45:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of equal partnerships between students and teachers in education. They highlight their own positive experiences in a school where teachers value and listen to students' input. They give examples of how their school creates a collaborative environment, such as designing timetables together and asking students for their preferences in learning. The panel also acknowledges that this type of partnership may seem uncommon in many schools, where inequalities based on class, caste, and gender persist. However, they emphasize the need for stories and examples of successful partnerships to inspire and motivate others to create similar educational environments.

00:50:00 In this section, the speaker reflects on the need for the entire education system and society to change their way of thinking. They emphasize the importance of building relationships, understanding, and listening to one another before focusing on curriculum and academics. The speaker believes that education should be about helping children develop life skills, values, problem-solving abilities, and love. They share an example of a project they did on valuing different religions, where a child's answer about the existence of multiple religions highlighted the importance of creating different pathways for people to walk smoothly within their own lines. The speaker is amazed by the creativity and problem-solving abilities of children.

00:55:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the challenges of implementing the best educational practices and emphasizes the need to create spaces for open discussions and modeling. They believe that both educators and students need each other equally in this partnership. The conversation then shifts to the panelists reflecting on what they need to unlearn in order to be the change they want to see in the world. One panelist mentions unlearning the static view of the student-teacher relationship and the other mentions the need to improve their listening skills.